Nature

Malaysia

Nature & Environment

Malaysia is divided into two distinct parts: Peninsular Malaysia and the East Malaysian provinces of Sabah and Sarawak in North Borneo. The two regions are 650km (403mi) apart, separated by the South China Sea. Peninsular Malaysia shares borders with Thailand and Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak border Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of Borneo), and Sarawak surrounds the tiny enclave of Brunei. The Andaman Sea is on the west coast of the peninsula. The east coast of the peninsula, Sabah, and Sarawak all adjoin the South China Sea. Peninsular Malaysia accounts for 40 percent of the country's land mass. Several mountain ranges run north-south along the spine of the peninsula. There is a wide, fertile plain on the west coast, and a narrow coastal plain on the east. Sabah and Sarawak are covered by dense jungles and have large river systems. Mt Kinabalu (4101m/13,450ft) in Sabah is one of the highest peaks in South-East Asia. More than 60 per cent of the country is still rainforest, but a government plan to build a huge hydroelectric dam in Sarawak is expected to decimate 27,600ha (69,000ac) of forest, which does not augur well for the future. There are 8000 species of flowering plants in Peninsular Malaysia alone, including 2000 tree species, 800 different orchids and 200 types of palm. Fauna includes elephants, rhinos, tigers, leopards, tapirs, sun bears, orangutans and gibbons. East Malaysia has one of the most abundant and varied bird populations in the world.

To safeguard Malaysia's precious forest heritage and rare wildlife, national parks and wildlife reserves have been specially set aside. The designated Permanent Forest Estate covers 3.80 million hectares of virgin jungle and more than 1.49 million hectares of conservation areas are protected. Taman Negara National Park straddles the borders of Kelantan, Trengganu and Pahang in Peninsular Malaysia and is one of the world's oldest tropical rainforests. Endau-Rompin covers the boundary between Johore and Pahang and is one of the few remaining lowland forests in Peninsular Malaysia. Many unique and endemic varieties of plants have been discovered within the centuries-old forest such as the magnificent fan palm, the climbing bamboo and the slender-stemmed walking stick palm. Moths and butterflies of every shape and hue can also be found, as can tapir, deer and wild boar. Gunung Mulu National Park in North Sarawak has an extensive and spectacular limestone cave system, the second highest mountain peak in Sarawak and many plants and animal species previously unknown to science. Kinabalu Park, has the Poring Hot Springs, a wealth of plants and a variety of birds, plus majestic Mount Kinabalu, which is the highest mountain in South-East Asia. Niah National Park is the site of the Niah Caves, one of the largest limestone caves in the world. Bako National Park is a rugged sandstone peninsular with rocks carved by wave erosion, mangrove forests, and peat swamps. Rantau Abang Turtle Hatchery is the home of the giant leatherback turtle, Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary is a virgin equatorial rainforest with rare plants, animals and birds and Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary is a prime nesting site in Perak with over 100 protected species of birds. Climate
Malaysia is hot and humid all year. Temperatures are usually between 20-30°C (68-86°F); humidity is usually 90 per cent. The region has a monsoonal climate, but only the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia has a real rainy season. The wettest season on the west coast of the peninsula is between September and December; on the east coast and in Sabah and Sarawak it's between October and February. Rain, when it comes, generally interrupts the sunshine only briefly; most of it falls in short, strong bursts.