Lonely Planet: Into the heart of Borneo - a guide to Sarawak’s national parks

Home to some of the world’s biggest caves and most diverse ecosystems, superlatives abound when it comes to describing Sarawak’s national parks.

So blessed is this Malaysian state with a wealth of natural wonders that it can be difficult deciding exactly which parks to visit.

To help you make your decision we’ve come up with some helpful pointers about what’s on offer where, using the cities of Kuching (in Sarawak’s west) and Miri (in its centre, close to Brunei) as the jumping off points for some spectacular exploration.

Around Kuching

Flora and fauna: Bako National Park

If you’ve come to Borneo to see rainforest animals in their natural habitats, Bako National Park is the perfect place to start, located less than an hour’s drive from the state capital of Kuching, on a rocky peninsula jutting out into the South China Sea.

The park attracts visitors keen to see its most celebrated residents, the distinctive pot-bellied, red-furred proboscis monkeys, who lounge around close to the shore. But there’s more much more wildlife on offer, with the chance to spot silver-leaf monkeys, cheeky long-tailed macaques, scaly monitor lizards and bearded pigs, who are often seen rummaging around park HQ.

The mangroves here are home to saltwater crocodiles, and as many as 190 kinds of birds have been identified within the park boundaries.

Once you’ve had your fill of the fauna, it’s the flora’s turn to grab your attention – Bako is a wonderfully accessible place to experience almost every type of vegetation found in Borneo. 

From the terminal at Kampung Bako, a 30-minute boat trip takes you to park HQ, from where a range of hiking trails lead through the various terrains, including beach and cliff vegetation, heath forest, mixed dipterocarp forest, grasslands and peat swamp forest.

It’s possible to hike the trails in a loop or arrange to be picked up by boat from one of the park’s hidden coves.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Lonely Planet: Into the heart of Borneo - a guide to Sarawak’s national parks

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Canuck Walkabout: The One With The Big Noses – Borneo Part 2

On the boat ride into Bako National Park our driver said the storm was coming.

Around 30 minutes later, we could feel the change he felt.

The air temperature dropped slightly and the wind picked up… then some thunder in the distance.

Moments later the sky opened up and the sound of the huge rain drops on the sheet metal roofs made it difficult to talk. 

Tropical rain is an incredible experience to live through.

It completely takes over everything, with a fantastic intensity that gives a brief and very welcome respite from the constant heat and humidity.

The incredible thing about Bako National Park is the amount of wildlife readily on display.

This hit us right away, just in the sheer number of animals we saw in the 30 minutes between the boat and the start of the rain.

Mudskippers on the beach, a bearded pig causally strolling along the path, troops of macaques and langurs, and two extremely rare proboscis monkeys enjoying the afternoon in the vegetation by the beach.

This was in our first 30 minutes in the park.

If that was any indication, it was going to be a great few days. And oh, it was.

And of course, the strangest looking creature at the park.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Canuck Walkabout: The One With The Big Noses – Borneo Part 2

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Mark's Hikes & Travels: Niah National Park, Borneo

Niah is a national park centred around the huge Niah Cave which has anthropological significance.

There is a lot (relatively speaking) of rainforest surrounding the cave, but I didn’t have time to explore that and was focussed on the cave including its burial sites and paintings.

I had to repeat steps of my previous journey, but made this easier on myself by sharing a ride with some people heading to Brunei.

I picked a company and was dumped over the wheel arches of a bus which was meant to leave at 07.45, but, I assume, was only allowed to leave once the 08.00 bus had left.

Whilst I am getting  better at rolling with transport in Asia (Japan excepted of course) with a ‘don’t worry be happy’ attitude my highly strung nature means I get a bit bent out of shape where I shouldn’t.

Happily I am British and repressed so my being disgruntled doesn’t impact on anyone other than my own blood pressure I assume.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Mark's Hikes & Travels: Niah National Park, Borneo

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Major face-lift, upgrading set for Niah National Park

KUCHING: Niah National Park is set to undergo a face-lift as major upgrading and repair works on the park’s facilities including the development of a state-of-the-art Interpretation Centre have commenced.

This was announced at a symbolic handing-over ceremony of the project yesterday from Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) to Cergas Asli Sdn Bhd (Cergas Asli), the main project contractor.

The project comprises the setting up of Interpretation Centre, ticketing booth cum information kiosk, a multi-unit souvenir shop, public toilet and rest huts; information and interpretation signages as well as a 700m boardwalk.

