Y T L' S

NATURAL WONDERS
N O .3VO I CE O F CO N S ER VAT I O N

MAR ’24

BORNEO'SGLIDINGGIANTS
The giant red-flying squirrel is the largest of the flyingsquirrels in Sabah. Out of the 49 species of flying squirrels
throughout the world, 14 are found in Borneo. Our wildlife
rescue and rehabilitation programme aims to protect all
wildlife on Gaya Island.

A WELCOMEMESSAGEFROM JUSTIN JUHUN

forgotten with the establishment of our Tropical Botanical
Garden, where we have successfully cultivated rare species ofplants native to the island, such as the Triangular Clubmoss.
We are excited to be expecting more good news as theteams for both the centre and garden expand and, alongwith the headcount, the conservation work that they are able
to do.
On the East Coast of the Peninsula, a survey of the four
different topographical zones of Tanjong Jara Resort and its
grounds has also yielded highly fruitful findings. We haveidentified a diversity of wildlife species, diurnal and norturnal,
so as to be able to plan proper trails, immersive programmes
and sustainable encounters for nature enthusiasts. By
educating and building awareness among staff and locals, weare able to offer harmonious human and nature experiencesthat do not jeopardise the natural balance of the ecosystems.
Our protected beach and its turtle conservation programmeis one such stellar example, where we are able to offer
upclose spectacles of the natural cycle of life of endangered
turtles between April and October each year.
We also have heartwarming news from Gaya Island Resort,where rescued sea turtle Covid is making leaps and bounds
in recovery and is soon expected to return to sea. The sameis being observed with the red giant flying squirrel Yoma,
who is now soaring to new heights with its rehabilitation andis also on track to be released back to its natural habitat.
Dear guests,
Welcome back to the pages of Natural Wonders - The Voicesof Conservation, now in its third volume of collating andcurating updates on YTL Hotels' key sustainability andenvironmental initiatives. With travel and life resuming at
pre-pandemic norm now, we are pleased to also see the same
encouraging progress with our conservation efforts thatgained its biggest traction during the global lockdowns.
On the West coast of Malaysia, Pangkor Laut Resort’s many
wildlife and ground surveys allowed us to get an overview ofthe diversity of our forest and seas so we can paint a solid
picture of what we’re working with. The efforts areheightened with the materialisation of Nature Conservation
Centre, serving as our headquarters to do more for our flora,
fauna and coral reefs. The lifeline of our forests is not

T H E N AT U R A L W O N D E R S

I hope you find as much fulfillment as we do in learning more
about the nature that surrounds us. One day, may you also
have the opportunity to be part of the many delightful natureexperiences that our conservation team has put in place.
From the warm seas to lush forests, it has long been ourmission to protect our natural landscapes and all the beauty
it has to offer.
Yours sincerely,

Justin Juhun
Director of ConservationYTL Hotels

PAG E 2

SOARING WITH THE HORNBILLS OF PANGKOR LAUT RESORTAt any time of your stay, it is not uncommon to look up fromthe unbreaking seaviews of Pangkor Laut Resort and spy themajestic black feathered kings with golden beaks and crownsthat are our resident Oriental Pied Hornbills. Their frequentsightings are thanks to our internship programme with theUniversity College of Sabah Foundation to study the birds’
behaviour, breeding patterns and, more importantly,
conducive habitual environments as to ensure a healthy andsustainable population.

PA N G KO R L AU T R E SO R T

After staking out various sites, monitoring their diets andstudying their behavioural patterns, the team learned crucial
information about the birds, such as that they monogamous,oviparous, omnivorous and dimorphic.
This input allows our wildlife warriors to create moreadvantageous environments for existing and future birds tonot just survive, but thrive.

PAG E 3

RIDDING THE GHOST NETS OF PULAU PANGKOR

The vibrant marine life around Pulau Pangkor makes for oneof the biggest attractions and source of life for the locals andholiday-makers alike. During a chance deep dive into a nearby
shore to survey the seabed of Pangkor Laut Resort, a menacing
nest of ghost nets was found by the reef, tangled by one of thebuilding pillars. Ghost nets are particularly deadly for marine
animals like dolphins and turtles that can get entangled in themand drown when they cannot surface for air.
Our team launched an endeavour to remove the mass of ghost
nets, the startling size of which indicated that it might have been
accumulating for years. The effort took a month to complete,being possible to execute only during low tide. Moving forward,
the team will be conducting frequent scouts and checks toeradicate future ghost nets before they claim any more
innocent lives.

PA N G KO R L AU T R E SO R T

PAG E 4

CELEBRATING NEW LIFE AT OURTELUK KETAPANG TURTLE HATCHERYNot just a hatchery but a sanctuary for all turtles.
Collaborating with MareCet (a non-profit NGO that is dedicatedsolely to the Marine Mammal Conservation and research inMalaysia) and Teluk Ketapang turtle hatchery by providing
technical support in terms of wildlife care, rescue, rehabilitation
and release.
Since the first day of Pangkor Laut Resort’s and the Teluk
Ketapang collaboration program was established, we haverehabilitated six injured and sick turtles. Through our dedicationand intense treatment programmes, five out of the six turtles
have been released back into its natural habitat.
To ensure that the program continues to operate professionally,
we have established a collaboration project with the local
veterinarians through sharing of our experiences.

