Rendezvous with nature at Danum Valley
Sharon Ng Kooi Kin
WALKING around the sprawling compound of the Danum Valley Field Centre in Sabah’s Danum Valley was a rewarding first morning for Malaysian Nature Society, Perak gang of four. The endemic Dusky Munias were everywhere, feeding on grass seeds at road edges.
Perched high on treetops were parties of Green Imperial Pigeons and on subsequent days, we caught sight of a White-fronted Falconet and a Bat Hawk. The Buffy Fish Owl and Brown Wood Owl called every night.
In Danum Valley, a total of 328 bird species have been recorded, including 42 Bornean endemics. We were delighted to finally see one of these rare endemics, the queer looking Borneon Bristlehead. Despite the rainy weather, we saw a total of 60 species of birds during our six-day stay, a decent haul indeed.
The valley in eastern Sabah is not only a haven for birdwatchers, it is also noted for having one of the most complex eco-systems in the world.
It is located within 438sq km of lush virgin tropical rainforest which hides many of nature’s wonders not often seen by the human eye.
Into The Forest Trails
To see the rarer pitas, trogons and other animals, one has to venture into the forest trails. The first set of trails we tackled were the Grid Trails, which are set at right angles of each other.
In anticipation of an enjoyable trek, we jauntily crossed the swaying suspension bridge over the swollen Segama River to begin our adventure. Mistake! Since we were there in March, still within the wet season, we were soon mired in muddy tracks infested with tiger leeches. After two hours of slipping and sliding and picking off leeches, which are either on our arms or legs, some of us chose to turn back.
After that first day’s not so pleasant initiation, I was better prepared to fend off those blood suckers.Donning leech socks is a must just as is wearing long-sleeved tees, hats/caps and long pants. It’s advisable to slather all exposed skin, including your face and neck, with insect repellants.
Wearing good hiking shoes is mandatory. We observed that the research scientists and their assistants wore Wellington boots with the ends of their long pants snugly tugged inside, an effective armour against leeches and mud, I must say.
The next day, we took the Nature Trail on the other side of an old bridge and found it a friendlier track. It led us to a camping site, a watch tower and a tree platform for viewing arboreal creatures and plants. We observed in awe as a lady scientist hauled herself up a tall tree, using ropes, all for the love of studying the forest canopy. The lengths some people go to for the sake of science!
The Sungai Palum-Tambun Trail was also easy walking and we did not have to back track because it went in a circle to bring us back to the bridge. We discovered the trails to the Tembaling Waterfall and two from our party took up the challenge the following day to trek there and view the waterfall for themselves. They came back with fantastic pictures of fascinating flora and fauna that can be found only in the bowels of a rainforest. A map of all these trails is available at the reception of the Field Centre.
Animals, Big And Small
Why would an ordinary tourist venture into a tropical jungle, tolerating leeches and pesky insects? One paramount hope is to see wild animals and exotic plants in their natural surroundings. The Danum Valley Field Centre has 120 mammals on record, including 10 primates and the threatened Sumatran Rhino and Bornean Pygmy Elephant.
While we were there, two Japanese visitors returned from the Nature Trail one day, all excited because they saw not one, not two, but three Bornean endemic animals within one morning: an Orangutan swinging in the trees, a Red Leaf Monkey and a Bornean Gibbon!
Were we going to be that lucky? We kept our eyes and ears open and sure enough, on the third night of our stay, a Bearded Pig ambled into sight behind the Field Centre’s kitchen. With its large flared snout, it snorted up food scraps thrown at it while keeping a wary beady eye on its human admirers all the time. There was quite a crowd of observers that night as there was a big group of trainee teachers from Maktab Pendidikan Keningau and some tourists from Japan, Germany and Sweden.
If you take a stroll at night, you are almost sure to come across a few Sambar deers chomping down grass in the football field or along the road. Try and remain as inconspicuous as possible and you may be able to get some good pictures.
Another creature, which caused a lot of excitement, was the Crested Fireback Pheasant. These beautiful ground birds, as big as domestic turkeys, are normally rather difficult to see but with tip-offs from the centre’s staff, we traced their regular paths and the time they’d emerge from the forest to forage for food. We saw them on three different occasions, with the best sighting occurring on the last day, when two males and three females came out to reward us for our patient stake-out.
Then there were the squirrels, big black ones and cute tiny Pygmy Squirrels with white tufted ears. Hence, it is understandable why guests prefer to sit on the veranda facing the trees during breakfast and lunch. You’d never know what will turn up.
