Sabah officials celebrated Kinabatangan's designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, marking the state's second such recognition after the Crocker Range in 2014. The 413,866-hectare reserve extends 560 kilometers along the Kinabatangan River and provides habitat for 315 bird species, 127 mammals and more than 1,000 plant varieties. The area shelters endangered animals such as orangutans, Bornean elephants, proboscis monkeys and sun bears while protecting the critically threatened Sungai dialect.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the status will draw international interest for research, education and nature tourism partnerships. The Sabah Biodiversity Centre coordinated the two-year nomination with government departments, nonprofits and residents. UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme council approved the designation during its September 27 meeting in Hangzhou, China, bringing Malaysia's total to four reserves among 759 worldwide across 136 nations.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the status will draw international interest for research, education and nature tourism partnerships. The Sabah Biodiversity Centre coordinated the two-year nomination with government departments, nonprofits and residents. UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme council approved the designation during its September 27 meeting in Hangzhou, China, bringing Malaysia's total to four reserves among 759 worldwide across 136 nations.
