The flora and fauna of Brunei Darussalam is one of its primary draws. Tropical evergreen rainforest makes up the majority of the country's natural vegetation. 81% of the land is covered by forests, with 59% being primary forests and 22% being secondary forests and plantations. With an estimated 2,000 species of trees, Brunei is home to an estimated 15,000 different species of Vascular plants. Brunei's mammal and bird populations are comparable to those of Sumatra, the Malaysian Peninsula, and Borneo as a whole. [1]
As far as Asian countries go, Brunei was the first to ban shark finning. Dog beating and wildlife trafficking are Brunei's two most urgent animal law concerns. Like many other Asian nations, the nation has certain animal-related legislation, but enforcement of them is still lax. [2]
A wide variety of wildlife can be found in Brunei's forests, including 500 species of marine fish and invertebrates, 622 bird species, [3] 121 species of mammals, 182 species of amphibians and reptiles, and some native species like the Nycticebus borneanus, Bronchocela cristatella, Bornean Sun Bear, and Pelobatrachus nasutus. [4] Proboscis monkeys and ground squirrels are examples of endemic species. The nation is home to two different species of crocodiles: the false gharial and the estuary crocodile. The varied range of freshwater species found in Brunei includes small torrential streams, estuaries with highly acidic environments, and alkaline waters. [1]
In Brunei, several mammal species, including the Asian elephant, banteng, long-footed treeshrew, orangutan, and otter civet, are classified as critically endangered or endangered, while the bay cat, clouded leopard, dugong, Flat-headed cat, smooth-coated otter, marbled cat, pig-tailed macaque, and proboscis monkey are listed as vulnerable, according to the 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. [5]
The rainforest of Brunei is a habitat to numerous hornbills, barbets, sunbirds, spiderhunters, leafbirds, trogons, and floor-dwelling species including pheasants, pittas, and wren-babblers. The riverine and coastal habitats, which comprise freshwater marshes and mangroves are significant locations. Birds are numerous on the hillsides of Brunei, which border the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Butaccessing some of these regions can be difficult, particularly during the monsoon season. [3]
One of the oldest rainforests in the world, Temburong is home to rainforests that date back more than 150 million years. Many plant and animal species, some of which are unique to Brunei and Borneo, can be found in abundance in the woodlands. Of the country's total land area, 72% is covered by forest, and 41% is legally protected. [4] Over 70% of Brunei is made up of lush, verdant jungles that have been kept out of human grasp for as long as they have been. [6] [7]
The greatest remaining intact mangroves in northern Borneo are found in the coastal mangroves. In Brunei Bay, they make up one of the biggest areas of comparatively untouched mangroves in eastern Asia, along with those in nearby nations. Although less so than in other nations in the region, mangrove resources are used for a variety of uses. With more than 50% live coral cover, the 45 square kilometres (17 sq mi) coral reef along the coast is most famous for the rare co-occurrence of a very distinctive suite of hard and soft corals and gorgonian sea fans. [1]
Brunei boasts 400 species of reef-building coral, with the majority of its peat swamp forests situated along the Belait River basin in the west and seasonally flooded areas in the middle reaches of the Tutong River, all maintaining nearly perfect conditions. The limited exploitation of these forests is attributed to the population residing along the shore and the predominant role of hydrocarbon fossil fuels in the nation's development and economy; clear-cutting is prohibited, and timber exportation is not allowed, while the Forestry Department strictly regulates wood harvest for domestic use. [1]
Ecosystem threats in the country includes land development, pollution, encroachment, climate change and invasive alien species. Meanwhile threats to the species includes poaching, collection and invasive alien species. These risks are fueled by a number of factors, including economic expansion, the desire for products and services, the demand for exotic meat, traditional and herbal medicines, wild ornamental plants, and tourism in pristine places. These have resulted in the loss of species, habitat, ecosystem fragmentation, inland water pollution, and ecological benefits. There are also new dangers to biodiversity, such climate change. [1] Numerous species are obtained to provide the global demand for meat, pets, luxury goods, medicines, and zoos. [8]
Forest reserves comprise all designated protected areas. The principal habitat categories are generally well-represented within the protected areas system, with the exception of swamp forest habitats. As of right now, Brunei Darussalam's forest reserves are managed using sustainable management techniques in accordance with the ideas for forest development and conservation presented in the Strategic Plan for Forestry. Organisations (such as government ministries, NGOs, and higher education institutions) have undertaken a number of initiatives to advance collaboration and exchange programs for biodiversity education and awareness-raising. These initiatives include the organisation of seminars and conferences aimed at exchanging knowledge and expertise on biodiversity research and management, among other topics. [1]
Field gene banks and arboretums are repositories of agricultural biodiversity and rice varieties. As part of the genebanks' efforts, the community was also given free seedlings of native fruit species. The Brunei National Herbarium has the only specimens of the country's flora. As part of its yearly conservation program, the Forestry Department of the government of Brunei plants trees. In only one year, the government pledged to plant 60,000 trees around the nation. Projects like this one that restore biodiversity are allotted land, and as part of the project, free seedlings were distributed to the local population. [1]
