Zooboy28 Goes to Borneo

Yes, we stayed at the Hyatt

I won't yet reveal where else I went in Sabah, but I will say that the book was perhaps a red herring - we didn't actually go to Tabin!

 

Day Three (Part One):

OK, if you are going to read this, you should first go and get a coffee, as its rather long...

After a stunning buffet breakfast at the hotel, with a heavy focus on small pastries, fresh fruits and waffles, we headed out to the taxi rank. Today our destination was the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, Sabah’s only 'proper' zoo. Run by the state government’s Wildlife Department, the facility opened in 2007, although any visitor would certainly suspect it was a good twenty years older than that. There are many photos of the zoo in the gallery, and reviews by Chlidonias here: http://www.zoochat.com/249/lok-kawi-review-12-sept-2009-a-105387/. So I’ll keep this review as brief as possible (knowing full well that it will end up rather long!). The Park is located around 20km/30 minutes from KK city, and the easiest way to get there is by taxi. Unfortunately, this is also the most expensive way and I feel we got quite majorly ripped off by our driver, although he did wait the whole time. The total cost ended up being 150MYR, which is almost AUD$50!

Out the front of the zoo is a roundabout with statues depicting a range of local wildlife: rhino, elephant, orangutan, proboscis monkey, hornbill and eagle, which was pretty cool. Elaborate adornments of roundabouts were actually quite a common sight in Sabah, including massive pineapples, kingfishers, marlin, ginger, baskets and eagles. There is then a short road up to the main entrance building, which looks very modern, with decent signage. Inside it is a little more rundown looking, although does feature a Sumatran Rhino skeleton. A small ticket booth is also in here, with tickets costing 20MYR and a photocopied map included.

Our first impressions of the Wildlife Park were not the best. A set of stairs led up to the Children’s Zoo, which was perched on a small hill. This odd little area included a small set of cages for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs, and a paddock for elephant rides. I have never ridden an elephant, but it is something I always wanted to do growing up. Prior to this visit, I had only had the opportunity once, at Singapore Zoo in 2011, but ultimately decided against it (they have since discontinued the practice). Today I had thought I would have a good look at how this zoo was running their rides, but it turns out they are no longer running. This definitely looks like a good thing, based on the very poor state of this area and my overall impressions of the zoo and its welfare standards.

Descending from the Children’s Zoo, you enter a circular area with exhibits around the outside and a restaurant in the centre. We didn’t enter this tall building, so I don’t know what it’s like, although the views are presumably quite interesting. There were three large enclosures here, the first a large paddock for the local Sambar Deer subspecies, with a couple of Nilgai and a Red Muntjac also present. The second was a paddock for five Bornean Pygmy Elephants, which were exciting to see. The exhibit was small, with pool, mud, grass and shaded area, but rather barren. Other enrichment seemed non-existent. The final exhibit here was a rather dusty sloped paddock, with a number of large trees and heaps of Chital.

Heading further into the zoo, we walked up to another paddock, this holding Javan Rusa, with one further on for Nilgai (empty). Opposite was a large aviary cage for Serval, which was very nice, although not very savannah-like. It would have suited a native cat better, or perhaps birds or monkeys. Further up were small pens for Southern Cassowary and Ostrich and then the Reptile House. This was fairly grim, a row of three open-topped pens for Saltwater Crocodile; Water Monitors; and Malayan Box Turtles and Red-eared Sliders, opposite a building with barren boxes for King Cobra, Mangrove Snake and Reticulated Python. The snake and turtle exhibits were quite large, but the former were essentially just empty boxes, and overall the complex is very poor.

The path continued down to a massive and impressive-looking walk-through aviary, set across a small gully. Unfortunately I can’t say if it was impressive or not, as it was closed. I could see a few large species within it (Great Argus, Green Peafowl and Wreathed Hornbill), but it would be good to have been able to go in. I could see no reason why it was closed, but this appears to be a long-term closure. Attached to the front of this aviary was a large, open and barren aviary, with a couple of sticks for perches. This held Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea Eagle, just one of each. More perches (a dead tree or two) would be a useful addition here. Nearby was a rather nice, small aviary containing Nicobar Pigeon and Hill Mynas.

