Saturday, March 10, 2018

TheWildlifeDiaries: Best places to see wildlife in Borneo @WildDiaries


Straddling the equator and divided among three countries: Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, Borneo is the third largest island on Earth. Its tropical rainforests are home to an incredible diversity of wildlife from giant apes to pygmy elephants and from wild cats to flying frogs.

Borneo’s Malaysian state of Sabah still retains a large portion of its forest cover and is one of the best places in South East Asia for wildlife watching. Sabah is home to a number of wildlife reserves and protected areas, but these three hotspots are the rare gems.

Best Places to see  Wildlife in Borneo

1. Danum Valley

Lying about 2.5 hours by road from the coastal town of Lahad Datu, Danum Valley Conservation area is home to one of the world’s oldest rainforests. Estimated to be 140 million-years-old, this forest has a distinctly primeval feeling to it.

Thick clouds of mist float lazily over the tops of some of the tallest tropical trees on Earth. Every surface in the forest is covered by the lush vegetation in all possible shades of green.

The wildlife is everywhere in Danum Valley: Bearded pigs and Sambar deer frolic on the lawns around the living quarters, cheeky Maroon langurs are frequent visitors to the camps.

The suspension bridges over the Segama River and canopy towers bring you even closer wildlife. But the best wildlife watching is at night on a safari drive. You are virtually guaranteed to see Flying squirrels, a few species of civets, Colugos and Slow lorises. And if you are lucky, you may spot Borneo pygmy elephants or even a Clouded leopard.

There are two accommodation options in Danum Valley: the luxurious Borneo Rainforest Lodge and the simpler rooms at the Field Center.

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