KOTA KINABALU: Birdwatchers can now use the newly launched bird-watching guide map introduced by Tourism Malaysia Sabah in collaboration with the Sandakan Borneo Bird Club to see the birds of Sabah.
The map was launched in conjunction with the upcoming Borneo Bird Festival 2022, due to take place at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Sepilok, Sandakan, in October, Tourism Malaysia said in a statement.
“Sabah is undoubtedly one of the top birding destinations in Malaysia and, over the years, the tourism board and local community have developed an excellent infrastructure that caters to nature lovers, birders and bird photographers.
“The highlight for many birdwatchers is the 66 endemic species found only on Borneo, such as the Bornean Bristlehead, Blue-Headed Pitta, Bornean Ground-Cuckoo, Whitehead’s Trogon, Whitehead’s Spiderhunter and Crimson-Headed Wood-Partridge.
“This fun bird-watching guide highlights all the popular birding locations around Sabah, including the world heritage site of Kinabalu Park, the Kinabatangan Floodplains, Danum Valley, Tabin and Sepilok forests.
“It also provides information about each of the sites, the birds that can be seen there, trails, accommodation and how to get there,” Tourism Malaysia Sabah director Ednie Rahma Ab Rahim said during the map’s launch at RDC on Sunday.
She believed the development of the fun map was timely as it would be helpful for bird enthusiasts taking part in the festival to refer to it.
Ednie also said that while the birding segment was a niche market, it could yield high tourism revenues, further boosting the state’s economy.
“With this new, vibrant bird-watching guide, birders and nature lovers can easily plan which areas they would like to visit in Sabah,” she added.
The public can scan the QR code available on the Facebook pages of Tourism Malaysia Sabah and Borneo Bird Club to get a copy of the map.
