PETALING JAYA: The Kinabatangan area in Sabah has been officially recognised as Malaysia’s fourth biosphere reserve under Unesco’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, says the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry.
In a statement, the ministry said the recognition was announced during the 37th session of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme held on Friday (Sept 27) in Hangzhou, China.
“Malaysia takes pride in the achievement and recognition accorded to two of its biosphere reserves from Sabah under the Man and the Biosphere Programme by Unesco,” the ministry said on Sunday (Sept 28).
“Kinabatangan in Sabah is recognised as Malaysia’s latest biosphere reserve,” it added.
Kinabatangan joins three other Malaysian sites under the programme, namely Tasik Chini in Pahang (2009), Crocker Range in Sabah (2014) and Penang Hill in Penang (2021).
Covering 413,866 hectares along the 560km Kinabatangan River, the newly recognised site is home to exceptional biodiversity and cultural heritage.
It provides a vital habitat for 315 bird species, 100 reptile species, 33 amphibian species, 127 mammal species and over 1,000 vascular plant species.
“The reserve also supports several endemic and endangered species, including the orangutan, Bornean pygmy elephant, proboscis monkey, sun bear, clouded leopard and eight species of hornbill found in Sabah,” the ministry said.
The ministry added that the Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve successfully retained its Unesco biosphere status after completing its 10-year periodic review.
“The periodic review marks an important milestone for each biosphere reserve, conducted every decade to assess the effectiveness of management, zoning and community participation,” it said.
The ministry congratulated the Sabah state government, describing the achievement as reflecting the collective efforts of ministries, agencies, NGOs, industry players and local communities in conserving biodiversity and promoting sustainable development.
The ministry also encouraged other state governments to nominate potential sites for future recognition under international biodiversity frameworks such as Man and the Biosphere, Ramsar, Asean Heritage Parks and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership.
“This initiative aligns with Action 8.5, Target 8 of the National Policy on Biological Diversity 2022-2030, which seeks to enhance recognition of ecologically significant sites at the international level,” it added.
