The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has officially designated Kinabatangan in Sabah as Malaysia’s newest biosphere reserve.
According to the natural resources and environmental sustainability ministry, the announcement was made during the International Coordinating Council meeting of Unesco’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme in Hangzhou, China, on Saturday.
“Malaysia is proud of Unesco’s recognition of two biosphere reserves in Sabah under the MAB Programme, including Kinabatangan,” the ministry said in a statement. It added that the Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve, which underwent its 10-year periodic review following its 2014 recognition, has successfully retained its Unesco biosphere status.
As the national focal point for the MAB Programme, the ministry congratulated Sabah, calling the achievement the result of cooperation among various stakeholders, including local communities, in managing biodiversity-rich areas. “We welcome the state government’s efforts to nominate potential areas for future recognition as MAB sites,” it added.
Covering 413,866 hectares, the Kinabatangan Biosphere Reserve is home to 315 bird species, 100 reptile species, 33 amphibian species, 127 mammal species, and more than 1,000 vascular plant species. It also provides a sanctuary for rare, endemic, and endangered species such as the orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Bornean elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis), proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus), sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), and all eight hornbill species found in Sabah.
With Kinabatangan and Crocker Range in Sabah, Malaysia now has four Unesco-recognised biosphere reserves under the MAB Programme: Tasik Chini in Pahang (2009) and Penang Hill in Penang (2021) are also on the list.
