RISK & RESCUING ISSUE: OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACCIDENTS IN PROTECTED AREAS OF GUNUNG LEDANG, JOHOR NATIONAL PARK, MALAYSIA

Abstract

This paper presents a study on outdoor recreational risk factors at Johor National Park of Gunung Ledang. It located at Southern of Malaysia and consists by tropical rainforest. The biodiversity richness and the wilderness of the natural resources has become attraction for local and international tourists to visit this national park to enjoying their outdoor recreational activities. But they are exposed with the risks and hazard in the wilderness tropical rainforest and the rescuing process for the victims is difficult too. This case study data collected using semi structured interviews conducted towards the National Park Managers from each study sites. The data analyzed using NVivo 11 version. As findings, the storm seems as the main outdoor recreational risk factors identified at this national park that may cause falling tree cases in this national park. Secondly, if the accident occurs at the deep forest, the rescuing assistance procedure for the victims is very difficult and takes time to reach the accident location. As conclusion, extreme recreationists were highly expose with outdoor recreational risks in outdoor nature wilderness settings and national park operator should look into this risk issue seriously in order to ensure the visitors’ safety during their visitation to the national parks. Highly recommended, for national park operator to have a look on the necessity of helipad installation at the risky areas of national park to smoothen the rescuing process for the victims in the wilderness areas.