This project costing RM3.4 million is funded by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia under the 11th Malaysia Plan.

The Interpretation Centre will showcase the history of human civilisation at the Niah caves, cultural heritage of Niah’s indigenous communities, biodiversity and natural assets of the park, and the geological features of the Niah Cave System.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Major face-lift, upgrading set for Niah National Park

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National Geographic Traveller: Meet the Iban of Batang Ai

Get to know the real Borneo in Batang Ai National Park, where the Iban tribe live among the boughs and branches of the jungle

Kuching sheds its skin awfully quickly. The capital of the Malaysian state of Sarawak has all the noise, clamour and clutter — motorbikes scuttling, cars growling, shops spilling onto the street — that comes with any sizeable city in the Far East.

But as the car passes through the outskirts, the jumbled homes start to press the road with less urgency and the jungle steps in instead: deep, green, all-encompassing.

Once upon a time, Borneo was like this in its entirety; all 287,000 square miles of it, one vast stretch of 140-million-year-old rainforest.

But some things don’t change. Batang Ai National Park, 150 miles south-east of Kuching, is one of them.

And here, amid the dense growth, my journey into the real Borneo is gaining pace.

I’m seeking the Dayak, the indigenous people of the island, who have long lived a simpler, less intrusive life among the boughs and branches.

Specifically, I’m looking for the Iban, the Dayak tribe who eke out their existence in the backwoods of Sarawak and Sabah, their homes seamlessly slotted into the jungle, rather than overpowering it.

Batang Ai Reservoir fades behind me, the Delong River pulling me east in a wooden boat — more an extended canoe than a ferry — so low to the brown-green water that it seems likely to be swallowed by it at any second.

The motor snorts and coughs every time the pilot has to swerve us around a floating log or shallow section or through a patch of rocky rapids.

There are shrill calls and rhythmic beats from the canopy, hornbills and woodpeckers at work.

And the trees seem to crowd ever closer with each mile, as if the jungle wants to pluck me from my damp seat and hold me close.

t will have its way. After 90 minutes, we pull ashore at what seems the smallest of gaps in the foliage. And there it is in a clearing: the Nanga Sumpa Longhouse.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: National Geographic Traveller: Meet the Iban of Batang Ai

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Gazetting Bukit Sarang and Binyo Penyilam as national parks

Backgrounds of the two proposed areas

DO you love nature and photography? Do you like flora such as pitcher plants and wild orchids or do you love fishing or even caving? If you do, then you might want to put down these two new places — Bukit Sarang and Binyo Penyilam — in your personal notebook.

Apart from the oil and gas industry, little is known about Bintulu’s unique forests and landscapes.

Bukit Sarang and Binyo Penyilam are two unique forest landscapes, located in the Bintulu region of Sarawak. Both areas are well-known for their rich natural resources. Binyo is a breeding ground for fish, especially Tapah (wallago leerii), while Bukit Sarang is known for natural bird’s nests and limestone caves.

Apart from these highly valued commercial resources, little is known about what these areas have to offer. Hence, it is important to know both are now undergoing transformation into National Parks.

Currently coming under the Planted Forest Project is an industrial tree plantation area covering Binyo and Bukit Sarang. Both are considered as conservation areas which are important for the unique landscapes as well as the rare, threatened or endangered species.

“The gazettement of both areas as National Parks will further enhance the protection of the biodiversity and recognise the importance of the areas as a reservoir for some rare, threatened or endangered species, including some new species” said Joanes Unggang, conservation manager for GP Pusaka, and leader of group of experts in biodiversity inventories in the areas concerned.

Research and inventory works in both areas have begun since 2004 and are on-going today in collaboration with numerous researchers from local and international institutions such as Smithsonian Institution, USA; Lund University, Sweden; National University of Singapore (RMBR); Nanyang Technological University; University of Canterbury, New Zealand; UNIMAS (Kuching); UTAR (Kuala Lumpur), Singapore Herbarium and AFSID, SFC.

“We’re not only conserving these two areas under our project but also connecting them with the largest existing wildlife corridor in Sarawak called the Bukit Mina Wildlife Corridor.

“The purpose is to have a virtual connectivity between the two areas for conservation. It’s the first of its kind in Sarawak. Everythihg is already in place and ready for legal protection,” Joanes added on the key conservation works in the Planted Forest Project.