An NGO called Brunei Biodiversity & Natural History Society (BruWILD) is dedicated to preserving biodiversity by action and education. [9] Through its rescue operations and educational initiatives, BruWILD significantly contributed to the preservation of Brunei's wildlife and increased public understanding of the value of environmental sustainability. To commemorate World Environment Day in June 2017, the High Commission for Canada collaborated with BruWILD and The Collective. [10]
To provide training for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in Brunei, the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) and BruWILD have partnered. 30 participants, including members of BruWILD, the Wildlife Division (Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), and International School Brunei (ISB), will be taught courses by IWRC instructors during their 25–30 July 2016 trip to Brunei. The courses would be held in the Faculty of Science laboratories at UBD. [10]
Temburong is renowned for its varied animals, waterfalls, and primary forests. One of Southeast Asia's best-preserved rainforests, Ulu Temburong National Park, is located in this area, alongside a cavern network in the Batu Apoi Forest Reserve. [11]
The China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) completed the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge (Temburong Bridge) project inside the rural Temburong District that is primarily unoccupied and covered in virgin forest. Situated in the center of the district, the easternmost region of Brunei, which is home to endemic fauna and indigenous vegetation, the company had to move forward with the megaproject while taking care to ensure that the natural landscape was damaged as little as possible. Additionally, workers have been told to record any wildlife encounters they may come across. Furthermore, eco-friendly practices are promoted, and trainings and inspections were carried out to guarantee that the flora and fauna are not affected. [12]
The Wild Fauna and Flora Order 2007 provides for the implementation of the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Convention in Brunei, as well as procedures and requirements for obtaining permits and certificates to trade in, export, or import any species listed in the Convention's Appendices. Wild Life Protection 1984 provides for the protection of wildlife by limiting hunting seasons, animal age ranges, and hunting tactics, as well as establishing wildlife sanctuaries even within protected or reserved forests. The Game Officer shall have responsibility over and supervise compliance with the current Act. [13]
Temburong District, or simply Temburong, is the easternmost district in Brunei. It is an exclave surrounded by Malaysia and the Brunei Bay. Temburong is accessible from Brunei's mainland via the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge. It has a total area of 1,306 km2 (504 sq mi). As of 2016, its population was 10,251; it is the least populous district in Brunei. Bangar is the administrative centre of the Temburong District.
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a U.S. National Marine Sanctuary in the Florida Keys. It includes the Florida Reef, the only barrier coral reef in North America and the third-largest coral barrier reef in the world. It also has extensive mangrove forest and seagrass fields. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, designated in 1990, is the ninth national marine sanctuary to be established in a system that comprises 13 sanctuaries and two marine national monuments. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects approximately 2,900 square nautical miles of coastal and ocean waters from the estuarine waters of south Florida along the Florida Keys archipelago, encompassing more than 1,700 islands, out to the Dry Tortugas National Park, reaching into the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
Wildlife conservation refers to the practice of protecting wild species and their habitats in order to maintain healthy wildlife species or populations and to restore, protect or enhance natural ecosystems. Major threats to wildlife include habitat destruction, degradation, fragmentation, overexploitation, poaching, pollution, climate change, and the illegal wildlife trade. The IUCN estimates that 42,100 species of the ones assessed are at risk for extinction. Expanding to all existing species, a 2019 UN report on biodiversity put this estimate even higher at a million species. It is also being acknowledged that an increasing number of ecosystems on Earth containing endangered species are disappearing. To address these issues, there have been both national and international governmental efforts to preserve Earth's wildlife. Prominent conservation agreements include the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). There are also numerous nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) dedicated to conservation such as the Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, and Conservation International.
The wildlife of Costa Rica comprises all naturally occurring animals, fungi and plants that reside in this Central American country. Costa Rica supports an enormous variety of wildlife, due in large part to its geographic position between North and South America, its neotropical climate, and its wide variety of habitats. Costa Rica is home to more than 500,000 species, which represent nearly 5% of the species estimated worldwide, making Costa Rica one of the 20 countries with the highest biodiversity in the world. Of these 500,000 species, a little more than 300,000 are insects.
