Taman Negara

Last updated
Taman Negara
King George V National Park
Taman Negara Sungai Tembeling.JPG
View of Sungai Tembeling from atop the canopy walkway.
Malaysia relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location
Nearest city Kuala Tembeling
Coordinates 4°42′N102°28′E / 4.700°N 102.467°E / 4.700; 102.467
Area4,343 km2 (1,677 sq mi)
Established1938/1939
Governing body Department of Wildlife and National Parks

Taman Negara is a national park in Peninsular Malaysia. It was established in 1938 and 1939 as the King George V National Park after Theodore Hubback lobbied the sultans of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan to set aside a piece of land that covers the three states for the creation of a protected area. [1] After independence, it was renamed Taman Negara, which means "national park" in Malay.

Contents

Taman Negara has a total area of 4,343 km2 and it is one of the world's oldest rainforests, estimated to be more than 130 million years old. [2] [3] It is an important conservation area for the Peninsular Malaysian rain forest and montane rain forest ecoregions, is rich in biodiversity and home to several endangered species such as the Malayan tiger and Asian elephant. The park exists on the traditional lands of several Orang Asli groups, such as the Batek people, whose use rights are recognised in the park's legislation.

A popular tourist attraction, the park is found near Kuala Tahan (where the Park headquarters for Pahang is located) and features a canopy walkway, the Gua Telinga cave system, and the Lata Berkoh rapids. Mount Tahan, Peninsular Malaysia's highest point, is within the park's boundaries. Visitors can experience the tropical rainforest, birdwatching, jungle trekking, and the river views along the Tahan River, with many local resorts and hotels for visitors located nearby.

Geography

View over the canopy. Taman-Negara.jpg
View over the canopy.

The park encompasses three states, Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu, each with its own legislation. The Taman Negara Enactment (Pahang) No. 2 of 1939 is enforced in the state of Pahang, the Taman Negara Enactment (Kelantan) No. 14 of 1938 in the state of Kelantan and the Taman Negara Enactment (Terengganu) No. 6 of 1939 in the state of Terengganu. The enactments have similar contents. [1]

Taman Negara Pahang is the largest at 2,477 km2, followed by Taman Negara Kelantan at 1,043 km2 and Taman Negara Terengganu at 853 km2. At an estimated age of more than 130 million years old, it is reputed to be the "oldest tropical rainforest", although the title more accurately belongs to the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia, estimated to be between 135 million years old [4] and 180 million years old. [5]

Taman Negara is mostly located on ancient, sedimentary rocks and the oldest part of the continent, it features mostly gentle rolling hills where about 57% of the total land area of the park are located below 300m above sea level due to a long time erosion. Despite that, it also features some mountainous parts of the Tahan Range, a subrange of the Tenasserim Hills. The Tahan Range is home to Mount Tahan, the highest and most prominent point in Peninsular Malaysia at about 2,187m above sea level. [6]

The park acts as an important headwater for the states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang. There are three main river systems that originated from The park, which are the Lebir, Terengganu and Tembeling Rivers. The Lebir is one of the tributaries of the Kelantan River, flowing northward passing through Kelantan Delta, while the Terengganu River flows eastward toward Kenyir Lake and is one of the primary inflow for the lake; and Tembeling River is one of the tributaries of the Pahang River, flowing southward towards the central valley of Pahang. These rivers ultimately discharge into the South China Sea. [7]

The park has been developed into an ecotourism destination in Malaysia. There are several geological and biological attractions in the park. Gunung Tahan is the highest point of the Malay Peninsula; climbers can use Kuala Tahan or Merapoh [8] as their departure point. All visitors to the park must obtain permits from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks.

Indigenous people

Batek people near Taman Negara. Taman Negara (30509997143).jpg
Batek people near Taman Negara.

Taman Negara is part of the traditional territory of several groups of Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia. In particular, several groups of Batek people still live on the periphery of the park. The park legislation recognises use-rights of Orang Asli within Taman Negara (e.g. section 15(c), Pahang En. 2/1939). [9] In this regard, six "aboriginal tribes" are listed (Ple, Temiar, Ple-Temiar, Senoi, Semang, and Pangan). [10]

Flora

Taman Negara features a largely virgin, lowland dipterocarp rainforest as well as Peninsular Malaysian montane rain forests on the higher elevation parts of the park.[ citation needed ]

Fauna

Canopy walkway. Taman Negara, Malaysia, Canopy Walkway.jpg
Canopy walkway.

