Borneo's Kinabatangan River

The Kinabatangan River winds 560 kilometers through Sabah, creating Borneo's most important wildlife corridor. This muddy waterway and its riverine forest support incredible biodiversity: wild orangutans build nests in riverbank trees, proboscis monkeys leap between branches, and Bornean pygmy elephants - world's smallest - bathe at river's edge. The river ecosystem faces pressure from palm oil plantations yet demonstrates resilience through innovative conservation. Wildlife corridors reconnect forest fragments while community-based tourism provides economic alternatives. Local villages operate homestays and guide services, transforming former hunters into wildlife protectors. Night cruises reveal crocodiles, slow lorises, and countless sleeping birds. Hornbills fly overhead - eight species including the massive rhinoceros hornbill - while storm's storks nest in tall trees. The river supports over 200 bird species and serves as a critical elephant migration route. This conservation success story shows how degraded landscapes can support wildlife through community engagement, creating hope for human-wildlife coexistence in Southeast Asia's development pressures.

Water Features

Kinabatangan River, oxbow lakes

Ecosystem

This destination features a tropical rainforest ecosystem.