A boost for Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre

6.5m ringgit expansion opens door to better understanding of Sabah forests

Last year 40,000 people visited the Rainforest Discovery Centre at the Sepilok forest reserve in Sandakan since it opened in 2007.

Covering 200 hectares, it has long and winding trails that allow visitors to discover some of the rare species of gigantic tropical trees that may be about 1,300 years old, birds such as the hornbills, the endangered orang-utans and other wildlife.

It is indeed an educational and tourist attraction. And this year the centre has won Sabah’s best nature tourism award.

Sam Mannan, the director of Sabah Forestry Department, has announced a 6.5m-ringgit ($2m) expansion that he says will boost its “standing as a top environment education facility.” There will be a car park, an outdoor stage and the 300m canopy walk will be extended by 80 metres by November next year.

A 120-seat theatre was added to the centre early this year. And the Borneo bird festival was held there in October.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: A boost for Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre

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Discovering the rainforest at Sandakan's Rainforest Discovery Centre

MOST visitors to Sandakan and Sepilok go to see the orang-utans, but for those who have time to stay a bit longer, the Rainforest Discovery Centre at Sepilok is well worth a visit and should be included in every tour.

This year it won the award for the Best Nature Tourist Attraction which it well deserves.

But it is not just for tourists.

Its educational programs have reached over 27,000 Sabah students since 1997, when the programme first started as well as youth groups from Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and the UK, and it plays a valuable role in helping many young people discover the rainforest for themselves.

Centered around an old reservoir that is now a beautiful lake, on the edge of the Kabili - Sepilok Forest Reserve (where the orang-utans are), the Discovery Centre covers 200 hectares with trails winding through an arboretum of about 20 hectares of pristine dipterocarp forest as well as experimental trials of plantation trees.

It is possible to see the main attractions of the Rainforest Discovery Centre in a day, but to enjoy it fully and to walk some of the trails it is best to stay overnight, which is what we did.

In the early morning after watching hornbills breakfasting in a fig tree near our lodge, we followed one of the forest trails to Sepilok's "Giant", a large dipterocarp (Shorea acutissima), that is called 'giant' not so much for its height, (there are several taller trees), as for its girth.

The tree is about a half hour walk from the Visitor Centre, on top of a ridge from where it overlooks the surrounding forest, supported by massive buttress roots. Measurements taken by the Forestry Department give it a girth of 7m (22 feet), a giant indeed and big enough to give you some idea of what Borneo's dipterocarp forests must have been like, long ago.

On our way back to breakfast, another trail led us past a tree that may be Sepilok's oldest, an ancient 'belian' or Borneo Ironwood (Eusideroxylon zwageri).

This was much closer to the Visitor Centre, only about ten minutes walk, and with a diameter of around 120 cms it is certainly the largest 'belian' I have ever seen. Cut stumps of 'belian' trees in the Kubah National Park in Sarawak, measuring between 90 and 120 cms in diameter were estimated by carbon-dating to be more than 1000 years old!

So how old is the Sepilok 'belian' tree? No-one knows, but undoubtedly it has seen thousands of orang-utans come and go in the surrounding forests, and was there long before Borneo's colonial days.

Perhaps it was a seedling when the first trading junks of the Chinese Tang Dynasty sailed up the Kinabatangan river in search of bird's nests, 'gaharu' wood, and hornbill ivory.

After breakfast we explored the Visitor Centre, a mine of fascinating information on the history of Sepilok as well as the plants and animals that make up Borneo's forests.

This was followed by a visit to the Discovery Garden, which really is a "garden of discovery".

Continue reading at: Discovering the rainforest at Sandakan's Rainforest Discovery Centre

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Sabah Tourism Upcoming Event: Borneo Bird Festival

Date : 14-16 October 2011

There are a total of 622 resident and migratory species of bird found in Borneo, 32 of which are endermic, and four of which are found in Sabah.

This month, make your way to the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Sepilok, Sandakan and join other bird aficionados for a three-day Borneo Bird Festival event dedicated to the feathered species.

The RDC is a centre for environmental education situate within the famous Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve.

Educate your youngsters about the birdies by signing them up for the Children's Camp or sign yourself up for lectures and workshops on topics ranging from anatomy and conservation of birds, to wildlife and bird photography where you get to learn tips from the experts, all at minimal fees!

You can also learn more about the birds through the exhibitions.

For the birding enthusiasts there will be photography competition, the Borneo Bird Race, daily guided birding tour, childrens’ activities and many more exciting programs at the Festival.

For further details, contact Noredah Othman of Sabah Tourism Board at +60 88 212121 or send fax to +60 88 212075. You can also email noredah@sabahtourism.com or visit www.borneobirdfestival.com for more information as well as the programme.

Source: Sabah Tourism

NOTE: Photo Copyright to Sabah Tourism
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Bird-watching at Sabah’s Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sandakan

WE recently went with a group of photographic and birding friends to Sabah’s Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), after hearing so many good stories about birding there.



