Methods in Conserving Flora and Fauna through Traditional Knowledge of the Semaq Beri in Hulu Terengganu

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Methods in Conserving Flora and Fauna through Traditional Knowledge of the Semaq Beri in Hulu Terengganu

Iqbal Jumaat¹, Ramle Abdullah¹ & Nik Nizam Hamdan¹

¹Fakulti Sains Sosial Gunaan, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 20300 Kula Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

Abstract: The forest area around Lake Kenyir contains a variety of biodiversity as well as a habitat for various types of flora and fauna. However, the recent forest area around Lake Kenyir has been explored for various purposes such as opening of commercial farms, logging and for tourism purposes. Incidences of poachers exploiting forest products like exotic gaharu(gharuwood) and exotic fauna is increasingly worrying. These have not only affect the forest ecosystem around Lake Kenyir but also affect the indigenous people who are highly dependent on the forest and other natural resources in the area. The Semaq Beri tribe have been trying to help in conserving flora and fauna in the forest area around Lake Kenyir through the methods of practicing their traditional knowledge in everyday activities. Their traditional knowledge is seen to be very effective in the conservation process as well as to reduce damage in the forest area in their daily activities. Thus, this study was conducted to identify the traditional knowledge methods used by the Semaq Beri tribe in the process of conservation of flora and fauna. This study was conducted on the Semaq Beri tribe who are settled at Sungai Berua Village, Hulu Terengganu. This study applies the techniques of participating observation, interviews and document analysis to obtain data in meeting the objectives of this study. The findings found five traditional knowledge methods used by the Semaq Beri tribes in continuing their efforts to conserve the flora and fauna in the forest area around Lake Kenyir. To highlight this method, there should be initiatives from related agencies to expose their traditional knowledge to the public.

Keywords: Traditional Knowledge, Conservation, Flora and Fauna, Orang Asli, Method

I. INTRODUCTION

Forest is a vast area where various types of flora grow and is a habitat for many species of fauna. Forest is a tree community as well as animals and insects in a very large area [9]. The forest area in Malaysia is a tropical forest area inhabited by various types of flora and fauna that made this forest area rich with various priceless treasures, including the rich natural resources that are very useful to humans. Natural resources with human function are also known as natural capital. This is explained by [4], that natural capital is also interpreted as a natural resource of natural stocks including animals (land or water) and plants.

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