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.
Malaysia is estimated to contain 20% of the world's animal species, and includes some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. [1] High levels of endemism are found in the diverse forests of Malaysian Borneo's mountains, as populations are isolated from each other by lowland forest. [2]
There are about 361 mammal species in Malaysia. [3] Peninsular Malaysia holds four big cats: the Indochinese tiger, the Malayan tiger, the Indochinese leopard and also the clouded leopard. Another major predator is the sunbear. Large prey exists, such as the Sumatran rhinoceros, the Malayan tapir, mouse deer, [2] barking deer, sambar deer, wild boar, and Bornean bearded pigs. [1]
Gaurs and Asian elephants can also be found. Lowland animals such as these also can be found at higher altitudes, along with animals specialised for mountain living, such as siamang gibbons, red squirrels, and lesser moon rat species. East Malaysia lacks the tigers of the Peninsula, leaving Sunda clouded leopards, sunbears, and Sunda otter civet as the primary predators. Borneo elephants are also found there, along with Bornean orangutans, Mueller's gibbons, macaques, proboscis monkeys, [2] silvered leaf monkeys, [4] langurs, and slow lorises. Marbled cats and leopard cats are smaller predators.
Kinabalu ferret-badgers, Kinabalu black shrews, Hose's palm civets, and Brooke's tree squirrels are endemic to the mountains of Borneo. [2] Other small mammals include mongooses and giant rats. [1] 11,300 orangutans are found in East Malaysia. [5] Other ape species include the white-handed gibbon and the siamang. [1] Malaysia has 10 monkey species, divided between langurs and macaques. [5] Proboscis monkeys, the world's largest monkey, [1] are a langur species endemic to Borneo. [5] Macaque species include the crab-eating macaque and the pig-tailed macaque. [1]
The Malayan tiger, a close relative of the Indochinese tiger, is endemic to the Malay peninsula [4] with a remaining population of about 300 (250-340). [6] Small cats such as the bay cat and various civet cats are also found. [4] 1200 Asian elephants exist on the Peninsula, [5] with another population existing in East Malaysia. The world's largest cattle species, the seladang, is found in Malaysia. [1] Fruit bats are also found throughout the country, with a high concentration in the Mulu Caves. [5]
677 species of birds have been recorded just on the peninsula, with 794 recorded for the whole of Malaysia. [7] A few are endemic to the mountains of the peninsula, such as the Malayan whistling-thrush. [7] Bornean forests show high levels of endemism among bird species, [2] with 38 species found nowhere else. [5] Black-browed babblers and white-crowned shamas are found only in these forests. Large numbers of hornbills, woodpeckers, and pittas [2] such as the mangrove pitta are also present. [5]
Other species are found isolated on mountains, such as golden-naped barbets, spot-necked bulbuls, and mountain serpent-eagles. [2] Bulbuls, starlings, and house swifts can be found in urban areas. Crested serpent-eagles and kingfishers can be found. [5] There are ten species of hornbill in Malaysia, the most common of which is the Oriental pied hornbill. The largest Hornbill, as well as the rarest, is the helmeted hornbill, at 1.6 metres long. The rhinoceros hornbill is the national bird of the country, as well as the state bird of Sarawak. [8] The fish eagle and brahminy kite are the most common birds of prey. Storm's stork and the Oriental darter can be found in wetlands. [1]
250 reptile species have been recorded, with about 150 species of snakes [5] and 80 species of lizards. [4] Only 16 of the land snakes are venomous. [1] Notable among these are the Malayan pit viper, king cobras, Dumeril's monitors, Malay water monitors, and estuarine crocodiles. [2] The king cobra is the deadliest snake found, but it is rarely encountered. [1] The reticulated python is said to grow up to 10 metres (33 ft) in length. Monitor lizards, almost 2 metres (7 ft) in length, are found in both halves of the country. [5]
Other snake species include the paradise tree snake and Wagler's pit viper. Estuarine crocodiles can grow up to 8.6 metres (28 ft) in length. Their smaller relative, the Malayan false gharial, can also be found. [1] Flying lizards can also be found. [5]
There are about 150 species of frog in Malaysia. [4] Freshwater fish include the rare Asian arawana, along with marbled goby, harlequins, and tiger barbs. [1]
Malaysia has thousands of insect species, [4] with more being discovered every year. Butterfly species include Rajah Brooke's birdwing, while moth species include the Atlas moth. The largest beetle found is the rhinoceros beetle. Other large insects include the giant stick insect, which can grow as long as a human forearm, the empress cicada, with a wingspan of 30 centimetres (12 in), and the 4 centimetres (2 in) long giant ant. Other insects include banded hornets, fire ants, giant honey bees, and weaver ants. Many scorpions can also be found. [1]