Next was a pair of walled exhibits for Bornean Sun Bears, viewed from above. These were better than expected, with rocks, dirt and grass, a pool, logs and tyres, and a number of large pipes – some stacked to offer elevated shelters. Although it all looked poorly maintained, at least it wasn’t barren. While not large, the three bears all had a bit of space, and it was comparable to many bear exhibits I have seen. Next door was a similar exhibit for Malayan Tigers, although this was rather more vegetated and also had ground-level viewing. This was quite good, with the main concern being the disturbingly low wall surrounding it.

Ahead was a moated enclosure for Bornean Orangutan, with elaborate climbing frames and rope swings, elevated platforms and plenty of grass. This was surprisingly conventional, and comparable to many orangutan exhibits found in many Western zoos. However, the inhabitants must be frustrated by the surrounding rainforest that is just out of reach. A small, dark building with four glass-fronted exhibits was next – these held a solitary (and apparently terrified) Squirrel Monkey; a pair of Prevost’s Squirrels; Masked Palm Civet (unseen); and a Malayan Pangolin. These were very empty exhibits, typically decorated with just a couple of branches. One of the worst parts of the Park. Further on were a pair of large, tall, functional cages for groups of Proboscis Monkeys, which were very good. One also contained a pair of Thick-spined Porcupine, a Bornean endemic and my first new species of the day. A final cage in this row was rather smaller and shadier, but still un-vegetated. This held Binturong and a trio of Malayan Porcupine, and was quite good for these species. Here we were stopped by a group of local girls who wanted a photo with my partner – and wanted me to take the photo! I obliged, in a gritted-teeth way, and remain unsure why I was not the chosen one.

Further along the path was a yard for Miniature Horse, followed by the furthest exhibit from the entrance, a larger paddock for Ankole Cattle. This was a large space, which was previously shared with Zebra, but these appear to have been lost from the collection, as have many of the zoo’s exotic species. Beyond this exhibit was the Lok Kawi Botanical Park, an area of forest with a trail cut through it, and a few planted gardens. Nothing spectacular, and rather rundown, but some nice plants and a few butterflies and lizards about, although very few birds. Under the canopy there was very little air movement, and the heat was stifling. It was a long walk up and down the hillside to get back to the zoo, and it wasn’t really worth it.

From the Ankole Cattle, a second path led back towards the Orangutans, forming a loop. The first exhibit here was a large, barren, muddy and overcrowded paddock for a herd of Banteng. This was fairly grim, and I think they need to reduce the numbers here, and expand the exhibit. The wild Cattle Egrets seemed to like it though, and I saw my first wild lifer of the day here - a Yellow-bellied Prinia. Opposite were a pair of nicely-vegetated yards for Red Muntjac and Emu, among the nicest exhibits here, and with the added bonus of a Red-whiskered Bulbul, another lifer. Nearby was a large beach umbrella, shading a couple of gentlemen, and well-stocked fridges and freezers, where we picked up soft drinks to help us recover from walking in the heat. The last exhibit on this path was particularly exciting, a moated island featuring two native species – Smooth-coated Otters and Bornean Gibbons. This was nice enough, and the big group of otters was cool to see, although the vegetation for gibbons was fairly low. I think this is also the first time I have seen mixed primates and carnivores.

The last part of the zoo was back past the elephants, and featured rows of cages either side of the path – mammals on the left and birds on the right. The largest exhibit was a large aviary, not particularly tall, for Rhinoceros and Wreathed Hornbill, and this was pretty good. This was followed by a row of aviaries for various parrots, mostly singles but a couple of pairs, mostly cockatoos and lorikeets (including one new species – Black Lory). These were small, barren and dark. The final aviary here was stand-alone, with a bit of vegetation, and a relatively good size for the unexpected inhabitants - Lesser Bird-of-Paradise.