1. Bukit Sarang – where white bats and lingering mystery

It was about three in the afternoon and the sky was suddenly getting darker when we were about to leave Kampung Keseng, a remote Punan village about two and a half hours drive by 4WD from Bintulu Town. Our destination was Bukit Sarang, another two hours and 45 minutes by boat from the village.

Our boatman 42-year-old Suring Jaweng assured us his top priority was our safety and getting us to our destination before sunset.

We set off from the makeshift jetty at Kampung Keseng amidst the grim prospects of a deluge.

We braced for impending storm and quickly wrapped up our cameras — and other personal belongings to ensure we at least had warm clothing for the cold night to come.

However, when the rain came, it was not as heavy as anticipated. We rejoiced at not having to endure the woeful consequences of getting all soaked up.

As we journeyed along the murky Kakus River, the weather improved and our boat cruised uneventfully upstream towards our destination.

About an hour later, the sky turned bright and as our boat headed towards the much smaller Sungei Maing, the murky water of Sungei Kakus slowly diminished.

The water of Sungei Maing was dark due to the peatland vegetation. But the river is still pristine and we came across many species of birds such as black hawks, colourful kingfishers and even some large owls. An hour later, we reached Sungei Sarang which had skrung due to the current dry weather.

Suring had to slow down due to the shallow steam and protruding deadwood and branches. It took almost 45 minutes of manoeuvring along the shallow and narrow Sungei Sarang before we finally reached the Bukit Sarang research station where we spent the night.

On our arrival, we met Su Lee Seng, 47, and his fellow workers who have been staying at their own quarters near the research station.

Su, fondly called Jimmy by his colleagues, has been working in the deep jungles of Bukit Sarang with eight others for a company, set up by the Bukit Sarang cave-owners from Kampung Keseng and a businessman, to manage the caves mainly for the lucrative bird’s nests’ industry.

Su has taken over the job as supervisor from his late younger brother who had mysteriously disappeared some time in February and his remains were found just last week about half an hour of boat ride downstream.

Jimmy said he and his family were now trying to come to terms with his brother’s tragic death, saying the investigation was still on-going (optional).

Bukit Sarang Limestone hill

Bukit Sarang is a small limestone hill, surrounded by peat swamps. It comprises two limestone hill complexes, the larger being Batu Anyi and the smaller Batu Lebik, both riddled with numerous caves of various sizes with underground water passages that support rich aquatic wildlife and other biodiversities that depend on the caves and the peat swamp ecosystem.

There are over 20 caves in Bukit Sarang whose systems create a suitable condition for bird’s nests production. Here is where sustainable harvesting of bird’s nests has been successfully carried out.

Some of the well-known Bukit Sarang caves are the Pakan Cave, Padong Cave, Bintawa Cave, Lebih Cave, Gua Rusa, Tanjung Cave and Mahkota Cave. Around Bukit Sarang area, there are several high hills but only two are of significant heights — namely Up 33 and Up 3. We had the chance to ascend Up 3, taking us about half an hour to reach the summit.

The panoramic view from the peak was breathtaking. We were in awe of the verdant canopy of the lush pristine rainforests. Visitors would definitely find scaling the hill well worth the effort.

In recent years, Joanes revealed, their research collaborators had discovered two new species of plants, one new species of lizards and frogs, and 26 endemic snail species which is the highest endemic snail concentration on the smallest surface of limestone bedrock in Borneo.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Gazetting Bukit Sarang and Binyo Penyilam as national parks

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Two national parks proposed in Bintulu, Sarawak

BINTULU: GP Pusaka Sdn Bhd’s recommendation to the state government to gazette Bukit Sarang and Binyo Penyilam in the hinterland of Bintulu as National Parks is most opportune and laudable as it represents the cumulative efforts and resources the conservation-conscious organisation has put into preserving the two areas and more importantly, a geniune endeavour at environmental protection on their part.

According to GP Pusaka Sdn Bhd conservation manager Joanes Unggang, their conservation initiatives actually began in 2004 and since then, Bukit Sarang and Binyo Penyilam have been attracting many  researchers for valuable studies on the rich biodiversities of the two areas.

“We hope Bukit Sarang and Binyo Penyilam could be gazetted by the state government as National Parks as they are rich in flora and fauna. By doing so, international environmental bodies especially, will see we are very serious in preserving and conserving our rainforests.

“At the same time, this will also show how serious we are in preserving at least one million hectares as totally protected areas (TPAs) as envisioned by our State government,” Joanes told thesundaypost yesterday.

He reiterated that although both areas had been allocated to the Sarawak Planted Forest (Pulp and Paper) Project LPF 0043, they had been set aside as conservation areas.