RDC is located in Sepilok and the world famous orang-utan sanctuary run by the Sabah Forestry Department is only 2km away. The Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve (4.294ha) and the Sepilok Forest Reserve (1.835ha) are adjoining.



The primary function of this area is to create public awareness of the importance of conserving the rainforest and natural resources. A large part of this forest is made up of old growth lowland mixed dipterocarp forest. There is a visitor centre, orchids and pitcher plants arboretum, ginger and associated plants arboretum and many more attractions.



The 300-metre canopy walkway with two watchtowers is a great facility for bird-watching. Present records show that Sepilok forest is host to over 300 bird species in 52 families, with 15 endemics including the rare Bornean bristlehead, the blue–headed pitta and the white-fronted falconet; all of which are much sought after by bird-watchers from all over the world. It is also home to the superb barred eagle owl – the largest owl in Borneo.



RDC opened to the public in 2006 and the trails are well marked. On the first day, we saw a black-naped monarch breeding and the male and female took turns to sit on the eggs. It is sad that people still have to learn that they should not disturb the animals by using a flash. Visitors should not make noise too. When we checked a few days later, we discovered that the poor bird was not sitting on its nest but standing near it and we worried that it had abandoned the eggs. In the daytime it’s not necessary to use the flash, plus the pictures are so much better without.



It’s a great bird-watching area and you can see, if you are lucky, several different species of kingfishers including the beautiful ruddy kingfisher, along with hornbills and pittas.



The first day when we arrived at around 5pm, we went straight to the place where we saw a flying squirrel and its nest last year.



We waited without knowing if it still lived in the dead tree. Suddenly around 6pm, I saw his head popping out to just look around and then it went back into the hole and nothing further happened. At 6.30pm, his head came out again and this time he left the cavity; climbed higher up the dead tree and took off to the next tree. We all got a shot of him in the tree but not of him flying since we had no clue which direction he would jump. It was great to see this animal flying (or gliding really).



The next morning at 6.30am, we set off to the RDC, which is only 400 metres away. We immediately saw three oriental pied hornbills flying, playing, eating and all cameras came out in a flash. It was so amazing to see hornbills flying above gardens.



After shooting a lot off good pictures, we headed of to the trail where we heard a strange knocking. Two orange-backed woodpeckers, male and female, were tapping their way around the stem of a huge dead tree. We also saw the ruddy kingfisher, black monarch, and the very interesting black-capped babbler, which mainly forages for insects on the forest floor.



I checked the canopy walkway for birds, but not so many were seen. Then I went up the 40-metre tall tower with my husband and saw the incredibly brightly coloured male and female scarlet minivet as well as a beautiful green leaf bird. In addition we saw many large-winged butterflies gracefully manoeuvring just above the leaf canopy. We also saw oriental pied hornbills and raptors overhead. Finally we heard the distant call of the rhinoceros hornbill.



Some of you might remember that excellent talk by Dr Pilai Poonswand from Thailand about a year ago. She succeeded in putting up nest boxes on tall trees, as most tall nesting trees have been removed through logging operations. Hornbills have made their nests in them. We saw quite a number of these boxes attached in several high trees in Sepilok, but I don’t think it has been done here in Sarawak yet.



In the evening, as we were resting at the first pondok (shelter) to wait for the squirrel we saw the evening before, we checked the hornbill nest box that had been put up on a tall tree opposite the pondok and discovered a flying squirrel peeping out of the opening. I decided to stay there while the others went to check on the flying squirrel we saw the previous evening. It is interesting to note that squirrels have taken to hornbill nesting boxes. Around 6.30pm, I saw it coming out through my lens. When it went up into the tree, I found another following it and realised that there were two in the nest box and caught them on film, but only my husband got a good shot of them flying.



Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Bird-watching at Sabah’s Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sandakan

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Bird-watching tourism in Sabah

SANDAKAN: As home to 600 resident and migratory bird species, including about 50 that can only be found on the Borneo island, Sabah is a paradise for bird watchers.

Though Sabah is on the international bird watchers list, more needs to be done to promote the diverse bird fauna in the state, and convert it into economic returns.

Realizing the economic potential of bird-watching, and the need to create awareness of the state’s unique avian heritage, the Borneo Bird Club was established in Oct 2010, headed by Gary Albert.

Gary, president of Borneo Bird Club, told Bernama, recently, that the club, with 100 members, serves as the best platform to promote bird-watching as part of Sabah’s tourism industry.

A LOW PROFILE ACTIVITY

Though Sabah has been a favourite haunt for many foreign bird-watchers, the activity isn’t very popular in the state. Sabah is unlike neighbouring countries, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, or even Europe, where there are many bird-watchers’ clubs and tours.

“Only now has the club, with the cooperation of the state’s Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, Forestry Department and the Wildlife Department, embarked on programmes to inculcate interest in bird-watching and conservation activities,” he said.

The Malaysia Nature Society and the Nature Society in Sabah play an important role in cultivating interest in bird-watching.

BORNEO BIRD FESTIVAL

Sabah’s first official bird-watching activity, the Borneo Bird Festival, was held in Oct 2009, in Sepilok, near Sandakan, with overseas bird-watcher club members taking part, as well.

