Sarawak to open historical trail of renowned naturalist Odoardo Beccari on July 24

During Beccari's two-year stay in Borneo, he collected and documented over 4,000 specimens, chiefly plants but also insects, birds and animals, including orang utan both in Matang and also many other parts of Sarawak including the Batang Lupar, Tubau and Belaga areas.

A historical trail featuring the findings of a renowned Italian naturalist Odoardo Beccari will be opened on Friday at Kampung Matang, about 17km from the Kuching city centre here.

The Beccari Discovery Trail is a collaborative effort of the Friends of Sarawak Museum (FoSM), a voluntary group aiming to promote the role of museums in Sarawak’s heritage, and Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to mark the centenary anniversary of Beccari’s death.

"The Beccari Discovery Trail features 12 interpretation boards giving information on some of the animals and plants along the trail, the abandoned tea plantation which Beccari helped Rajah Charles Brooke (Sarawak’s second white Rajah) to establish and Beccari’s field hut called ‘Vallombrosa’, ” said FoSM in a statement.

Beccari arrived in Sarawak on June 19,1865 as a 22-year-old with a passion for scientific discovery.

During his two-year stay in Borneo, he collected and documented over 4,000 specimens, chiefly plants but also insects, birds and animals, including orang utan both in Matang and also many other parts of Sarawak including the Batang Lupar, Tubau and Belaga areas.

Beccari, born on Nov 16,1843 and died on Oct 25,1920, was acclaimed as a leading scientist in his days, due to his contribution to scientific knowledge gained from the collections he made in Sarawak. - Bernama