About two thirds of Malaysia is covered in forest [9] which is believed to be 130 million years old. [4] It is composed of a variety of types, although they are mainly dipterocarp forests. [10] Dipterocarps can grow to about 50 metres (164 ft) tall. [1] Lowland forest occurs below 760 metres (2,493 ft), [9] and formerly East Malaysia was covered in such rainforest, [10] which is supported by its hot wet climate. [2] There are around 14,500 species of flowering plants and trees. [4]
Besides rainforests, there are over 1,425 square kilometres (550 sq mi) of mangroves in Malaysia, [9] and a large amount of peat forest. Coastal land of the peninsula is fringed by mangroves, which cause sediment build up resulting in peat bogs. These provide a base for plants that can tolerate the conditions. The peat forests of coastal Malaysia provide an important habitat for waterbirds and fish. The dipterocarps that occur in the peat forest obscure the ground, limiting ground vegetation. At higher altitudes, oaks, chestnuts, and rhododendrons replace dipterocarps. [2]
There are an estimated 8,500 species of vascular plants in Peninsular Malaysia, with another 15,000 in the East. [11] The forests of East Malaysia are estimated to be the habitat of around 2,000 tree species, and are one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, with 240 different species of trees every hectare. Further inland, heath forests are present. [2] These forests host many members of the genus Rafflesia , the largest flowers in the world, [10] with a maximum diameter of 1 metre (3 ft). [4] They also contain large numbers of carnivorous plants, such as pitcher plants, bladderworts, sundews, and ant-house plants. [2]
Some parts of the forest have shown promise for use in medicine. In 1990, a stand of trees showed promise to be able to be used to stop the spread of a strain of human immunodeficiency virus, but was cut down before more samples could be taken. [12] Promise has been shown in fighting Malaria. [13]
Malaysia's exclusive economic zone is 1.5 times larger than its land area, [14] and some of its waters are in the Coral Triangle, a biodiversity hotspot. [15] The waters around Sipadan island are the most biodiverse in the world. [1] Bordering East Malaysia, the Sulu Sea is a biodiversity hotspot, with around 600 coral species and 1200 fish species. Five species of sea turtles inhabit the area, [16] along with 20 species of sea snake. [1] The dugong is found around Sabah and in the Strait of Johor. [5]
Sharks present include whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, and reef sharks. Game fish such as the blue marlin and tuna are often found, along with reef fish such as barracuda, bigeye trevally, bump-head parrotfish, grouper, and scorpionfish. Manta rays can be found. [1]
With Malaysia's wildlife being some of the most diverse on earth, [2] and it being a megadiverse country, [17] the Malaysian government is interested in protecting it. The government aims to balance economic growth with environmental protection, but has been accused of favouring "big business" over the environment. Smoke haze from Indonesia occasionally causes problems further north, [4] and fires caused by forest burning in 1997 obscured large parts of Southeast Asia and Australasia in smog. [2]
At current rates of forest lost, the rainforests will likely disappear within a generation. Over 80% of Sarawak has been cleared, [2] and this clearing has caused animals traditionally in lowland forest to retreat into the upland rain forests inland. [10] Logging and cultivation practices have devastated tree cover, causing severe environmental degradation in the country. [2] Floods in East Malaysia have been worsened by the loss of trees, and over 60% of the peninsula's forest has been cleared. [4] With current rates of deforestation, the forests are predicted to be extinct by 2020. [2] From 2000 to 2019, Sabah lost 1.60Mha, or 24%, of its tree cover. 51% of this loss came from Tongod, Beluran, Tawau, and Kinabatangan. [18] In the same period, Sarawak lost 2.96Mha or 25% of its tree cover. [19] Together, they made up 56% of Malaysia's 8.12Mha (28%) loss in tree cover during that period. [20]
Deforestation is a major problem for fauna such as tigers, as the forest is cut to make room for plantations, [21] mostly for palm oil and other cash crops. The orangutan population has dropped by 40% in the last 20 years.[ when? ] Hunting has also been an issue. [4] Animals such as the Asian elephant have been forced out of their habitat due to its loss, often leading them to starve. [5] Once so common that complaints existed of them trampling people's gardens, [1] Sumatran rhinoceroses became extinct in Malaysia in 2019. [5] [22] Hornbills are steadily declining in numbers. [23] Most remaining forest is found inside national parks. [4]
Habitat destruction has proved a threat for marine life. [16] Illegal fishing is another major threat. In Sabah alone, almost 3000 turtles are killed as by-catch per year. [16] Illegal fishing methods such as dynamite fishing and poisoning have also depleted marine ecosystems. [24] Leatherback turtle numbers have dropped by 98% since the 1950s. [5] Turtle eggs are considered an aphrodisiac and remain a local delicacy, selling for around USD12 for 10. However, some communities that once regularly consumed turtle eggs now protect them, with hatching turtles becoming an ecotourism draw. Terengganu outlaws the sale of leatherback turtle eggs. While licensed collection and sale of the eggs from other species is still legal, the state has pledged to extend the ban on sale to all turtle species. [25]
