The Endau-Rompin Landscape spans almost 4,000 square kilometres and consists of protected areas, permanent reserved forests, state land forest and forest plantations. The two major protected areas in this landscape are the Endau-Rompin Johor National Park and Rompin State Park. They are contiguous, and together cover an area of approximately 890 square kilometres. There are a number of local villages scattered in and around the landscape, including those of the indigenous people, predominantly from the Jakun tribe of about less than 1,000 individuals. Kampung Peta is the largest indigenous village, located at the border of Endau-Rompin Johor National Park. Under Malaysia’s National Tiger and Elephant Conservation Action Plan, Endau-Rompin is recognised as one of the three priority sites and considered to be one of the strongholds for these species and other large mammals in Peninsular Malaysia. Aside from tigers and elephants, Endau-Rompin is also home to a host of other endangered/critically endangered species such as Sunda pangolins, flat-headed cats, Malayan tapirs and otter civets; and is thought to be the last remaining bastion of the bearded pig in Peninsular Malaysia.
Endau-Rompin has already lost connectivity to the Greater Taman Negara Landscape to the north and is at risk from further degradation as the conversion of forests to other land uses continues. Securing the future of the landscape’s remaining forests and maintaining ecosystem functionality and connectivity is not only a major priority for biodiversity conservation, but for indigenous /rural livelihoods and culture, and for sustaining vital ecosystem services, including securing and enhancing carbon stocks and ensuring the sustainability of regional water resources. Improving the connectivity in this landscape for tigers and elephants would benefit a host of other wildlife.