The mammal row consisted of three cages, all fairly horrible, with furnishings limited to logs and branches. Two adjacent cages were for civets – Masked Palm, Common Palm and Malay Civets (I think). These were very average cages, but not much worse than many other zoos, and a much better view than the silhouettes at Singapore Night Safari. The final cage here was larger, but overall much less suitable. It did however, hold the single most awesome animal at Lok Kawi, a Bornean Clouded Leopard. This animal was sprawled along the back wall of the cage, and was much larger than I had expected, certainly it seemed bigger than the Clouded Leopards I have previously seen. It was also much greyer, and looked much more like a Snow Leopard than anything else. Regardless, it was a stunning creature, and certainly deserves a much better home than the crappy cage it had.

We left after about three hours, having seen everything once in the very hot weather. The gift shop was small, but had some nice, reasonably-priced stuff, and I picked up a copy of Phillipps’ Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo and a mug. Overall, Lok Kawi Wildlife Park was fairly bad. Some of the exhibits were great and some acceptable, but a large proportion were neither. It’s hard to believe it has been open less than ten years, and comparing my experience with others’ visits shows that very little is being improved. The collection is great, it just needs to be better housed. Just nine new taxa, including a few Bornean subspecies.

Photos below show: the adorable Thick-spined Porcupines, the path through the very green Botanical Garden, the impressive Bornean Banteng herd, the shabby Bornean Sun Bear exhibit, and the awesome Bornean Clouded Leopard.

 

Thanks for the review. I agree with most of it, although a few thoughts:

*I got the taxi for 90MYR, but still felt ripped off. I guess you did better per capita, though.

*Those roundabout animals were hideous!

*I didn't see a muntjac in the sambar (former rhino) enclosure. Possibly an example of the frequent rotation of small mammals?

*As you surmised, the walk-through aviary was closed on my visit several months before yours.

*I thought the eagle/kite aviary was very impressive. It could've done with more structure, but the eagles at least used the space. There were pairs of both the eagles and kites on my visit.

*As was discussed in the gallery, the small mammal line-up changed between our visits.

*I'm surprised you thought the bird-of-paradise aviary was a good size. I don't know much about their husbandry, but that's not the descriptor I would've used.

In general, I'd be more positive about Lok Kawi than you were. It's not up to the standards of most western zoos, certainly, but a great deal better than a lot of Asian ones. As you point out, the primary issue is the apparent inertia and general dilapidation for such a new collection.

I look forward to future entries.

 

Glad it was of interest Giant Panda, and thanks for your thoughts.

This was my first visit to an Asian zoo, apart from Singapore, and my first in a "developing country", so my thoughts reflect that and I'm sure if I had visited more such zoos then Lok Kawi would probably be reviewed somewhat better.

The Bird of Paradise aviary was not great, but did feature vegetation, and was relatively large compared to the preceding aviaries for parrots. Interesting that I did not see pairs of either the eagle or kite species, and it would be very difficult to miss such large birds in such an open aviary. While the size of this aviary was quite good, the birds could really only perch on the concrete ledges surrounding the lower portion of the aviary, and two branches resting on these. A few upright logs with branches would have been a great addition. I suspect they (at least the kite) catch a few small birds and mammals, which would be good enrichment.

I definitely stand by my liking of the roundabout statues!

 

Bornean clouded leopard, Bornean clouded leopard, Bornean clouded leopard! I am not jealous, I am not jealous, I am not jealous...

 

It was a very beautiful cat AD, you should definitely try and visit Borneo to see one. I think it is the one of the most attractive cat species I have seen, contrary to most of the images I have seen of clouded leopards. Incidentally, it was the 28th cat species I have seen (45th taxa if subspecies are included).

 

Ha, I just saw the steps and figured that might lead somewhere interesting. I think generally I go left at zoos, especially on first visits.

I can't believe they ever had an eagle in there, that's awful. Probably the only species at the zoo to have received a better exhibit then.

Are there any other Bornean Clouded Leopards in captivity? Lok Kawi has a male too doesn't it, but that one has to be kept off-display?

