Image of an Orangutan

Explore Malua

The Malua BioBank is located in an important conservation area in Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Malua is surrounded by six palm oil estates and acts as a crucial buffer zone between agriculture and the pristine Danum Valley conservation area to the south. Malua consists mainly of lowland and freshwater swamp forests and provides a vital habitat for one of the world's highest concentration of orangutans as well as for other critically endangered species such as Sumatran rhino, tembadau (banteng), bay cat, Sunda clouded leopard, Bornean gibbon, Malayan sun bear and the pygmy elephant. At present, logging and the development of oil palm plantations are reducing the area of lowland rainforest and threatening many of Sabah's important wildlife species.

Browse the Malua BioBank photo gallery to see some of these amazing creatures and the forest they live in.

Tracking Animals in Malua

The Malua BioBank supports scientific research that helps us understand how to better manage and protect the Malua Forest and its biodiversity. In 2008, a study led by Dr. Joanna Ross of Oxford University surveyed Malua's fauna using "camera trap" technology as part of a broader initiative to better understand the distribution of some of Borneo's most elusive species. The use of cameras allows scientists to record species sightings without being present at the time of image capture and enables even the most rare and shy of Malua's fauna to be recorded. The threatened and endangered animals recorded in September and October of 2008 include:

List of Threatened Species at Malua
The Malua Forest Reserve is also home to a diverse avian population. In 2008, Dr. David Edwards of the University of Leeds conducted a survey of bird species using point counts and mist netting. The study identified over 130 of the more than 300 species known to exist in the Malua forest and Danum Valley area, including several species of iconic hornbills. You can download a the complete list of the Birds of Malua from Dr. Edward's study.

Malua BioBank Gallery

Animals

Bats coming to roost near Malua River Rhinoceros hornbills in flight clouded leopard Tembadau Tembadau Tembadau Crocodile in Malua River Mature male orangutan Mature male orangutan Mature male orangutan Mature male orangutan

Malua Forest

Forest canopy structure at Malua Forest Reserve Forest along sides of the spine-of-Malua ridge degraded by helicopter logging in 2007 The Malua waterfall is about 30 metres high Limestone outcrop containing caves in Malua Forest canopy structure at Malua Old orangutan nests in tree canopy Malua eastern boundary with oil palm plantation Malua northern boundary with oil palm plantation

Poaching

The Malua BioBank works to stop poaching in and around the Malua Forest. The below images demonstrate the danger posed by poaching in recent years.

Elephant shot outside the Malua Forest Reserve A clouded leopard killed by poachers Malayan Sun Bear cub caught in snare set by poachers

All photos courtesy of the Sabah Forestry Department, except where otherwise noted.