UNDERSTANDING AND MITIGATING HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA: BALANCING COEXISTENCE AND CONSERVATION

Human–wildlife conflict (HWC) arises when human activities and wildlife needs overlap, resulting in negative consequences for one or both parties. Defined by the IUCN SSC as a direct and recurring threat to human safety or livelihoods, HWC often leads to retaliation against wildlife, threatening conservation and community welfare. In Malaysia, such conflicts manifest across a range of species – elephants damaging crops, macaques entering homes, tigers preying on livestock, and snakes causing injuries. These encounters not only cause physical harm or economic loss but also psychological distress and social strain among affected communities. Peninsular Malaysia, a biodiversity hotspot within the Central Forest Spine, supports rich tropical ecosystems and endangered megafauna. However, extensive land-use change driven by agriculture, infrastructure, and urbanisation has fragmented habitats and forced wildlife into closer proximity with human settlements. Between 2008 and 2019, over 3,700 elephant-related crop incidents, 33,000 macaque cases, and nearly 1,900 human injuries were recorded – figures that highlight the escalating scale of HWC. At the same time, rural communities living near forest edges depend heavily on agriculture for their livelihoods, making them particularly vulnerable to wildlife incursions. These losses can fuel resentment, reduce tolerance for wildlife, and weaken conservation support. Conversely, wildlife populations face habitat loss, road mortality, and retaliatory killings, compounding their decline. Addressing HWC therefore requires a holistic understanding of its ecological, behavioural, and socio-economic drivers, including habitat fragmentation, human encroachment, poaching, and the availability of anthropogenic food sources. This chapter, will explore these dynamics in Peninsular Malaysia, emphasizing the need for evidence-based, community-inclusive mitigation strategies that balance human well-being with the conservation of the nation’s unique biodiversity.
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DR. SHARMINI JULITA PARAMASIVAM

School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey & Animal Neighbours Project

Dr. Sharmini Julita Paramasivam is a veterinarian and academic leader in veterinary behaviour, animal welfare science, and higher education pedagogy. She is Associate Professor in Veterinary Behaviour and Animal Welfare and Associate Head of School (External Engagement) at the University of Surrey. She holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from University Putra Malaysia and an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare from the University of Edinburgh and is a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Her academic and research interests include animal welfare assessment, human–wildlife coexistence, and veterinary education. Her international career includes field-based work in Indonesia , where she led primate rehabilitation and coordinated research on human–macaque conflict – experience that underpins her ongoing research on urban wildlife coexistence. Dr. Paramasivam leads the Animal Neighbours Project, developing sustainable, community-based strategies to mitigate human–primate conflict. Her work integrates science, education, and field research to advance animal welfare and conservation.