Langom Research Station
Nestled deep within Sabah’s famed Danum Valley Conservation Area, the newly inaugurated Langom Control Centre and Research Station marks a pivotal advancement in tropical rainforest research and conservation. Officially launched in June 2025 by Yayasan Sabah in partnership with the Sabah Forestry Department, the facility has been built to bolster biodiversity studies, sustainable land management, and environmental stewardship. Its strategic location within the buffer zone of the Ulu Segama-Malua Forest Reserve places it adjacent to one of the world’s most pristine lowland dipterocarp forests—Danum Valley—providing access to unparalleled biodiversity research opportunities. Completed in 2024 after construction began in late 2021, the station hosts research infrastructure, space for educational workshops, field-training facilities, and eco-tourism engagement zones.
Sepilok
The Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) at Sepilok, located within the Kabili‑Sepilok Forest Reserve near Sandakan, offers a unique and accessible opportunity to observe a variety of Bornean mammals in a compact setting. By day, visitors may spot Bornean orangutans occasionally along the canopy walkway, as well as pig‑tailed macaques, north Bornean gibbon and occasionally the odd sighting of the shy grizzled langur. But the real draw is the RDC’s guided night walks, during which nocturnal species emerge: observers may encounter the tiny western tarsier, enigmatic Philippine slow loris, moonrats, Malay (stink) badgers, mouse‑deer, civets, and the show-stopping red giant flying squirrel as twilight falls. This blend of diurnal and nocturnal mammals complemented by the lush rainforest backdrop makes the RDC a compact, wildlife-rich stop well worth including in any Sabah itinerary.
Deramakot Forest Reserve
Approximately 75% of Borneo’s mammal species can be found within its 55,507 hectares of mixed dipterocarp forest, much of which is sustainably logged via reduced-impact forestry.
Guided 4wd drives frequently present sightings of Bornean Orangutans, gibbons, maroon (red leaf) langurs, silvery langurs, pig-tailed and macaques, along with pygmy elephants, banteng, Sambar deer, and mouse deer. By night is when the action, the hope and possibility to see all five of Borneo’s wild cat species which have been recorded here. Deramakot is extraordinary for mammal observation—especially for those in search of the rare and elusive. Leopard cats are commonly seen, while Sunda Clouded Leopards, marbled cats, Bornean bay cats, and flat-headed cats remain thrilling possibilities for determined observers.
Night safaris also often encounter civets (including Malay, common palm, striped, otter, banded species), binturong, slow loris, flying squirrels (giant red, Thomas’s), western tarsier, Sunda Colugo, bearded pigs, and various deer. Less frequently but highly prized are sightings of sun bears, pangolins, Sabah grizzled langur, and hairy-nosed otter — all testaments to Deramakot’s thriving biodiversity.
Tabin Forest Reserve
Tabin Wildlife Reserve has more than 70 mammal species spanning 27 families recorded within its 122,000‑hectare expanse. The reserve once hosted Malaysia’s last wild Sumatran rhinoceroses (now extinct locally), but today remains a stronghold for the Borneo pygmy elephant, wild Banteng (tembadau), and significant populations of sambar, muntjac, and mouse deer. Tabin supports 8 primate species, including orangutans, silvered and red leaf langurs, gibbons, pig‑tailed and macaques, as well as slow loris and western tarsier.
The reserve is also notable for its carnivores: Sunda clouded leopards—estimated at 8–17 individuals per 100 km²—represent the top predator, alongside smaller wild cats like the Sunda leopard cat, marbled cat, and flat‑headed cat, plus a variety of civets and mustelids. Sun bears, otters, moonrats, flying squirrels, and the enigmatic Sunda colugo further enrich this mammalian tapestry.
Kinabatangan River
Mammal watching along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah offers one of the best wildlife experiences in Southeast Asia, thanks to its remarkable concentration of species within a relatively small area. The river meanders through a mosaic of lowland rainforest, oxbow lakes, and mangroves, creating vital corridors for wildlife. This area is particularly famous for sightings of Bornean pygmy elephants, often seen bathing or foraging along the riverbanks, and large troops of proboscis monkeys, which are endemic to Borneo and easily spotted in the trees at dusk. Orangutans, silvered langurs, and long-tailed macaques are also regularly observed, while night cruises may reveal the rare and elusive flat headed cat and equally as rare otter civet. With patient river cruises and knowledgeable guides, the Kinabatangan offers exceptional opportunities to observe Borneo’s mammals in the wild, often from the comfort of a small boat.
Trusan Sugut
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