KOTA KINABALU: Sabah now possesses two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves following Kinabatangan’s official recognition under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s Man and the Biosphere Programme.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor described this recognition as another significant milestone in the state’s ongoing environmental sustainability and biodiversity preservation efforts at the global level.
He stated that the Kinabatangan Biosphere Reserve’s globally recognised status should attract international attention to research, education, nature-based tourism, and global collaboration opportunities.
“The Sabah government will continue to strengthen biodiversity conservation efforts, expand community awareness, and enhance strategic partnerships to ensure the benefits of this recognition are widely and sustainably realised,“ he said in his statement.
Hajiji confirmed that the State Cabinet endorsed Kinabatangan’s nomination as a Biosphere Reserve on March 30, 2022, with the nomination dossier approved on August 7 last year.
He explained that the two-year selection process from 2022 to 2024 was led by Sabah Biodiversity Centre through strategic collaboration with various ministries, government departments, agencies, non-governmental organisations, industry stakeholders, and local communities.
“The prestigious recognition was declared during the 37th Session of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme, held on September 27 in Hangzhou, China,“ he added.
This designation makes Kinabatangan the second Biosphere Reserve in Sabah and the fourth in Malaysia after Tasik Chini in Pahang (2009), Crocker Range in Sabah (2014), and Penang Hill in Penang (2021).
The Kinabatangan Biosphere Reserve covers 413,866 hectares as a natural treasure trove rich in unique biodiversity and invaluable cultural heritage.
Stretching 560 kilometres along the Kinabatangan River, it provides vital habitat for 315 bird species, 100 reptile species, 33 amphibian species, 127 mammal species, and more than 1,000 vascular plant species.
This site hosts several endemic, rare, and endangered species including orangutans, Bornean elephants, proboscis monkeys, sun bears, clouded leopards, and eight hornbill species native to Sabah.
There are currently 759 Biosphere Reserves across 136 countries worldwide. – Bernama