Taman Negara is home to some rare mammals, such as the Malayan tiger, [11] Malayan gaur (seladang) and Asian elephant. Additionally, some biologists also believe that a small population of Northern Sumatran Rhinoceros live in the park. As well as birds such as the great argus, red junglefowl, and the rare Malayan peacock-pheasant are still found here in some numbers. Tahan River has been preserved to protect the Malaysian mahseer (ikan kelah in Malay), a type of game fish. Species found in the park include 10,000 plants, 150,000 of insects, 25,000 invertebrates, 675 birds, 270 reptiles, 250 freshwater fish and 200 mammals at the national park, including some of which are rare or indigenous to Malaysia. [12]

Transportation

Entrance at Kuala Tahan. Taman Negara Entrance.JPG
Entrance at Kuala Tahan.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM)'s KTM Intercity and Express trains stop at Jerantut railway station. Visitors to Taman Negara can disembark here.[ citation needed ]

Local tour operators arrange transportation from Kuala Lumpur to the entrance of the Park at Kuala Tahan. This may involve a 3-4 hour bus journey to Jerantut and Kuala Tembeling Jetty followed by a 2.5 hour river boat ride to Kuala Tahan. [13] Entrance permits and park tours are often included in the package.

From Kuala Lumpur, buses may depart from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan and Hentian Pekeliling going to the nearest town, Jerantut. From here travel to Kuala Tembeling Jetty and Kuala Tahan. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pahang</span> State in Malaysia

Pahang, officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific Darul Makmur is a sultanate and a federal state of Malaysia. It is the third largest state in the country and the largest state in Peninsular Malaysia by area, and ninth largest by population. The state occupies the basin of the Pahang River, and a stretch of the east coast as far south as Endau. Geographically located in the East Coast region of the Peninsular Malaysia, the state shares borders with the Malaysian states of Kelantan and Terengganu to the north, Perak, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan to the west, Johor to the south, while South China Sea is to the east. The Titiwangsa mountain range that forms a natural divider between the peninsula's east and west coasts is spread along the north and south of the state, peaking at Mount Tahan, which is 2,187 metres (7,175 ft) high. Although two thirds of the state is covered by dense rain forest, its central plains are intersected by numerous rivers, and along the coast there is a 32-kilometre (20 mi) wide expanse of alluvial soil that includes the deltas and estuarine plains of the Kuantan, Pahang, Rompin, Endau, and Mersing rivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Tahan</span> Mountain in Pahang, Malaysia

Mount Tahan, is the highest point in Peninsular Malaysia with an elevation of 7,175 ft (2,187 m) above sea level, on the border between the states of Pahang and Kelantan, with the peak lying on the Pahangese side. It is part of the Taman Negara that straddles Jerantut District in Pahang, Gua Musang District in Kelantan and Hulu Terengganu District in Terengganu. The mountain is part of the Tahan Range in the Tenasserim Hills and is popular with local climbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelantan</span> State of Malaysia

Kelantan is a state in Malaysia. The capital, Kota Bharu, includes the royal seat of Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is Darul Naim. Kelantan is the only state outside of East Malaysia that does not use the term district in its second-level administrative division. Instead, the divisions are called colonies or collectivities with one autonomous subdistrict.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdul Razak Hussein</span> Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1970 to 1976

Tun Haji Abdul Razak bin Dato' Haji Hussein was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who served as the second prime minister of Malaysia from 1970 until his death in 1976. He also served as the first deputy prime minister of Malaysia from 1957 to 1970. He is referred to as the Father of Development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terengganu</span> State of Malaysia