Climate change has reduced the number of male turtles being born in Peninsular Malaysia, perhaps to zero. [26]
Overconsumption and the use of animal parts for profit has also endangered marine life, [16] as well as tigers, whose meat can be found in restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. [21] Tigers received official protection in 1976, when they numbered a mere 300. [5] Marine life is also detrimentally affected by uncontrolled tourism. [27] Shoreline erosion in places has reached 10 metres (33 ft) a year. [4]
Pollution was the impetus for the creation of the Environmental Quality Act in 1974. Pollution has continued to increase, and punishment for violations has been limited in comparison to other crimes. In 2020, illegal chemical dumping into the water system caused water cuts to households in the Klang Valley, in which the capital Kuala Lumpur is situated. [28]
Most environmental regulation falls under the control of the states. [29] Some state governments are now trying to counter the environmental impact and pollution created by deforestation; [10] Sabah has developed sustainable forest reserves, [30] and the government is trying to cut logging by 10% per year. 28 national parks have been created, the first in 1938 by the British. There are 23 on East Malaysia and 7 on the Peninsula. [4] The Malaysian government is also trying to preserve marine life, creating a joint project with Indonesia and the Philippines to look after the Sulu Sea, [16] as well as limiting tourism in areas such as Sipadan Island. [27] Marine parks have banned fishing and motorised sports. [4] To counter coastal erosion, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has installed artificial reefs around the country's shores. [31] These reefs are also intended to revive marine ecosystems. [24] Animal trafficking is a large issue, and the Malaysian government is holding talks with the governments of Brunei and Indonesia to standardise anti-trafficking laws. [32] The government aims to double the wild tiger population by 2020. [4]
The sun bear is a species in the family Ursidae occurring in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. It is the smallest bear species, standing nearly 70 cm (28 in) at the shoulder and weighing 25–65 kg (55–143 lb). It is stockily built, with large paws, strongly curved claws, small, rounded ears and a short snout. The fur is generally short and jet black, but can vary from grey to red. The sun bear gets its name from its characteristic orange to cream-coloured chest patch. Its unique morphology—inward-turned front feet, flattened chest, powerful forelimbs with large claws—suggests adaptations for climbing.
The Gunung Mulu National Park, also known simply as the Mulu National Park is a national park in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting. The park is famous for its caves and the expeditions that have been mounted to explore them and their surrounding rainforest, most notably the Royal Geographical Society Expedition of 1977–1978, which saw over 100 scientists in the field for 15 months. This initiated a series of over 20 expeditions now named the Mulu Caves Project.
Shorea is a genus of about 196 species of mainly rainforest trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The genus is named after Sir John Shore, the governor-general of the British East India Company, 1793–1798. The timber of trees of the genus is sold under the common names lauan, luan, lawaan, meranti, seraya, balau, bangkirai, and Philippine mahogany.
Bako National Park is a national park in Kuching District, Kuching Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. Established in 1957, it is the oldest national park in Sarawak. It covers an area of 27.27 square kilometres (10.53 sq mi) at the tip of the Muara Tebas peninsula at the mouth of the Bako and Kuching Rivers. It is approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) by road from Kuching. Millions of years of erosion of the sandstone have created a coastline of steep cliffs, rocky headlands and stretches of white, sandy bays. Wave erosion at the base of the cliffs has carved many of the rocky headlands into fantastically shaped sea arches and seastacks with colored patterns formed by iron deposition. The most famous of them was shaped like a cobra's head which could be spotted on a boat ride from the headquarters or one of the beaches. This collapsed in 2024 and is no longer present. Some of these rock formations can be seen on entry to the Teluk Assam Beach, which fronts the park. The park can only be reached by a 20-minute boat ride from the village of Kampung Bako. It is often visited as a day-trip from Kuching, though accommodations are available.
Kayan Mentarang National Park is a densely forested national park located in the Indonesian province of North Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo. The national park is named after a great dispersed Mentarang mountain trails plateau of Apau Kayan which covers the entire park from Datadian area in south region to Apau Ping area in mid region until Long Bawan in north region.
