Borneo Wildlife

Indigenous tribes, playful primates and ancient emerald rainforests: the biodiverse island of Borneo is a veritable treasure trove of resource-rich natural attractions.

From the world’s oldest rainforest to craggy mountains, swamps, and valleys where wide rivers wind lazily toward the crystal waters of the South China Sea, these magical settings combine with Borneo’s tropical animals and laidback beach retreats to make the island a must on any wildlife-lover’s list.

What to spot on a Borneo adventure?

Borneo has played a big role in the development of the theory of evolution. Scientists have been busy finding and naming new species here since Alfred Wallace developed his theories on natural selection in the 19th century. With such a mix of habitats and climates, Borneo has the ideal conditions for a huge variety of species to thrive throughout its rainforests, swamps and mangroves. The island plays host to an enormous assortment of uniquely endangered wildlife, such as the charming and gentle orangutan, noisy proboscis monkey, diminutive pygmy elephant and elusive but stunningly beautiful clouded leopard. Flora and fauna abound in this Eden-like sanctuary, with a staggering 15,000 species of flowering plants and 3,000 species of tree, in addition to rare orchids, 12 species of rafflesia (the world’s largest flower) and in excess of 600 bird species. All of this contributes to what is an incredibly diverse area and makes for the ultimate Borneo holiday

Clouded Leopards

Crocodiles lurk within Borneo’s many rivers, but on land, the largest predator you’ll encounter is a cat just over 6 ft from nose to tail. Little is known about the Sunda clouded leopard and sighting one of these secretive felines is a real rarity. The Sunda clouded leopard has the rare distinction of being one of the few carnivorans discovered in the 21st century. Take “discovered” with a grain of salt, however: scientists were well aware of their existence, but prior to 2007, it was thought that the clouded leopards living in Borneo and Sumatra were the same species as those living across a number of other areas in Southeast Asia, all the way up to the Himalayan foothills. Clouded leopards generally weigh between 12 and 26kg. These cats are named after the distinctive “clouds” on their coat, have an exceptionally long tail for balancing, can descend tree trunks head-first, and even climb while hanging upside down under branches. Clouded leopards are nocturnal and elusive creatures that are rare to see on safari. Your best chance lies in a visit to the Deramakot Forest Reserve, thought by some to be the best place in all of Asia for clouded leopard sightings.

Rhinoceros Hornbill

Hornbills are Borneo’s most extravagantly adorned birds. Eight species can be found on the island, with the rhinoceros hornbill being the most well-known. This particular species appears on some Malaysian currency and is the country’s national bird. Rhinoceros hornbills can be found all across Borneo. Look for openings in the forest canopy, such as the mud volcano at Tabin Wildlife Reserve. Sightings are also likely when travelling along the Kinabatangan River, as the birds can be seen perching on treetops or flying overhead. The rhinoceros hornbill is the largest of Borneo’s eight hornbill species, with a wingspan of 5-6 ft. They are truly magnificent to watch in flight.