The rainforest’s spectacular show
He’s seated in the next boat with a group of photographers and waving his hands at us, he gives his final instruction before his boat speeds off: “Follow me!”
The 4th Royal Belum Hornbill Expedition organised by ECOMY — a non-governmental organisation that’s focused on sustainable ecotourism as a means to ensure that conservation values are upheld at all key natural heritage sites in Malaysia — has begun for real.
“Are there any poochis? (insects)” asked Jaclyn Victor nervously a few days earlier. The award-winning singer and winner of the inaugural Malaysian Idol was joining us under the auspices of the Belum Forest Friends (BFF), an initiative by Belum Conservation Malaysia as part of its overall drive to get Malaysians actively involved in rainforest conservation and the environment.
Victor, along with Vince Chong, singer/ songwriter and the nation’s first reality TV star from the first season of talent show Akademi Fantasia, will be coming onboard, joining birdwatchers from Thailand, India, Sri Lanka and Singapore to experience the amazing natural wonders encapsulated within one of the last remaining contiguous virgin rainforest in the country.
We gleefully assure her that there would be poochis galore but she’d get used to their presence because that’s what the forest would eventually do to you. It intimidates you at first before entrancing you with its magic.
It’s little wonder, however, that she’s nervous. Anyone would be. After all, this piece of wonderland is so far removed from the urban life that not many Malaysians know of the amazing biodiversity that exists within its mantle of primeval jungle covering Perak’s northernmost tip.
Bordering Thailand to its north and the Malaysian state of Kelantan to the east, BelumTemengor rainforest was partly flooded after Temenggor Dam was completed in 1972. The dam is the third largest in the country and is fully operational to date.
The forest is divided into two sections: the Royal Belum State Park or Upper Belum, which stretches to the ThaiMalaysian border covering 1,175 square kilometres of impenetrable jungle, and the Lower Belum (Temengor forest reserve). The Royal Belum State Park was gazetted as a protected area in 2007.
Dam-created Lake Temengor spiders its way through the rainforest and into the state park. The park’s glassy lakes and densely forested islands is home to the world’s endangered mammals, including wild Asiatic elephants, sun bears, cloud leopards, tapirs, tigers and panthers, as well as supports the livelihood of indigenous communities living on the periphery of the jungle, each with their own distinct language and culture.
Yet for all its breathtaking beauty and serenity, it remains an area that’s seen remarkably little in the way of tourism. Often overlooked in favour of other easilyaccessed lush landscapes dotting the country, its remote location doesn’t help either — a five-hour drive north of the capital of Kuala Lumpur, no airports and the only way to get around the forest is via boats. Permits and guides are also essential in the protected area of Royal Belum State Park.
What’s more, it isn’t on the way to or from any of Malaysia’s popular tourist destinations, fabulous beaches or hip heritage towns, so you’d really have to want to visit Belum specifically. In all honesty, not many do.
Mammal sightings are rare, says Sebastian, even with a guide at dawn or dusk when animals are most active. But it’s a thrill a minute for birdwatchers, with Malaysia’s hornbill species cawing from the ancient trees. But for those of us seated on the boats, however, hornbill sightings seem scarce as the evening progresses on.
The chugging of the boat lulls me into a near stupor but before I can nod off to sleep, there’s a cry: “Plain-pouched hornbills ahead!” The boat rocks as we move around, grabbing our cameras to capture the sight of flocks of migrating plain-pouched hornbills in classic V-formation that suddenly fill the skies.
Flocks of these hornbills covering