Abstract
The Semoq Beri tribe in Pahang is one of the sub-groups of the Senoi Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia. They are largely dependent on natural resources, especially wildlife, for their livelihood. However, no documentation has been made regarding their interactions with wildlife, such as hunting practices, and wildlife consumption and utilisation. In this paper, we provide an ethnozoological study on their cultural knowledge of wildlife utilisation by using a questionnaire and interviews as our instruments. We found that the Semoq Beri people can be categorised into five types of lifestyle, from totally nomadic to modern citizens, which are based on the types of their houses, hunting skills, food sources, income sources, and access to education. A total of 68 wildlife species, consisting of mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects, consumed by this community were documented. Their hunting tools and the uses of these tools were also documented. Due to their abundance, mammals are most frequently consumed by this community. Generally, we can conclude that the hunting lifestyle of the Semoq Beri people in Pahang is sustainable as they largely hunt for their own consumption, and not to participate in the trading of wildlife. However, we are concerned about the numerous endangered and threatened wildlife species being consumed by them. It is also apparent that their hunting activities are decreasing because of the changes to their lifestyle due to modernisation.
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Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Department of Orang Asli Development Malaysia (JAKOA) and Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) for providing the necessary funding, facilities, and assistance. This research was supported by Fundamental Research Grant Scheme FRGS/1/2018/WAB13/UTHM/03/2 provided by Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, GPPS-UTHM-2019-H553 postgraduate grant by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), UKM-ST-2018-020 and UKM-GUP-2019-037 by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). We are also thankful to Department of Orang Asli Development Malaysia (JAKOA) and Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) for providing research permit (JAKOA/PP.30.032Jld 44 (48) & KATS 600-2/2/21 JLD.9 (7)–B-00266-16-19) We also acknowledge all respondents for their cooperation and knowledge sharing in this study as well as local guides that assisted us throughout this research.
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Abdul-Latiff, M.A.B. et al. (2021). The Ethnozoology, Wildlife Utilisation and Hunting Practices of the Semoq Beri Tribe in Pahang. In: Abdullah, M.T., Bartholomew, C.V., Mohammad, A. (eds) Resource Use and Sustainability of Orang Asli. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64961-6_9
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