“Thus, we hope the state government will recognise our efforts to conserve these two areas and it’s our fervent hope both Bukit Sarang and Binyo Penyilam will be gazetted as National Parks,” Joanes said.

Besides the appeal from GP Pusaka, the people in Bukit Sarang and Binyo Penyilam have also given their undivided support for the two areas to be gazetted as National Parks as the move will enhance and sustain their long-term livelihoods.

They say the two areas should be preserved and conserved for their rich flora and fauna and unique landscapes.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Two national parks proposed in Bintulu, Sarawak

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Sarawak to have National Parks and Wildlife Department next year

KUCHING: The management of national parks and wildlife in the state is expected to be more systematic and effective with the establishment of the National Parks and Wildlife Department that would be in operation from January next year.

State Forest Department director Sapuan Ahmad said the state government had recently agreed to the establishment of the new department.

“It will be a separate department (from Forest Department) that will be similar to the one in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. It will most likely be in operation in January next year and I have already prepared the structure.

“This new department will focus on wildlife protection and accelerate the gazettement of totally protected areas (TPAs) in the state,” he told reporters after launching a workshop themed ‘Managing Beyond Boundaries: Enhancing multi-stakeholder participation towards effective protected areas management in Sarawak’ here yesterday.

The three-day workshop beginning yesterday was jointly organised by the state Forest Department and WWF-Malaysia.

Sapuan said as of July this year, Sarawak had gazetted 903,769 ha of areas as TPAs that consisted of 35 national parks (694,770 ha), 14 nature reserves (2.539 ha) and six wildlife sanctuaries (206,460 ha).

“The Chief Minister’s (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem) target is to have 1.2 million ha as TPAs. Based on the mandate given by the state government, the Forest Department is trying to gazette an additional 31 areas with the area of approximately 451,819 ha as TPAs. If the gazettement can be fully implemented, Sarawak will have TPA areas of 1.3 million ha.

Sapuan said the main objective of the government’s policy in gazetting an area as national park is solely to develop the local folk to be parallel with the development in the state.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak to have National Parks and Wildlife Department next year

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Malaysia With Kids: Niah National Park

Borneo is Malaysia’s oft forgotten island, generally favoured by intrepid backpackers and scuba divers for its spectacular untouched natural beauty.

It’s a shame that more families don’t venture here because if you take the time to explore the heart of the rainforest and you will discover some brilliant cave walks and ancient civilisations at Niah National Park.

For family adventure holidays you won't forget, book a trip to Borneo with the kids.

The Destination

For children interested in exploring nature’s playground, the Niah National Park in Sarawak is part rainforest boardwalk expedition, part archeological adventure, part cave discovery.

Not only is it an exciting way to introduce older children (and active parents) to the great outdoors, it is safe enough for any reasonably fit person to achieve and easy enough to only occupy a short one or two days.

The reasons to enter the Park are the famous caves, but the boardwalk around the park is also a fun way to spot wildlife such as hornbills and macaques and experience a bona fide tropical forest.

The caves themselves are a thriving, living ecosystem of dripping walls, creepy crawlies and stinking guano (bat droppings – yes there are live bats too) that is a thrilling sensory assault.

It is a brilliant experience to duck under passageways, creep down dark crevasses and peer at sleeping animals camouflaging themselves in the darkness.

And witnessing the spectacle as the thousands of bats leave the caves at dusk is not to be missed.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Malaysia With Kids: Niah National Park

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National parks in Sarawak to benefit from biodiversity workshop

MULU: National parks in Sarawak will benefit from a training workshop which was jointly organised by Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) of Japan; Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Malaysia (NRE); and Sarawak Forestry.

The 11-day event which began in Mulu National Park on Monday was conducted under topics like Biodiversity Assessment Methodologies, Data Gathering and Communication, and Education and Public Awareness for Park Management Staff.

It is funded by Asean Integration Fund (JAIF) and East and Southeast Asia Biodiversity Information Initiative (ESABII) and Ministry of Environment-Japan (MoE-J) as a continuing partnership to strengthen taxonomy in Asean with training that focused on lowland forest trees of Sarawak.

Sarawak Forestry, in a statement yesterday, said the event had gathered 25 protected area managers, forest rangers and staff of protected areas and Asean Heritage Parks (AHP), and other government environment agencies from eight Asean member states.