The National Zoo is a Malaysian zoo located on 110 acres (45 ha) of land in Ulu Klang, Gombak District, Selangor, Malaysia. It was officially opened on November 14, 1963, by the country's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. The zoo is managed by a non-governmental organization known as the Malaysian Zoological Society and is home to 5,137 animals of 476 different species. It received MS ISO 9001:2008 certification in July 2007 and is a member of the South East Asian Zoos Association (SEAZA). The president and chairman of the zoo is Y. Bhg. Dato' Ismail Hutson.
The Borneo peat swamp forests ecoregion, within the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome, are on the island of Borneo, which is divided between Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Belum-Temengor is the largest continuous forest complex in Peninsular Malaysia. Specifically, it is located in the Malaysian state of Perak and crosses into Southern Thailand. Belum-Temenggor is divided into two sections. Belum is located up north, right by the Malaysia-Thailand border, while Temenggor is south of Belum. The Royal Belum State Park is entirely contained within the forest complex. Bang Lang National Park is on the Thailand side of the border.
Borneo is the third largest island in the world. In prehistoric times it was connected to the Asian mainland due to geological and climate changes. During the recent ice ages of the Pleistocene and the Holocene separation from the mainland caused extinctions and speciation of fauna on the island.
The Lambir Hills National Park is a national park in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is a small park, at 6,952 hectares, and is composed largely of mixed dipterocarp forest, with some small areas of 'kerangas'. The park is 150–465 m (492–1,526 ft) above sea level.
Betung Kerihun National Park is a national park located in the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo. The park was established in 1995, and has a total area of 8,000 km2 (3,100 sq mi) or about 5.5 percent of West Kalimantan Province area. Together with the 2,000 km2 (800 sq mi) Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary in Malaysia, it has been proposed to form a World Heritage Site named the "Transborder Rainforest Heritage of Borneo".
Land of the Tiger is a BBC nature documentary series exploring the natural history of the Indian subcontinent, first transmitted in the UK on BBC Two in 1997. The production team covered the breadth and depth of India, from the Himalayan mountains in the north to the reef-fringed islands of the Indian Ocean, to capture footage of the country's wild places and charismatic wildlife.
The Borneo lowland rain forests is an ecoregion, within the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome, of the large island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It supports approximately 15,000 plant species, 380 bird species and several mammal species. The Borneo lowland rain forests is diminishing due to logging, hunting and conversion to commercial land use.
Deforestation in Borneo has taken place on an industrial scale since the 1960s. Borneo, the third largest island in the world, divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, was once covered by dense tropical and subtropical rainforests.
Dehing Patkai National Park is a national park in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam covering an area of 231.65 km2 (89.44 sq mi) of rainforest. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary on 13 June 2004. On 13 December 2020, the Government of Assam upgraded it into a national park. On 9 June 2021, the Forest Department of Assam officially notified it as a national park. It is located in the Dehing Patkai Landscape which is a dipterocarp-dominated lowland rainforest. The rainforest stretches for more than 575 km2 (222 sq mi) in the districts of Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Charaideo. The forest further spreads over in the Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Dehing Patkai National Park harbours the largest stretch of lowland rainforests in India. Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve under Project Elephant. Dehing-Patkai as a potential wildlife sanctuary was identified in late 1980s during a primate survey as "Upper Dehing Wildlife Sanctuary". Subsequently during a study on white-winged wood duck in early 1990s, it was discovered as a globally important site for this duck and recommended to be upgraded to "Upper Dehing National Park".
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 Flora of Malaysia comprises a vast assemblage of plant species estimated to over 15,500 vascular plants. Malaysia boasts 8,019 species of seed plants: 19 species of Gymnosperms and 8,000 Angiosperms. Globally, Malaysia is ranked 14th in terms of species of vascular plants. The Flora of Malaysia consist of approximately 15,000 species of vascular plant. Peninsular Malaysia has around 8,200 species of vascular plants while places such as Sabah and Sarawak has around 12,000 species. Most Flora can be found in the dense rainforest of Malaysia.
Malampaya Sound is a protected inlet of the South China Sea on the northwestern coast of Palawan Island in western Philippines. It is a geographic sound consisting of a complex of sheltered bays, coves, estuaries and islands separated from the sea to the west by the Copoas Peninsula. The sound is within the municipality of Taytay and is an important feature for the ecology and economy of the province of Palawan. It is considered one of the finest natural harbors in the Philippines and one of Palawan's richest fishing grounds.
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.