 

Good story & description. It's just that Bornean clouded leopard is different species from the clouded leopard, namely Sunda clouded leopard with the two subspecies (Bornean & Sumatran), surely you know.

 

Yes, I think it has changed, and did have a sloped side. I don't think it was anywhere near as big as when the eagle was in it. I don't have any photos of the whole aviary though, just the inhabitants. Perhaps it was damaged. The red and white tape in Giant Panda's photo may outline the original footprint?

 

Thanks Nikola. I know they are different species, but depictions I have seen of the two (mostly the mainland species) did not prepare me for the physical differences between the two species. The individuals I have previously seen in Singapore seemed much smaller, orange-er and sleeker than the more robust Bornean animal.

 

I agree. My photo doesn't give a good impression of size or shape, but yours shows the aviary as I remember it.

Any thoughts on the roundabout statues

 

Day Three (Part Two):

After returning from Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, we caught a taxi to the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre. The wetlands are located just behind the CBD, on the other side of Signal Hill, and are dominated by mangroves. Apparently they are an important refuge for many bird species, including several migrants. Given our limited time in KK, today would be our only chance to visit, despite the fact that it was 3pm and very hot. The Centre has an entry building where a small fee (Adult 15MYR, Student 10MYR) is paid and a small explanation on the wetlands provided. There are also extensive educational displays about the benefits of wetlands and the species present, which is excellent.

Outside the centre is a small garden area, with some small enclosures for box turtles – presumably rescued ones. Then a wooden bridge lead over a tidal river, and into the main mangrove reserve. This was viewed largely from elevated boardwalks, with occasional viewing shelters and seats. The mangroves were very thick in places, but as it was low tide the mud was visible and we saw plenty of crabs. Unfortunately we didn’t see much else on the boardwalks, probably due to the heat and time of day. At the main viewing area however, which overlooked a large area of open mudflats, surrounded by low vegetation and then mangroves, we saw a couple of species. These included a pair of Collared Kingfishers, and a small group of very active Purple Herons. There were also quite a few plovers, I think possibly Pacific Golden Plovers and Grey Plovers.

The boardwalk then lea through denser mangrove forest, and I saw a few birds here, but none I could photograph or identify. A lookout tower gave views over the wetlands, but again no birds. It was surprisingly quiet. After the tower, the boardwalk ran out, and you could either return to the entrance by backtracking or forging ahead over a muddy trail. We chose the latter, which followed the main river. There was a mangrove nursery along here, with trees to be planted to boost other wetlands. Finally we returned to the centre, where we saw several birds in the large trees – including Pied Fantail, Yellow-vented Bulbul and Tree Sparrow.

We had asked the taxi to return for us in an hour and a half, and he dutifully did. Rather than return to the hotel however, we got a ride to the top of Signal Hill, where there is a platform that looks out over the city and South China Sea. From here we walked down through the rainforest to the city, and spotted our first wild Bornean mammal – a Prevost’s Squirrel. We returned to the hotel and had a swim before trying a local Italian restaurant for dinner. While not the most successful day for spotting wildlife, I did pick up a few new species, and all were lifers.

Borneo Wildlife Species Lists:

Birds:
8 Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris
9 Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
10 Collared Kingfisher Todiramphis chloris
11 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
12 Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva
13 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
14 Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica
15 Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier

Mammals:
1 Prevost's Squirrel Callosciurus prevostii pluto

Photos below show: excellent educational signage at the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre; boardwalk through the mangroves; Plovers on the mud flats; Purple Herons in the reeds; and the mangrove nursery.

 

Day Four:

I should have kept a better record of my breakfasts in Kota Kinabalu, but I know I had fried eggs, tomatoes, curry puffs and spring rolls one day, so it might have been this day. The only negative about breakfast was that I was now suffering from bacon-withdrawal syndrome. After breakfast, we were picked up by a shuttle from Borneo Eco Tours, with our guide Adam, driver and an older German couple. We sped out of the city, and headed east, towards the tallest peak in South-East Asia – Mt Kinabalu. The drive was good, with good views of the lowlands and foothills, largely forested with occasional plantations and farms. Our first stop was the small market village of Nabulu, with good views of the surrounding ranges and the lower slopes of Kinabalu, although the top was clouded in. There were lots of food stalls here for locals and souvenir stands for tourists, so we picked up a few tasty bananas and a couple of t-shirts. Birdlife was limited to spotted doves and tree sparrows.