It was an opportunity for learning, discussion, practical field applications and exercises, and laboratory work on topics such as geographic evolution and elevation patterns of vegetation in Southeast Asia; assessment methods, data gathering, analysis and interpretation; GIS as a tool for biodiversity analysis; ecosystem services of tropical and temperate forests; and the taxonomy of Dipterocarpaceae and Sapotaceae.

Continue reading at: National parks in Sarawak to benefit from biodiversity workshop

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Accessibility to Sarawak national parks and their facilities should be improved

KUCHING: More emphasis should be given to the accessibility of national parks and their facilities, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

According to him, although the number of national parks had been increased as one of the measures to protect the rainforests in the state, the facilities in the national parks as well as accessibility were still inadequate.

“Everyone wants to go to Bako National Park because it is nearby, but what about Gunung Mulu National Park? How do you get there? This is one area we still can go into, which is to increase and improve the facilities available in the national parks.

“I can direct the national park people to cooperate with the private sector to develop these national parks so people can enjoy it,” Adenan said yesterday in his keynote address at the Sarawak Tourism Forum 2015 held at Pullman Hotel here.

He cited a national park that had been set up but was not open to the public as an example.

“There is a national park that has been set up but is not open to the public – why would you set up a national park but not open it to the public? Open it up, we want to share it with people so make sure that the accessibility is there,” he said.

Adenan once again emphasised his strict stance on curbing illegal logging by saying that the state government “will not stop until they (illegal loggers) stop”.

“The current directives and initiatives taken by the state government will ensure that more national parks and forest reserves will be created, and therefore in the coming years, Sarawak will have even more forested landscape and countryside to develop as eco-tourism destinations,” he stated.

Continue reading at: Accessibility to Sarawak national parks and their facilities should be improved

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Bako, a land of opportunity

KUCHING: Villagers in Bako are urged to take advantage of their natural surroundings to improve their socio economic standing and contribute to the state’s eco-tourism industry.

Using Bako National Park as the main attraction for domestic and international tourists, the spillover effect from the park has yet to be fully tapped by villagers, said Demak Laut assemblyman Dr Hazland Abang Hipni.

He revealed that the park recorded revenue of RM1.2 million and a total of 47,000 visitors in

2014, which is expected to increase by at least five per cent this year.

“There are ample tourism opportunities and products in this area which is part of the untapped Bako-Buntal bay area,” said Dr Hazland at a press conference after the closing of a tourism awareness course in Kampung Bako Hulu yesterday.

Among the main areas that can be taken advantage of by locals are minute islands such as Pulau Lakei, which is famous for its legends.

Bako, he added, is the only place in Malaysia to have five secluded mini beaches that provide extra privacy to tourists and boasts around 18 nature trials for jungle trekkers.

Renowned as the home of the proboscis monkey, Bako is also home to the rare oriental hornbill and acts as a pit-stop for migratory birds from Europe and Alaska during the month of November each year.

“Tourists will find themselves among 500,000 birds and crocodiles in Bako. We can count at least six crocodiles for every kilometre along the 20km stretch,” he added.

Among the initiatives to encourage local participation in the tourism industry is the Ministry of Tourism’s inaugural Bako Fest 2015 on March 26.

“This festival will be an ongoing event throughout the year and include several programmes related to tourism activities. Most of these programmes will require the active participation of locals,” he added.

The calendar of events under Bako Fest 2015 include Kampung Bako (transit point to Bako National Park) and other known villages in the area such as Pasir Putih and Muara Tebas.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Bako, a land of opportunity

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Magnificent Niah caves to be preserved through artistic visuals

MIRI: Niah Artists Camp 2014 (KPN14) to be held from Sept 13 – 18 is poised to accelerate greater worldwide awareness of the Niah caves which housed the oldest skeletal remains in Southeast Asia.

A total of 30 selected artists and photographers from throughout Malaysia will attend the camp.

It is jointly organised by the 1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism (1MCAT) and the National Visual Arts Development Board (NVAB) in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014.

This camp will be held at the Niah National Park itself, which is probably the least visited by artists and photographers although it housed important records on the beginning of visual arts evident by the painted caves in the park.

“Among the objectives is to gather these artists and photographers so that they can better understand the civilisation and document this important historical Malaysian nature in sketches and photographs,” said the spokesman for the organisers.

At the same time it promotes the park as a premier tourist destination including for artists.

The Niah Caves was declared a National Historic Monument in 1958 and the Niah National Park was gazetted in 1974. The park spans over 31 square km of protected lowland forest and limestone hills, the largest being Gunung Subis, which dominates the landscape at a height of 394 metres above sea level.