PA N G KO R L AU T R E SO R T

PAG E 5

ECO-TOURISM AT ONE WITH NATUREAT TANJONG JARA RESORT

Since its conception, Tanjong Jara Resort was carefully planned
to encroach on as little as possible of its lush surrounding nature
so as to exist as one with the forest and wetlands it calls home.
Developers identified four zones of development to ensure
minimal disruption – two of them are forested sites that today
serve as vital conservation landmarks that also double as theresort’s in-house attractions.
The wetlands and coastal forests are home to the resort’s natural
mangroves and trekking sites respectively. The hotel group choseto lean in to the existing bounty of these landscapes and use
them as they are meant to be – as natural sites for prized visitsand studies for nature enthusiasts and researchers.
Guests who go on a river cruise down the mangrove or trek
through the forest will have high chances of spotting a myriadof wildlife here, undisturbed, untouched and unadulterated in
all their full glory.

TA N J O N G JA R A R E S O R T

PAG E 6

ADOPT A NEST OF TURTLE HATCHLINGSAT TANJONG JARA TURTLE WATCH
This year marks eight strong years since the establishment ofTanjong Jara Resort’s Turtle Watch, an effort first created inexclusive partnership with Lang Tengah Turtle Watch in 2016.
The effort is a personification of the resort’s commitment to live
harmoniously with its natural surroundings and to protect andconserve its local fauna by incubating turtle nests in the hatcheryto protect them from poachers and predators, thus increasing
their hatching success rate.

TA N J O N G JA R A R E S O R T

On top of learning about these majestic creatures andwitnessing the emergence of hatchlings by night, visitors
can now also adopt a nest from the programme for a monetarypledge.
The pledges will save a nest from poachers and entitle donors
to receive regular email updates with photographic progress
reports, including an invitation to return to the resort towitness the hatching of their nest.

PAG E 7

THE TRIALS & TURBULATIONS OF COVID THE SEA TURTLE

Visitors of Gaya Island Resort will be familiar with the tale ofCovid the sea turtle, who was found floating off the shores ofGaya Island on the second day of the first nationwide
Movement Control Order in early 2020.
It had a fractured carapace as the victim of an unfortunate boatstrike, resulting in a floating syndrome that rendered it unable
to sink to depths to feed. Over the last three years, it received
daily treatment and weight therapy at Gaya Island Resort
Marine Centre as part of its rehabilitation processes.

G AYA I S L A N D R E S O R T

PAG E 8

This year, reintroduction to the sea has begun for Covid,beginning with the building of a sea cage to help it acclimatise
to water submergence and relearn how to dive deeper. A 20
feet x 20 feet x 15 feet sea cage was built specially for thispurpose, installed just by the resort’s guest jetty for ease ofaccess and monitoring.
Following careful watch and with some help from dive weights,
Covid showed encouraging behaviour where he was able todive to depths of more than five metres, explore his peripheryand stay at the bottom of the cage for extended periods of time.
Most recently, the assisting dive weights have fallen off andCovid is submerging to new depths without them. Release
seems very possible and, more importantly, soon.

G AYA I S L A N D R E S O R T

PAG E 9

SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS WITH YOMATHE RED GIANT FLYING SQUIRREL
True to the resort’s reputation as a haven for many creatures
winged, furry and more, a young red giant flying squirrel wasfound in the tail end of 2023. Yoma went through 100 days ofrehabilitation to make sure it was in the pink of health before
being reintroduced to the wild.
Under the careful care of the rehabilitation team, Yoma grew a
total of 7cm in length, and gained more than 250g in weight, allpositive signs of health. Feeding only on milk three times a day
initially, it soon moved on to vegetables, favouriting green
beans over the rest.

G AYA I S L A N D R E S O R T

PAG E 10

As its 100 days drew closer, it also began showing signs ofcuriosity and mischief, becoming active at night and leaving
telltale signs of droppings inside the rehabilitation centre forhis caretaker to find. Yoma has been out and about!
This year, Yoma finally displayed the behaviour that the teamhas long been awaiting – it deftly hopped off the top of its
nesting box, soared through the air and glided gracefully to theground, signs that it is ready to take on new heights among thetrees of home.

G AYA I S L A N D R E S O R T

PAG E 11

CORAL REEF CONSERVATION AT GAYA ISLAND

Repopulating the surrounding coral reefs, for abiodiverse legacy inherited by nature.
To ensure that the myriad marine life inhabiting the waters ofGaya Island continues to thrive, we invite guests to participate
in our Coral Planting sessions. At these sessions, we offer
insights into the miraculous lives of coral, how the reefs
support over 30 percent of sea life and flourish into some of
the most fantastical seascapes known to man.
All the proceeds from this activity will be reinvested into theGaya Island Resort marine centre's continual efforts torepopulate the surrounding coral reefs, a biodiverse legacy
inherited by nature and preserved for generations yet to comewith your support.

G AYA I S L A N D R E S O R T

PAG E 12

The Natural Wonders - Voice of Conservation aims to share the latest
conservation news from our collection of Luxury Resorts in Malaysia.
Discover the infinite variety, complexity, sheer beauty of thenatural environment and the passion of its people thatmake each resort an exceptional experience.

YTL Hotels Travel Centre, Level 2, YTL Plaza,
55 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
travelcentre@ytlhotels.com | +60 3 2783 1000
ytlhotels.com