Our next stop was the Kinabalu Park Office, just inside the National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here we visited the Kinabalu Natural History Gallery, a small museum with displays on local people and wildlife. There were a few contenders for worst taxidermied specimen here, but some cool species, including Moon Rat. Outside, we were shown some seeds that exuded a flammable oil when squashed, and Adam started a few little fires.

We proceeded a little further into the Park, and stopped off at the Kinabalu Botanical Gardens. The vegetation here was submontane rainforest, cool and refreshing, and there were a few birds about. The first we saw were hopping around the entry building – a pair of Bornean Whistling Thrush. The path led through a small area of forest, with signs about local orchids, epiphytes and trees. A small stream ran near the path, and near the end was an extensive pitcher plant collection. We saw a few more birds through here, including Oriental Magpie Robin, Bornean Forktail and Indigo Flycatcher. After an hour and a half we left, and headed out of the Park. I was a little disappointed to spend so little time in this area, next time I will definitely stay overnight here and spend some more time exploring the area.

Our next stop was the small town of Poring, which is on the south-eastern edge of Kinabalu Park, and is most famous for its tourist-attracting hot springs. However, first we stopped at the Vivian Natural Rafflesia Garden, which is located within a local plantation. The story goes that the locals discovered the presence of Rafflesia in the plantation, and so set up a small tourist attraction around them. Rafflesia are the world’s largest flower (depending on your definition), and are vine parasites that are generally found on the forest floor. The only external part of the plant is the bud, which looks like a wooden cabbage, and eventually opens into a large bowl, typically with a strong smell of rotting flesh to attract its pollinators – flies. We paid 30MYR entrance, and also got to look around a garden displaying local crops. We saw many unopened buds, and eventually one open bud, of the species Rafflesia pricei. It was very impressive, brightly coloured huge - a diameter of 78cm.

We then visited the Poring Hot Springs, where we had lunch before setting out for a walk through the rainforest. This was our first up-close encounter with the Dipterocarp forest that dominates (at least historically) much of South-East Asia. There was also a canopy walkway here, which gave great views of the forest and of one bird – an Ochraceous Bulbul. We also saw a giant millipede, which was very cool, and much easier to photograph. A nearby waterfall was the final spot we visited, and the small pool at the base held a large number of small fish that nibbled our feet. On the walk back we saw a Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, and a pile of different invertebrates – stick insects, spiders and dragonflies around the hot springs.

The drive back to Kota Kinabalu was long and uneventful, but the drive through the city was excruciatingly slow. Traffic was diabolical, as it was in many Malaysian cities. This gave time to ID the few birds I had photographed. While we didn’t see much of Mt Kinabalu, including the summit, we did see quite a bit of Bornean rainforest, up close for the first time. Next time I will definitely spend more time in Kinabalu Park, and maybe even climb the mountain.

Borneo Wildlife Species Lists:

Birds:
16 Bornean Whistling Thrush Myophonus borneensis
17 Bornean Forktail Enicurus borneensis
18 Indigo Flycatcher Eumyias indigo
19 Ochraceous Bulbul Criniger ochraceus
20 Chestnt-breasted Malkoha Phaenicophaeus curvirostris

Photos below show: some of the market stalls at Nabulu; a stuffed Tufted Ground Squirrel at the Kinabalu Natural History Gallery; an Indigo Flycatcher; a 78cm Rafflesia pricei, and a view of the Dipterocarp rainforest at Poring.

 

Thanks - my partner took that photo, I wasn't quick enough to capture the very active bird.

I think Mt Kinabalu was the place I'm most keen to return to on Borneo. I didn't get to see many birds at all, nor any mammals. But the temperature was very bearable, and I think it would be one of the easier areas to explore by yourself. Have you been to that museum?