It preserved an amazing record of Borneo’s 'prehistoric' animals, which include the tapir, which is now extinct in Borneo, and giant forms of wild boars and anteater.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Magnificent Niah caves to be preserved through artistic visuals

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Bako National Park to undergo facelift

KUCHING: Bako National Park, or ‘Pearl of the South’ as it is fondly known, is one of the many beautiful attractions in the state, especially for visitors to Kuching.

With healthy forests and animals that visitors, local or foreign, can see up close and the presence of safe trails that beckon invitingly, it is no wonder that Bako National Park has seen an average of 200 to 300 visitors per day, mostly Europeans and Australians.

However, according to the park’s head warden Abang Abdul Mutalib, upgrading work would

be carried out to keep up with the times.

“One of the upgrades that we hope to implement soon is the repairs for the accommodation here, especially for some in quite dilapidated conditions, and the upgrading of the trails in the park to give maximum comfort to visitors here,” he told The Borneo Post recently.

Mutalib added that another plan was to upgrade facilities where each room will have an attached toilet as opposed to the previous concept of one toilet in one accommodation.

“We want to make a more up-to-date design where each room will have a toilet, and change from the 80s, where the trend was to share a toilet.

“This is so we can give the visitors who stay here a sense of comfort,” he quipped.

Meanwhile, he also divulged that some new attractions were underway, as they were planning with the government to introduce a ‘sea cruise’ for visitors.

“This is so visitors can enjoy the beauty of the beaches at Bako National Park, especially for visitors who rarely get to see such beauty as they are often focused on the inland trails, and also so we can raise awareness of the importance of environmental conservation in terms of the beachside.

Continue reading at: Bako National Park to undergo facelift

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Night walk at Kubah National Park

WITH the current warm and dry weather, there is no better place to spend a night than at Kubah National Park.

Twenty-two Malaysian Nature Society members, their spouses and children descended upon Kubah National Park earlier this year.

The night started with participants registering and being allocated accommodation.

After a quick bite for dinner, all assembled for the introduction and briefing.

Then off we went on the short climb (about 1km) towards the famed Frog Pond.

Almost immediately we sighted numerous spiders by the roadside, then fish and prawns in the drain.

Next we encountered the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher sleeping on a branch overhanging the road edge, barely two metres off the ground.

We approached it very carefully and photographed it without flash from about a metre away.

As the night was just barely cool, the bird did not puff itself up (blanket itself with its feathers) and we were able to capture minute details with a macro lens.

Everybody observed the radiant colours with awe for quite a while.

The bird kept calm and stayed put, as it could not see at night to fly.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Night walk at Kubah National Park

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Geology walk at Santubong National Park

CRUSTS, caramel, nuts in porridge – they sound more like a cooking lesson than a walk to learn about geology.

However, these are the striking analogies Hans – a geologist with Shell in his former life – and a dedicated nature lover and photographer, used to explain to us about the ways rocks have behaved over the geological time scale.

Santubong is a striking coastal sandstone mountain reaching an 810-metre elevation.

Some brave, and fit, souls actually climb to the summit, but last month, about 30 MNS members took a much gentler walk from the newly operational Santubong National Park headquarters as far as the waterfall with the canopy bridge.

We walked slowly as Hans explained about continental and ocean crusts.

Continental crust consists largely of granitic (mainly quartz and feldspar) rocks that form the continents.

Oceanic crust, on the other hand, is located under the oceans and mainly composed of different materials known as basaltic rocks, which are mostly dark in colour.

Over the aeons, different crustal slabs slide or ‘dive’ under one another, releasing enormous forces that often push up continental rocks (but sometimes oceanic rocks are pushed up).

That is part of the story of how, Hans explained, Gunung Santubong, which seemingly arises almost directly out of the sea, was formed. Another piece of the puzzle may be found in the intrusive rocks found at Santubong.

How can we detect where these slabs of crust (known as tectonic plates) have dived under one another? One important clue, Hans explained, is when we see dark-coloured basalt rocks, usually hidden under the oceans, at the land surface.

One of the big boundaries between crustal slabs in Sarawak corresponds approximately with the Lupar River.

One can see dark-coloured basalt rocks on a bank of the Batang Ai hydroelectric lake. Interestingly, though not surprisingly, some tree species are only found on one side of the Lupar valley dividing line, while others are only found on the other.

So how about the caramel? The cooks among us will know that to make kueh sarang semut, one first has to make caramel.