Terengganu, formerly spelled Trengganu or Tringganu, is a sultanate and federal state of Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Dāru l-Īmān. The coastal city of Kuala Terengganu, which stands at the mouth of the broad Terengganu River, is both the state and royal capital as well as the most populous city in Terengganu. Other major cities and towns includes Jerteh, Kuala Dungun, Chukai, Kuala Berang, Marang, and Permaisuri. At 13,035 square kilometres in size and a population of over 1.2 million people in 2023, Terengganu is Malaysia's 7th largest state by area and 10th largest in population. Terengganu, along with Kelantan, Perlis, and the Federal Territory of Putrajaya, is one of the most homogeneous states/territories in the country of which 95% of the population are ethnic Malay-Muslims with its own distinct language/dialect, culture, history, and tradition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orang Asli</span> Indigenous ethnic groups of Malaysia

Orang Asli are a heterogeneous indigenous population forming a national minority in Malaysia. They are the oldest inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pahang River</span> River in Pahang, Malaysia

The Pahang River is a river that mainly flows through the state of Pahang, Malaysia. Its drainage basin covers its namesake state as well as the neighbouring state of Negeri Sembilan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuala Tahan</span>

Kuala Tahan is a Malaysian village located at the confluence of the Tahan and Tembiling Rivers, in Jerantut District, Pahang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temerloh</span> Municipality and district capital in Pahang, Malaysia

Temerloh is a municipality in central Pahang, Malaysia. Located about 130 kilometres (81 mi) from Kuala Lumpur along the Kuantan–Kuala Lumpur trunk road, Temerloh is the second largest urban area in Pahang after Kuantan, the state capital city. It is situated at the confluence of the Pahang and Semantan Rivers. Today, Temerloh usually refers to the territory under the administration of Temerloh Municipal Council which includes Mentakab, Lanchang, Kuala Krau and Kerdau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelantan River</span> River in Kelantan, Malaysia

The Kelantan River is a major river in Kelantan, Malaysia. Its drainage basin is about 11,900 km² in northeast Malaysia, including part of the Taman Negara, and flows northwards into the South China Sea. The rainfall over the area varies between 0 mm in the dry season (March–May) to 1,750 mm in the monsoon season (November–January). The average runoff from the area is about 500 m³/s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Batek people</span> Group of Malaysian indigenous people

The Batek people are an indigenous Orang Asli people ; belonging to the Semang group, who live in the rainforest of peninsular Malaysia. As a result of encroachment, they now primarily inhabit the Taman Negara National Park. The Batek are nomadic hunters and gatherers, so the exact location of their settlements change within the general confines of the area that they inhabit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerantut District</span> District of Malaysia in Pahang

The Jerantut District is a district in north-eastern Pahang, Malaysia. Jerantut is home to the National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gua Musang District</span> District in Kelantan, Malaysia

Gua Musang is a town, district and parliamentary constituency in southern Kelantan, Malaysia. It is the largest district in Kelantan. Gua Musang is administered by the Gua Musang District Council. Gua Musang district is bordered by the state of Pahang to the south, Terengganu to the east, Perak to the west and the Kelantanese districts of Kuala Krai and Jeli to the north. It is a small railway town about 140 km south of state capital Kota Bharu. Gua Musang is represented by Mohd Azizi Abu Naim in the Dewan Rakyat. The town lies on the KTM East Coast Line, from Tumpat, near the border with Thailand, to Gemas, Negeri Sembilan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lipis District</span> District of Malaysia in Pahang

The Lipis District is a district located in the northwest of Pahang, Malaysia. The district covers an area of 5,198 km2. Lipis District is bordered by Cameron Highlands the northwest, Batang Padang District, Perak on the west, Jerantut District on the east, Gua Musang District, Kelantan to the north and Raub District to its south. Lipis has 10 mukim or subdistricts, the largest being Ulu Jelai. The district capital is Kuala Lipis. During the British colonization, Kuala Lipis was made the state's capital city. Kuala Lipis was the administrative capital of Pahang for 57 years from 1898 until 27 August 1955, when Kuantan was picked as the new capital. Lipis had many types of minerals such as tin and gold, and products from the surrounding forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peninsular Malaysia</span> Western, mainland Malaysia

