The Kinabatangan
river floodplain is one of the most exceptional areas in
Malaysia.
Influenced by the tides of the
Sulu Sea
and rainfall in the interior, the lower part of the river plain
floods regularly. Thus over the centuries, five distinct
habitats have evolved, waterlogged and dry forest, saline and
freshwater swamps an limestone forests, each contributing
towards some of the most diverse concentration of wildlife in
Borneo. The River is
560 Km
long and the Lower
Kinabatangan is
estimated to have the largest concentration of wildlife in all
of
Malaysia.
In fact, all eight species of hornbills found in Borneo: the
rhinoceros hornbill, helmeted hornbill,
asian black hornbill,
oriental pied hornbill, wreathed, wrinkled hornbill, white
crowned hornbill and bushy crested hornbill, have been spotted
here. The region is also renowned for colourful tropical birds,
crocodiles, huge monitor lizards, wild pigs, otters and several
species of monkeys, pygmy elephants, tree snakes., orang utan,
the oriental darter, king fishers and more… It is a haven to the
rare proboscis monkey. A dawn or dusk river ride past swamps
filled with mangrove promises exciting sigh of wildlife. A view
that never fails to delight is a glimpse of the playful
proboscis monkeys. These huge bellied, long nosed primates with
long white tails live by the river and are especially active
during these hours when they are socialising, crashing trough
trees or foraging for food. The unique landscape feature of
Kinabatangan is the unusual Oxbow lakes. A crescent shaped lake
lying alongside a winding river, these lakes are formed as
erosion and deposits of soil changes the river’s course over
time.
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