Borneo Wildlife Guide
The Borneo rainforest is estimated to be around 130 million years old, making it one of the oldest rainforests on Earth—significantly older than the Amazon. The island of Borneo is also among the most biodiverse regions in the world. It is home to approximately 15,000 species of flowering plants, including more than 3,000 species of trees—267 of which are dipterocarps, the towering hardwoods that dominate the canopy. The island supports 221 species of terrestrial mammals and 420 resident bird species. Borneo is considered a center of evolution and diversification for many endemic plants and animals. According to World Wildlife Fund, at least 361 new species of animals and plants were discovered in Borneo between 1996 and 2007, highlighting its extraordinary biodiversity.
Yet this ecological treasure is under severe threat from deforestation. The Borneo rainforest is one of the last remaining natural habitats for the critically endangered Bornean orangutan. It also shelters other rare and endemic wildlife, from pygmy elephants to palm civets.
Click the links below to learn more about each species.
