Flora and Fauna of Brunei
The island of Borneo is synonymous with raw, unspoiled nature and Brunei, situated in its heart, is a shining example of natural beauty. More than 70% of Brunei’s land area is covered by primary rainforests, which the government has taken great strides to protect. The Government of Brunei has acted to conserve some 32,000 hectares as forest reserves and allocated 50,000 hectares for national parks which are some of the finest in Asia. But perhaps Brunei’s most distinctive advantage is that all of its natural attractions are within easy reach of the contemporary luxuries of the capital, meaning that you never have to sacrifice comfort to enjoy untamed wilderness.
Brunei is home to many endangered wildlife species, like the Orang Utan, the odd-looking Bornean Proboscis monkey, and the indigenous Tufted ground squirrel and the vulnerable and unique Borneo clouded leopard, which is also Brunei’s largest land predator. The abundant rainforests also house 23 protected species of birds, including Hornbills, Eagles, Storks, and Cuckoos. It’s no surprise then, that bird-watching is a popular past time for tourists and locals alike. Besides the interesting wildlife, Brunei also contains over 5000 plant species, and the number is steadily growing each year as scientists make new discoveries.
If you want to learn more about Brunei’s diverse and ever-changing flora and fauna, head to some of Asia’s best nature reserves and field study centres, such as the world famous Ulu Temburong National Park and the Kuala Belalong Field Study Centre, both of which offer an exciting array of ecotourism and adventure activities. Indeed, the longboat ride down a winding jungle river, surrounded on all sides by pristine rainforest makes the journey as much of an adventure as the destination itself.