As for snakes, Danum Valley has recorded 72 species of reptiles. We had close encounters with two highly venomous snakes. A Dog-toothed Cat Snake was seen slumbering beside a house swift’s nest on a ceiling ledge of the Education Centre’s porch. It had apparently just feasted either on the chicks or the eggs in the nest and was sleeping after its hearty meal!
Then we came upon a road kill, a Banded Malayan Coral snake. We could still see the beautiful black and white banded belly and its diagnostic red tail. My thoughts at that moment were that it would make a very pretty necklace or bracelet!
Other rainforest denizens we came across were tree frogs, owls, giant centipedes, scorpions and many strange patterned beetles, moths and butterflies. Even as we observed a large monitor lizard swimming in the Pallum River, we were distracted by a graceful Wood Nymph butterfly and a rufous Raffle’s Malkoha rustling on the branches overhead.
It gladdens my heart to know that Danum Valley is protected for future generations to still enjoy all of its biodiversity in years to come.
Attractions And Activities
The Danum Valley Field Centre, 81km west of Lahad Datu, was established by the Sabah Foundation in 1986, for conservation, scientific research and education purposes.
There are comfortable accommodations and full board at the centre, which were recently opened to tourists to help finance and maintain the place.
The three meals a day offered there were quite delicious considering how far we were from the nearest town. The dining area and its surrounding balconies and verandas form a meeting place for all visitors. It is also a place to read newspaper cuttings and records of previous sightings.
With our often ravenous appetites regularly satisfied, we were free to spend all our time experiencing the rainforests around us.
What can a regular tourist do at Danum Valley? There are many choices, among them bird watching, guided jungle trekking, nature appreciation, tree platform climbing, night safari, on foot or in 4WDs, jungle survival courses, adventure training and a two-hour trek to the Tembaling Waterfall for a swim.
The more energetic may try to scale Mt. Danum (1,093m) and view the spectacular seven-tiered Purut Waterfalls along the way. There is also a Coffin Trail for those inclined towards that sort of history.
If you do not want to get your shoes all muddy, take a tour of the Environmental Education Gallery, which gives a comprehensive exhibition of the centre’s background and wildlife around it. It was set up by the Shell Company at a cost of RM461,000 in 2002.
At the reception building further down the road is the park office and small convenience store selling some essentials like batteries, snacks, T-shirts and post cards. For a fee, guests can also visit the Infapro nursery, a forest rehabilitation project and the centre’s sister resort, the more up-market Rainforest Lodge where there is a canopy walk, besides other attractions.
Research And Conservation
Danum Valley Field Centre is a world-class research centre. It is fully equipped to cater to international standards of research and that is why scientists from all over the world flock here to conduct research on rainforests and related fields.
When we were here in March, there were UK scientists doing research on the effects of logging on the avifauna and meteorological changes in the Danum Valley.
There was a local researcher studying invertebrates in the forest canopy and a team from Raleigh International who helped, among other tasks, to dig up some elephant bones for DNA investigations. All these researchers were serviced and supported by the centre’s science laboratory and an adequate library.
They also have at their disposal the conference facilities, 4WDs and well trained research assistants familiar with the jungle trails and tree climbing techniques. In fact, the centre’s excellent facilities have attracted local and overseas scientists to generate, to date, more than 300 scientific studies and documentaries.
From 1992, extensive forest restoration works and enrichment planting of degraded forests with indigenous species have been undertaken in logged areas of the forests in Danum Valley.
In 1996, the surrounding jungles were gazetted as a Protection (Class One) Forest Reserve. Logging and other commercial exploitative activities were banned. Danum Valley Field Centre manager, Jimmy Omar, proudly proclaimed that all logging officially stopped on August 31, 2007. Environmental awareness camps and programmes are also regularly organised in the centre for school children.
With such encouraging and impressive statistics, the centre should be lauded for all its efforts. Now, wouldn’t you want to lend it your support? One way to do that is to go visit the place!
Contacts And Rates
Danum Valley Field Centre Tel: 089-841 101
Rooms: Hostel – RM20 per person, Rest House – RM70 per room, VIP chalet – RM138 per unit.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner – RM31 per person per day
Borneo Rainforest Lodge Tel: 088-267 637
Rooms: RM790 per room. Cheaper group rates are available.
Danum Valley entry permit: RM15
Van Transfers: RM20 one way. Camera fees: RM5
How To Get There
The fastest way is to fly AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau, take a taxi or bus to Lahad Datu, 120km away and hop on to the Danum Valley Field Centre van, which leaves daily at 3.30pm.
Alternatively, you can fly to Kota Kinabalu and take MASWings to Lahad Datu.
Pictures by Chan Ah Lak and Sharon Ng