Expert: Forest reserve houses iconic wildlife and we intend to help out

A male orangutan in Bukit Piton FR, a formerly degraded forest reserve currently restored by WWF-Malaysia and other contributors. WWF-Malaysia hopes to replicate Bukit Piton’s success story in Trusan Sugut.WWF-Malaysia/Brian Richard

KOTA KINABALU: Environmen-talists are coming together to restore a mini forest reserve teeming with wildlife in Sabah’s interior.

The Trusan Sugut Forest Reserve (Trusan Sugut FR) in the state’s north-eastern part, which is home to 365 butterfly species, 57 types of amphibians, 103 reptile species, 335 bird varieties and 168 kinds of mammals, was recently elevated from a Class II to Class I (totally protected area) forest reserve.