This we do by heating sugar carefully in a pan until the mass of white crystals begins to melt to a shiny liquid and darken in colour.

In the same way, Hans explained, showing us a sandstone rock that was pale brown on one side and dark brown on the other, some of the sandstone at Santubong has been heated up by hot magma injected into narrow cracks in the sandstone, and has undergone a similar change, with the melted part not gritty like normal sandstone but smooth and also darker in colour.

After melting, the rock is known as hornfels, (a German word for horn rock) as smooth as the horns of a cow.

This is where the nuts in porridge example comes in – an example of rock that was injected as hot paste into cracks of the sandstone is diorite – which cooled very slowly when still deep underground, so that some components made big crystals of mainly feldspar and hornblende (the nuts) floating in a fine-grained mass (mainly feldspar).

Then Hans explained some of the other geological features we can see at Gunung Santubong.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Geology walk at Santubong National Park

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20 more parks and natural reserves in Sarawak to be gazetted

KUCHING: The Sarawak government plans to gazette 20 more parks and natural reserves statewide to conserve and protect the state’s diverse biological resources.

Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Special Functions), Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem highlighted this yesterday to rebut international claims that a big part of Sarawak’s forests have been destroyed.

“Despite the tremendous development that has taken place, the cultural and diversity is very much alive,” he said.

“We have proposed to the Cabinet for 20 more parks and natural reserves to be established, which have been approved as the government recognises the importance of the state’s diverse biological resources,” he said.

“The proposals include Piasau Camp in Miri,” he told reporters after opening the ‘Second International Conference on Alfred Russel Wallace: His Predecessor and Successor’ at Riverside Majestic Hotel here on behalf of Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

“To gazette the areas involved, we have to do things according to procedure including hearings and respect the Forestry Ordinance which may take some time, but we will do it as soon as possible,” he assured.

Re-emphasising the state government’s commitment to the environment in the chief minister’s speech, he pointed out Wallace’s other major publication from Sarawak on the orangutan was written in Simunjan in 1855 and published the following year.

Wallace’s measurement and observation of adult orangutans led him to speculate that two kinds probably existed in Sarawak – a smaller and larger type.

“We now know from DNA studies that two species of orangutan existed in the world – the Sumatran and the Borneon species,” he explained.

“His study of the habit of orangutan led him to conclude that the quality of habitat, especially level of disturbance caused by humans, was crucial in determining the occurrence of orangutan.”

Recognising the need for the protection of habitats for these endangered and other wildlife species, he said the state government was close to reaching the target to set aside about a million hectares of forest as totally protected areas (TPAs).

“Batang Ai National Park and Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary have been gazetted specifically for the conservation of orangutans while rehabilitation and release programmes are continuing at Matang Wildlife Centre,” he added.

Continue reading at: 20 more parks and natural reserves in Sarawak to be gazetted

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Similajau Park mind-blowing for tourist who’s ‘park-hopping’

BINTULU: The Similajau National Park (SNP) with its golden sandy beach and lush green forest has been receiving a rising number of visitors over the years.

The park, which is located 30 km north-east of the Bintulu town, has been a popular destination especially during weekends and public holidays.

Last year, the park received a total of 13,068 visitors where 11,945 of them were locals and the rest foreigners, where the peak months are August and September.

Leah Hollmayer, whose travel plan in Sarawak is to hop from one national park to another, told BAT3 that this was the second national park in the state she had visited.

“I just came from Bako National Park and I will be staying here for two days. My next stop is Niah National Park and later Lambir National Park,” said Hollmayer who is touring with her 20-month old daughter Inga.

The Canadian said that despite visiting and staying at two national parks, she still finds the national parks fascinating.

“It is a mind blowing experience. And each national park is different from another, the vegetation and the setting, for example,” said Hollmayer.

The Similajau National Park has been known as a spot to watch dolphins which usually appear in the morning in groups of three or five.

Gazetted in 1976 as a conservation site to protect the flora and fauna, the park covers an area of 8,996 hectares, where vegetation ranging from littoral fringe, ‘heath forest’ or Kerangas forest and Mixed Dipterocarp Forest.

Littoral fringe consisted of rock and cliff vegetation, beach vegetation and mangrove forest while Kerangas forest supports stunted trees and scrub-like vegetation.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Similajau Park mind-blowing for tourist who’s ‘park-hopping’

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Revisiting Bako National Park

BAKO National Park, which celebrates the 56th anniversary of its gazettement this year, is still one of the Malaysia’s best kept nature reserves.

