BRUNEI Tourism and Sabah Tourism boards, in collaboration with Sandakan Borneo Bird Club, will hold the first international Borneo Bird Race 2013 on June 1.
A total of eight bird clubs from seven Asian countries will participate in the event, said Chairman of Sabah Tourism Board Dato' Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin Tengku Mahmod during a press conference at at the Brunei Tourism Board yesterday.
"Eight international teams will travel more than 1,000 kilometres in search of more than 400 species of birds in a wide range of habitats from the coastal regions, freshwater swamps and lowland forests, to the hills and mountains ranges of Sabah and Brunei," said Dato' Seri Tengku Zainal.
"During the race, each team will be out for 10 to 12 hours, from dawn to dusk to take pictures and gather information about bird species that are available in Brunei and Sabah," he said. "At the end, the team that has gathered the highest number of species shall earn the prestigious 'Bornean Bristlehead Trophy'."
He said Brunei has the richest and most pristine rainforests on the island. "Brunei has 75 per cent forest cover and there are more than 450 known birds in Brunei. Sabah also has 600 known species with 32 of them listed as endemic species that can only be found in Sabah."
Acting Director of the Tourism Development Department Mariani Sabtu said she hoped the race would promote bird watching on Borneo and appreciation for animals such as orangutans which are only found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra.
Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: First Borneo Bird Race on June 1
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