KOTA KINABALU: African swine fever has taken a toll on wild boars in Sabah over the past nine months and in many ways has affected the indigenous communities who rely on the animal for food and cultural traditions.

       New research published by the People and Nature journal observed that the virus had hurt pig farms and impacted the wild bearded pig population around the state since its outbreak nine months ago.

       The research carried out by an international team from Malaysia, the United Kingdom and United States showed that oil palm plantation expansion had affected the traditional hunting practices of the Kadazandusun-Murut people, who are the state’s largest indigenous group.

       The team was made up of researchers from Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sabah Parks, Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC), Sabah Wildlife Department, Cardiff University, the University of Queensland, and UC Berkeley.

       Among others, they interviewed local hunters who said that they sought out the bearded pigs for food, recreation, pest control, and gifts for cultural celebrations such as weddings and family gatherings.

       According to the published interviews, the hunters said bearded pig meat was important for food security.

       Feedback from these hunters indicated that it was “a matter of survival.”

       One hunter said he learned from his father that “this is our life. We live in the forest; this is our food.”

       The researchers found that 54% of those interviewed spoke of hunting for the bearded pig to share it during festivals and celebrations.

       According to the research team, modern native hunters preferred to hunt for bearded pigs in oil palm plantations, as it was “easier” compared to searching for them in the forests.

       The deadly sweep of ASF through Sabah has killed almost all bearded pigs in some areas, leaving them close to extinction there.

       At times over the past year, forests have even been reported to have the stench of rotting carcasses.

       The shrinking bearded pig population is threatening the health of the forest, as well as food security and cultural traditions in some parts of the state, the research said.

       However, DGFC director Prof Benoit Goossens, a co-author of the study, said they were optimistic for the recovery of the bearded pig population as they found cameras in several protected areas showing some of these animals had survived.

       “These species is very resilient. Its reproductive rate is high with a female able to produce between three and 10 piglets per litter. We can therefore expect that if some survived the outbreak, the population could bounce back in a few years.”

       Dr Fiffy Hanisdah Saikim, another a co-author and a senior lecturer and researcher at Universiti Malaysia Sabah, said the bearded pigs reflected the people of Borneo’s relationship with their rainforests, as well as their desire for a proper coexistence with all the animals.

       “This animal is much more than simply game for the people of Borneo. The bearded pig is a unique creature that bears witness to both ecological and cultural keystones,” she added.