My last visit to the Park was 26 years ago. It was an educational trip, organised by Green Road Secondary School (GRSS) Geography Club, led by former teacher in charge, Rambli Ahmad, who is now the geologist and ecologist with Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Sdn Bhd.

Memories of that overnight trip still linger. It was one of the best back-to-Nature outings. Visions of the trek along the forest trails and good times playing on the beach are still as vivid as ever.

One can hear the sounds of crickets, cicadas, frogs, and occasionally owls while taking a walk in the Park at night.

The beach near the Park’s headquarters is a great place for a night walk. If the tide is out, you can see crabs, prawns, anemones, starfish, annelid worms and young shrimps in scattered pools.

Bako National Park, the state’s oldest but smallest nature park, is home to the rare proboscis monkey, the odd-looking simian with a huge pendulous nose and large pot belly.

This monkey can sometimes be seen moving about the forest or mangroves in small groups and feeding on young leaves, shoots, sour fruits and seeds.

Many who visited the Park just to see the proboscis monkey in its natural habitat often came away without sighting any.

Most had to settle for the silvered leaf monkey or silvered langur. The adults have silver-grey fur and a spiky crest of head hair with the infants covered surprisingly in bright orange fur.

New features

A new administrative block, doubling as a visitors’ information centre, was recently built at the Park. A cafeteria and mini gallery were incorporated into the building.

The mini gallery is a must-see because there are interesting photographs and valuable information on the Park, especially the various jungle trails and the unique flora and fauna.

Being fully air-conditioned, it’s also the best place to escape the humidity outside.

The new building, completed two years ago, is equipped with modern toilets and showers.

Kampung Bako residents who run the cafeteria, serve delicious Malay dishes at reasonable prices.

The wooden plankwalks, connecting the hostels and chalets, is another welcomed feature, making it possible to enjoy the convenience of walking safe at the night and dry when it rains.

These facilities are provided in part to prevent contact between people and nocturnal wild animals, especially snakes. However, most snakes found at the Park are non-venomous.

The grass green whip snake is easily recognised by its bright colour, pencil-slim body and long snout. Another species is the paradise tree snake.

The only known poisonous snake occasionally sighted is the Wagler’s pit viper with its broad, flat, triangular head – a rare capture on film for many avid Nature photographers.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Revisiting Bako National Park

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New 14,000 ha site in Sarawak to be gazetted as orang utan sanctuary

KUCHING: The state government is proposing to gazette an area of about 14,000 ha in Ulu Sungai Menyang in Sri Aman as a new national park in Sarawak.

Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Ali Hasan said the proposal was made due to the area’s current status as a High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) and a globally significant sanctuary for orang utans.

He said the Ulu Sungai Menyang landscape was an invaluable addition to the existing orang utan habitat in the state, as it provided wider forest connectivity for foraging and breeding, while preventing the fragmentation of the Transboundary Biodiversity Conservation Area between Sarawak and West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

He highlighted that field surveys, conducted by officers from the state Forest Department and assisted by Sarawak Forestry Corporation, Wildlife Conservation Society and Borneo Adventure in February, showed that up to 200 of the world’s rarest Bornean orang utans (sub species Pongo pymaeus pygmaeus) had been found in Ulu Sungai Menyang, which is close to the existing Batang Ai National Park.

This species is listed as the most severely threatened sub-species in the world with a total population of only between 3,000 and 4,500 animals, of which some 2,000 are said to be living in Sarawak in Batang Ai National Park and Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, data from Forest Department and Wildlife Conservation Society have shown.

Tengah said the survey also discovered a total of 995 nests in the area with fresh ones found in all the transects.

“Upon confirmation that the area had a globally significant population of these rare creatures, the state government has officially indicated the need to protect this area for the conservation of orang-utan,” Tengah told a press conference at Wisma Sumber Alam here yesterday.

He, however, assured the people that the state government would negotiate with them, especially the affected landowners before it went ahead with the gazettement.

Saying that the rights of the people in the area would be recognised, he said a strategic collaboration among the local communities, private initiatives and the government agencies would be introduced to tap the ecotourism potential and improve the community’s livelihood in the Sungai Menyang landscape.

“I would like to stress that Sarawak will continue with its policy to protect orang utans and their habitats because not only is this species on the verge of extinction, but it is also of cultural significance to Sarawakians.

Continue reading at: New 14,000 ha site in Sarawak to be gazetted as orang utan sanctuary

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