Peninsular Malaysia, historically known as Malaya, also known as West Malaysia or the "Malaysian Peninsula", is the western part of Malaysia that comprises the southern part of the Malay Peninsula on Mainland Southeast Asia and the nearby islands. Its area totals approximately 132,490 km2 (51,150 sq mi), which is nearly 40% of the total area of the country; the other 60% is in East Malaysia on the island of Borneo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senoi</span> Indigenous ethnic group of Malaysia

The Senoi are a group of Malaysian peoples classified among the Orang Asli, the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. They are the most numerous of the Orang Asli and widely distributed across the peninsula. The Senois speak various branches of Aslian languages, which in turn form a branch of Austroasiatic languages. Many of them are also bilingual in the national language, the Malaysian language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temiar people</span> Ethnic group

The Temiar are a Senoic group indigenous to the Malay Peninsula and one of the largest of the eighteen Orang Asli groups of Malaysia. They reside mainly in Perak, Pahang and Kelantan. Their total population is estimated at around 40,000 to 120,000, most of which live on the fringes of the rainforest, while a small number have been urbanised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peninsular Malaysian montane rain forests</span> Ecoregion on the Malay Peninsula

The Peninsular Malaysian montane rain forests is an ecoregion on the Malay Peninsula. It occupies the mountainous spine of the peninsula in Malaysia and southernmost Thailand. It is in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerantut (town)</span> Town in Pahang, Malaysia

Jerantut is a town in Jerantut District, Pahang, Malaysia. It is the largest district in the State of Pahang. It covers an area of 2,900 square miles. Bordered by the States of Kelantan and Terengganu in the North, Temerloh and Maran districts in the South, Kuala Lipis and Raub districts in the West and Kuantan district and Terengganu state in the East. It has 10 mukims consisting of 295 villages administered under 58 JKKK. Jerantut District Council was gazetted on 18 February 1982. Jerantut District Council, formerly known as Jerantut Town Board is the local authority of Jerantut town.

The Pantai Timur Range, also known as the Terengganu Highlands, is a mountain range situated in the eastern seaboard of Peninsular Malaysia. It is a subrange of the wider Tenasserim Hills system, that defines the backbone of the Malay Peninsula entirely. The Pantai Timur Range covers Machang, Gua Musang and Kuala Krai Districts in southeastern Kelantan, the western frontier of Terengganu, and Jerantut and Kuantan Districts in northeastern Pahang.

References

  1. 1 2 Pakhriazad., H.Z; Mohd. Hasmadi, I.; Aida, H.M.K (March 2009). "Historical and Current Legislations of Taman Negara National Park, Peninsular Malaysia". Journal of Politics and Law. 2 (1). doi: 10.5539/jpl.v2n1p44 .
  2. "Walking the Canopy of the World's Oldest Rainforest -- Malaysia's Taman Negara". www.highonadventure.com.
  3. "Taman Negara Travel Guide - Malaysia Travel Guide". travelmalaysiaguide.com.
  4. "Jungle Surfing in Australia: The Oldest Rainforest in the World | Transfercar". Archived from the original on 2015-12-27.
  5. Lloyd, Graham (August 22, 2011). "The Oldest Rainforest". The Australian.
  6. "National Park (Taman Negara) of Peninsular Malaysia". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. UNESCO. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  7. "About Taman Negara". Taman Negara Jerantut Travel Guide. Taman Negara Jerantut Travel Guide. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  8. "Taman Negara and Sungai Yu Forest Reserve". Archived from the original on 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
  9. Suratman, Mohd Nazip (2018-05-16). National Parks: Management and Conservation. BoD – Books on Demand. ISBN   978-1-78923-124-3.
  10. "Taman Negara National Park (Pahang) Enactment, Second Schedule". Federated Malay States Government Gazette. 1939: 8.
  11. Kawanishi, K.; Sunquist, M. E. (2004). "Conservation status of tigers in a primary rainforest of Peninsular Malaysia". Biological Conservation. 120 (3): 329–344. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2004.03.005.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. "About Mutiara Taman Negara". Mutiara Taman Negara. 5 January 2020. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  13. "Shuttle Services (Bus/Van/Boat)". Taman Negara. 3 March 2017.
  14. "Transport". Taman Negara. 21 February 2017.

10. ↑ KL to Taman Negara shuttle service