THE SUN BEARS OF BORNEO

The sun bear is found in the tropical rain forest habitats of Borneo and in some parts of Southeast Asia. The large scale of deforestation in the past many decades has dramatically reduced suitable habitat for the sun bears. The Borneo sun bear is also known as the "honey bear", as they have a strong appetite for honeycombs and honey. Honey, beetles, termites, ants and fruits make up their daily diet. 

The sun bear's fur is usually jet-black, short and sleek with some under wool.

The major threat to the sun bears are the habitat loss where deforestation is still actively happening in Borneo for plantation development. Because of the threat, in 2008, sun bear researcher Wong Siew Te, imitated a joint project between Land Empowerment Animals People (LEAP), the Sabah Wildlife Department and the Sabah Forestry Department to establish the Bornean Sun bear Conversation Centre (BSBCC) in the Sepilok-Kabili Forest Reserve of Sandakan.  

 Viewing platform at BSBCC

The mission of BSBCC is not a zoo or a main tourist attraction, but a centre to improve sun bear welfare, and for education, research and rehabilitation. The objective is to create the capacity to confiscate, rehabilitate and release suitable orphaned and ex-captive bears back into the wild. The centre aims to be a strong base to educate the public about the plight of the sun bears, to raise conservation awareness about this species, and to conduct more research on this species. Currently there are 30+ rescued sun bears residing in the centre. 

Visitors who wish to visit the centre, the opening hours daily is from 09:00am to 3:00 pm. The admission fee: RM15.00 for local Malaysian and RM30.00 for adult foreigner, Child under 12 years old is free. The centre is located 23 km from Sandakan town. It's just next to the Sepilok Orang Utan rehabilitation Centre. Public bus services and taxi are available.

** Pictures: courtesy of BSBCC. 

THE WONDERS OF BORNEO - RAFLLESIA

Rafflesia is a genus of parasitic flowering plants found in S.E.Asia. 9 species are found in Borneo. It is the official state flower of Sabah. Recent flowers found were measuring up to 95cm across and weighed up to 10 kilograms.   

 Blooming Rafflesia, biggest flower in the world.

Bloom with striking colour, Rafflesia flowers are beautiful, however, the flowers smell like rotting flesh and that the foul odor attracts flies and other insects.     

Visitors who are interested in the Raflfesia flowers, can try their luck at the nearest forest reserve in the Crocker Range which is about an hour drive from the city of Kota Kinabalu.    

Located at the roadside of the edge of a forest reserve is the Rafflesia Information Centre. The centre is solely established for the conservation of the remarkable Rafflesia plants.

This Rafflesia Information Centre is open daily to visitors from 8am to 3pm. Subject to the blooming Rafflesia flowers, visitors can opt for a jungle trekking adventure escorted by the "Forest Ranger" to take a closer look of the  plants and flowers.

Rafflesia flowers usually bloom for a week or so. During this short blooming period, the flowers are   pollinated by flies and insects attracted by the foul smell.

 

Rafflesia plants are also found in the Poring Hot Spring area, near Mt. Kinabalu National park. Some Rafflesia plants are found in the land belonging to the local villagers. Whenever there is a bloom, visitors on tour to Poring are allowed to enter their area and view the flowers at a token entrance fee. That's if you are lucky, you do not have to trek hours into the jungle to see this amazing flower.

THE WONDERS OF BORNEO - KINABATANGAN RIVER

A very HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! May 2017 be a joyful year to all especially my home - Borneo!

The Kinabatangan is the longest river in Borneo Sabah with a length of 560 kms from its headwaters in the mountains right to it's mouth at the Sulu sea, east of Sandakan. Kinabatangan is known for its remarkable wildlife and fascinating habitats such as Limestone caves, dryland dipterocard forest, riverine forest, freshwater swamp forest, oxbow lakes and salty mangrove swamps near the river month.

Though the upper parts of the river has been severely deforested for plantations, the original lowland forests and mangrove swamps near the coast have largely survived, providing a sanctuary for a population of saltwater crocodiles, and some of Borneo's highest concentrations of wildlife like the Borneo's indigenous proboscis monkeys, orangutan, the pygmy elephants and a great variety of birdlife.

 Orang Utan.

Proboscis monkeys

 A Pig-tailed Macaque enjoying it's afternoon snacks.

In 1997, 270 square kilometres of the lower Kinabatangan was declared a protected area and later gazetted under the Sabah State's Wildlife Conservation Enactment as the  Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

 

 Borneo Pygmy elephants.

Kinabatangan crocodile.

 

The Kinabatangan is an ideal location to experience the Borneo wildlife and the tropical jungle. For birds lovers, there are many varieties of birds, like the Kingfishers, the Oriental Darters, species of Hornbills and etc, etc.

 A Kingfisher.

A Rhinoceros hornbill

 An Oriental Darters

In the recent years, Lower Kinabatangan has developed into an adventure location for nature explorers and wildlife lovers. Lodging is available in a number of eco-friendly guest houses situated along the river that providing guests with all-inclusive package during stay.

 

 

Accommodation.

 Cruise to spot wildlife.

Awesome river views in the evening.

The Kinabatangan is accessible by road from Sandakan, the gate way to the East coast of Sabah. Take a 45 minutes flight from Kota Kinabalu, then continue on a 2 hours or so drive to Kinabatangan.

For cave lovers, Gomantong caves, the largest in Sabah is just within reach from Kinabatangan. 
The cave is located in 3,297-Hectares Gomantong Forest Reserve of Kinabatangan district. Gomantong Caves is a limestone cave system consists of 9 caves.

Entrance of the cave.

Advance booking is required for accommodation packages inclusive of meals, jungle activities, river or oxbow lakes cruise in search for wildlife. Packages available are 2D/1N, 3D/2N or more are available. Look into the websites of the lodges.    

Recommended lodges are:

Borneo nature Lodge,  Bilit Rainforest Lodge, Myne Resort, Kinabatangan River Lodge, Sukau Rainforest lodge and others.