Jim Chapman and Camilla Thurlow join us in Sabah

The Kinabatangan river, Sabah, Borneo.

Borneo covers just 1% of the Earth's land mass but is home to an estimated 15,000 different flowering plants and more than 210 mammal species. An overwhelmingly large proportion of these species can be found in the Malaysian State of Sabah in Northern Borneo- a hotspot for tropical biodiversity. 

Here we share pictures from our recent trip to Sabah showing some of its amazing wildlife, the ongoing threats it faces and our work on the ground that is combatting these issues.  

Photograph © Mazidi Abd Ghani

Trip to Borneo

For our recent trip to Borneo, we were joined by @jimchapman: 

"Since the 1970s, we’ve done so much damage to the world. We’ve reduced the population of species by about 60%. After spending the most amazing experience in the Bornean rainforest, I learnt so much about the future of this habitat and feel super positive about what needs to happen.  

I learnt that there are steps that can be taken to protect Borneo’s precious jungles which can be replicated in other places around the world. We need to save nature for our existence. If nature goes, we go with it.” 

Photograph © Mazidi Abd Ghani

Borneo is home to more than 210 mammal species and amazingly, over 600 species of bird.

There are also 13 species of primate, including orangutans, proboscis monkeys and macaques. 

The biodiversity of Borneo is unlike anywhere else in the world. Between 1995 and 2010 there were 600 different species discovered in Borneo – that’s roughly 3 species a month! 

Photograph © Mazidi Abd Ghani

30% of Borneo's forest have been lost over the last four decades.

Deforestation, for oil palm and timber, are primarily to blame. But logging, mining, infrastructure development, hunting and forest fires also pose threats to Bornean forests.  

But we don’t need to cut down anymore of Borneo’s forest. There is enough degraded land on the planet to provide more than enough space for farming crops or timber.  

Photograph © Mazidi Abd Ghani

We’re working closely with growers on the ground to promote sustainable palm oil production that benefits both people and wildlife.

@CamilliaThurlow joined us on a visit to a sustainable plantation that is taking positive steps to co-exist with wildlife and mitigate further damage to our precious jungles.  

“There is no doubt that unsustainable palm oil has had devastating effects on the environment, but boycotting it is not the answer. When I was away, I learnt that it can be produced more sustainably for the good of both people and nature.  

It was only on this trip that I realised how misinformed I had been about the best way to approach the palm oil problem, and equally how certain I had been that I had the right information.

So, lets simplify things a bit – here are three things you can do 

• Use the Giki app to check if products contain sustainable palm oil 
• If you see a brand that is using unsustainable palm oil, contact them and demand sustainable palm oil.  
• Educate yourself and others and see how the actions you take at home can help stop unsustainable palm oil.” 

 

Photograph © James Stockdale/WWF