*1.1.1 Biodiversity loss*

Loss of biodiversity are directly linked to natural forest loss. Reduced habitat structures as a result of oil palm expansion provides fewer niches for flora and fauna. Endangered species such as tiger, elephants and orangutan are on the verge of extinction. As new lands are cleared from the forest, there is an increased access to lands which leads to increased hunting pressure as well as habitation by humans resulting in increased conflicts between human and these animals, example is the flood plains of the Kinabatangan River in Sabah, Malaysia and in Riau and Bengkulu provinces in Indonesia. The population and survival of these species are seriously endangered due to forest degradation and deforestation, illegal logging, illegal hunting and trade, forest fires, subsistence agriculture and development of agricultural plantations especially oil palm, rubber and acacia plantations. Species diversity, density and biomass of invertebrate communities is estimated to suffer at least 45% decrease from land use transformation of tropical forests to oil palm plantations [23].