Due to an overwhelming response, the second festival took place in the following year. This year, the third Borneo Bird Festival will take place in October.

Gary pointed out that Sabah has a number of established bird-watching spots – Rainforest Discovery Center (RDC) in Sepilok, Kinabalu Park in Kundasang, Kampung Sukau in Kinabatangan, Danum, Tabin Valley in Lahad Datu, and Sungai Klias in Beaufort.

These are the places where many species can be seen, including those endemic to Borneo.

However, bird-watching is not limited to bird-watching club members. The club is now focusing on programmes to attract public participation, especially from the younger generation.

For a start, the Borneo Bird Club has enlisted primary and secondary students for activities such as the young ranger programme at RDC.

A mobile exhibition is also on the cards, apart from the upcoming Borneo Bird Festival.

TRAINING BIRD GUIDES

According to Gary, to create greater appreciation for the state’s avian heritage, the club plans to train more bird guides, as their numbers are currently limited.

There are about six licensed bird guides in the state, and their services see high demand.

In the long term, the club plans to train tour guides to serve as bird guides as well. They will be taught different bird species, and the ethics of bird-watching.

At present, tour agents offer bird-watching in their tour-packages, but it is supervised by tour guides.

Continue reading at: Bird-watching tourism in Sabah
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Sabah's Borneo Bird Festival gaining popularity

SABAH’s Borneo Bird Festival (BBF) is gaining popularity, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.

“The number of bird watchers attending the three-day event doubled last year to 3,000, comprising local and foreign visitors, compared to 2009’s 1,500 people,” he told the House in response to a question by Elopura assemblyman Au Kam Wah.

Introduced two years back, the event which is held at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), aims at luring bird watchers, both domestic and abroad, to learn the species of birds in Sabah.

There are 742 bird species in Malaysia, with 540 species found in Sabah.

The BBF is widely promoted and has attracted bird watchers from Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines as well as members of bird watching clubs from this region.

Continue reading at: Sabah's Borneo Bird Festival gaining popularity
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Rainforest Discovery Centre to be developed as open zoo

THE Malaysian Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sabah will be further developed as an open zoo concept.

It is one of the efforts to launch Malaysia as one of the world’s premium eco-tourism destinations.

While the rainforest centre will showcase Malaysia’s wild flora and fauna, the Malaysian Marine Discovery Centre will focus on the marine species.

Total funding required is estimated at RM896mil for over a period of 10 years (2010-2020) and the bulk of it will come from private sector.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the Tourism Ministry will set up the Global Biodiversity Hub (GBH) Board of Management which will comprise representatives from the federal and state governments, private sector, the academia and non-governmental organisations.

After a one-year interim period, it will be managed as a non-governmental body with federal and state government representatives participating to ensure that the policies are in line with the national objectives.

Last year, the tourism industry generated RM36.9bil in gross national income (GNI), making it the fifth largest industry after oil, gas and energy, financial services, wholesale and retail, and palm oil.

It hopes to reap RM103.6bil in GNI in 2020 and increase higher yield from not only increased tourist arrivals (24 million in 2009 to 36 million by 2020) but also the amount they spend.

The ministry targets RM168bil tourist receipts by then and this would mean that the industry will grow by three times and contribute RM3bil receipts per week by 2020.

The 12 entry point projects (EPPs) for tourism are divided into five themes that cater to different segment of tourists such as the avid shopper, nature lover, business traveller and families on vacation.

Another highlight is the development of eco-nature integrated resorts in Sabah.

A private investor who has the land, financial resources and industry expertise has been identified for the project and will work with the Sabah state government and related federal agencies to obtain the necessary approvals before 2011.

Continue reading at: Rainforest Discovery Centre to be developed as open zoo
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Promotion of bird-based nature tourism in Sabah to be further enhanced

SANDAKAN: Efforts to promote the tourism industry in this country will be further enhanced through its participation various bird festivals organized by other countries.

Sabah Tourism Board chairman, Datuk Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin said, the Board had actively promoted bird-based nature tourism since two years ago to other countries even though the market on bird-based tourism is not something new to Sabah.

He said the bird-based nature tourism industry is expected to attract more birds lovers this country and it is expected within the next 10 years, it could developed into a strong sector.

“Activities on bird watchinging can serve as a potential tourism market in the country based on market demand for bird watching in other countries.

“Through the diversity of tourism activities such as this, we can further strengthen the tourism industry in this country and thus generate economic growth,” he said at the Borneo Bird Festival held at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Sepilok, here on Friday.

This Festival was organized for the second time since it was launched last year the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Masidi Manjun.

Also present were Sabah Forestry Department director, Datuk Sam Mannan and Chairman of Borneo Bird Club, Cede Prudente.

It is understood that about 664 bird species can be found in Borneo, including 51 unique species of birds that can only be found on the Borneo Island. Of these, 31 species are unique to this country and almost all of them can be found in the RDC.

Continue reading at: Promotion of bird-based nature tourism in Sabah to be further enhanced
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