KOTA KINABALU: Naturalists including film producers and award winning photographers are in Sabah’s Danum Valley, in Lahad Datu as they arrived earlier this month for the inaugural Festival of Wildlife .
Over 30 wildlife enthusiasts have been in Danum Valley since June 4.
Chris Breen, founder of Worldwide Wildlife, a company specialising in wildlife related tours, said the delegation was excited to see what Sabah, particularly Danum Valley, had to offer.
“We heard so much about this pristine virgin forest filled with flora and fauna and cannot wait to see and experience for ourselves what it has to offer.
“We have similar programmes globally and each time, we want to find iconic places that truly have prime wildlife.
“We cannot wait to see what all of us can get here, be it ideas for painting or sculptures, amazing photographs or just the experience of being in a virgin forest of Sabah,” he said at a cocktail reception here.
Breen are among dozens wildlife experts, including Nick Baker and Niger Marven, presenters of the Ten Deadliest Snakes TV documentary, wildlife photographers Nick Garbutt and Alex Hyde as well as award winning wildlife sculptor Nick Mackman and Sabahan wildlife artist Wong Yee Ting who will spent about a week in Danum Valley.
The trip is also in conjunction with Worldwide Wildlife’s 25th anniversary.
The group’s stay in Danum Valley will be assisted by Borneo Rainforest Lodge and Sabah Tourism Board.
The group comprising participants from all walks of life passionate about wildlife conservation will also take part in a fundraising event on the last day of the programme.
It will raise money to create wildlife corridors on the Kinabatangan area from auctions on items donated by members.
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