Papua New Guinea together with the West Papua region of Indonesia make up a major tropical wilderness area that still contains 5% of the original and untouched tropical high-biodiversity terrestrial ecosystems. PNG in itself contains over 5% of the world's biodiversity in less than 1% of the world's total land area. The flora of New Guinea is unique because it has two sources of origin; the Gondwana flora from the south and flora with Asian origin from the west. As a result, New Guinea shares major family and genera with Australia and the East Asia, but is rich in local endemic species. The endemicity is a result of mountainous isolation, topographic and soil habitat heterogeneity, high forest disturbance rates and abundant aseasonal rainfall year round. PNG boasts some 15–21,000 higher plants, 3,000 species of orchids, 800 species of coral, 600 species of fish, 250 species of mammals and 760 species of birds and 8 species of tree-kangaroos out of which 84 genera of animals are endemic. Ecosystems range from lowland forests to montane forests, alpine flora down to coastal areas which contains some of the most extensive pristine mangrove areas in the world. Much of this biodiversity has remained intact for thousands of years because the ruggedness of the terrain made the interior lands inaccessible; furthermore low population density and restrictions on the effectiveness of traditional tools, ensured that these biodiversity was never overexploited.
India is one of the most biodiverse regions and is home to a large variety of wildlife. It is one of the 17 megadiverse countries and includes three of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots – the Western Ghats, the Eastern Himalayas, and the Indo-Burma hotspot.
The wildlife of Cambodia is very diverse with at least 162 mammal species, 600 bird species, 176 reptile species, 900 freshwater fish species, 670 invertebrate species, and more than 3000 plant species. A single protected area, Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, is known to support more than 950 total species, including 75 species that are listed as globally threatened on the IUCN Red List. An unknown amount of species remains to be described by science, especially the insect group of butterflies and moths, collectively known as lepidopterans.
The wildlife of Malaysia is diverse, with Malaysia being a megadiverse country. Most of the country is covered in rainforest, which hosts a huge diversity of plant and animal species. There are approximately 361 mammal species, 694 bird species, 250 reptile species, and 150 frog species found in Malaysia. Its large marine territory also holds a great diversity of life, with the country's coastal waters comprising part of the Coral Triangle.
The wildlife of Liberia consists of the flora and fauna of the Republic of Liberia. This West African nation has a long Atlantic coastline and a range of habitat types, with a corresponding diversity of plants and animals. Liberia is considered a biodiversity hotspot and has more intact forests characteristic of the Upper Guinea Massif than do neighbouring countries. There are 2000 species of vascular plants, approximately 140 species of mammals, and over 600 species of birds.
The wildlife of Canada or biodiversity of Canada consist of over 80,000 classified species, and an equal number thought yet to be recognized. Known fauna and flora have been identified from five kingdoms: protozoa represent approximately 1% of recorded species; chromist ; fungis ; plants ; and animals. Insects account for nearly 70 percent of documented animal species in Canada. More than 300 species are found exclusively in Canada.
The spectacled flowerpecker is a species of bird belonging to the flowerpecker family, Dicaeidae. It was first observed in 2009 in the forests of Borneo, but due to limited information and the lack of a specimen for scientific study, it was not formally described or given a scientific name until 2019.
The wildlife of Zanzibar consists of terrestrial and marine flora and fauna in the archipelago of Zanzibar, an autonomous region of Tanzania. Its floral vegetation is categorized among the coastal forests of eastern Africa as the Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic and the Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic. Its faunal species are mostly small animals, birds, and butterflies.
Ulu Temburong National Park is the first national park to be established in Brunei, protected since 1991. The park is in Temburong District in eastern Brunei, and covers about 40% of the district in the south at 550 square kilometres (210 sq mi). It is within the Batu Apoi Forest Reserve. The park contains unspoiled jungle and is known as the "Green Jewel of Brunei", described as "the finest example of the sultanate's successful forest protection policy". The principal rivers are the Temburong and Belalong Rivers. It is an important ecotourism centre in Brunei and hosts the Ulu Ulu Resort. The Peradayan Forest Reserve is also located in the district.
The Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research in Brunei Darussalam is a research institute of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) dedicated to biodiversity and environmental sciences research and education. IBER's location within the northwest Borneo hotspot offers unique opportunities for long-term studies in both terrestrial and marine tropical ecosystems.
Protected areas of Brunei are established by the Government of Brunei, in accordance with national development objectives and global biogeoecological strategies in which forests play an important role. The country's marine protected areas remained at 0.2% in 2022. As of 2011, nearly half of Brunei Darussalam is still primary forest, however this coverage is dwindling and only 17% of the country is officially protected.
The Greater Sunda Islands are four tropical islands situated within the Indonesian Archipelago, in the Pacific Ocean. The islands, Borneo, Java, Sulawesi and Sumatra, are internationally recognised for their ecological diversity and rich culture. Together with the Lesser Sunda Islands to their southeast, they comprise the archipelago known as the Sunda Islands.
Sri Lanka exhibits a remarkable biological diversity and is considered to be the richest country in Asia in terms of species concentration.
Selirong Island, also known as Mosquito Island, is an island located within the Brunei Bay and Mukim Labu, Temburong District, Brunei. The island also sits at the river delta of the Temburong River.
The Forestry Department, also referred to as the Forest Department, is a department overseen by the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT). Through the department practices sustainable forest management to ensure that forest resources can be used and utilized continuously in addition to balancing environmental, economic and social interests as well as the well-being of the people and the country.