Clockwisefromfar
left:Sundaclouded
leopardandbanteng
areelusivecreatures;the
redgiantflyingsquirrelis
predominantlynocturnal
andabletoglidegreat
distances between trees.Planningtovisit?
OncetheCOVID-19crisisisbehindus,
thebesttimetovisitMalaysianBorneo
isbetweenMarchandOctober,when
theislandisatitsdriest.It isalsoan
idealtimetoseeorangutansinthewild.
Visitgov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.TOUROPERATORS
OAudleyTravelofferstailor-made,
expert-guidedtripstoBorneo.A
nine-nightholidaycostsfrom£2,940
perpersonandincludesallflights,
transfers,accommodationona B&B
basisinSepilokanda fullboardbasis
inDeramakotandontheKinabatangan
River.Visitaudleytravel.com/borneo
or call 01993 838450.ONaturetrekoffersguidedtoursto
Borneo.A 14-dayholidaycostsfrom
£3,995perpersonandincludesseven
nightsatDeramakot.Visitnaturetrek.
co.uk/tours/borneos-deramakot-
forest-reserve or call 01962 733051.OWildlifeWorldwideoffersgroup
tripstoBorneo.A 14-daytripcosts
from£3,495perperson.A typical
itineraryincludessixdaysat
Deramakot.Visitwildlifeworldwide.
com/group-tours/borneos-rare-
mammals or call 01962 302086.JOPRICEis deputyeditorofBBC
Wildlife. ShevisitedMalaysianBorneo
in October 2019 with Audley Travel.Asthevehiclebumpsalong,wealsosee
a black-and-yellowbroadbill,blue-
throatedbee-eaterandracket-tailed
drongo.A Borneancrestedfireback
(forestpheasant)hastilycrossesthe
roadinfrontofusanda crested
serpenteaglesoarsoverhead.
Alongtheway,wespotcamera-
traps,whichhelpSFDmonitor
wildlifeandcaptureevidenceof
poachinginthereserve.
Afterdark,powerfultorchesare
used by wildlifeguidestoscanthe
forestfortheeyes
ofitsnocturnal
residents:
“Bewareof
thebees,”says
Teranceashe
putsona pair
oftransparent
safetygoogles.
“Theyareattracted
to the light.” We’re
lookingoutforanysignofmovement,and
we’renotdisappointed.
A redgiantflyingsquirrelglidesthrough
theair,a familyofMalaysiancivetscreate
a commotionbytheroadside,andan
undeterredporcupinemunchesonfallen
fruits.Wealsoseea dark-earedtreefrog
guardingitspreciousbrood,a buffyfish
owl,anda cicadalands on my lap.Briefencounter
Onourfinaldrive,weheadedtoKampung
Balatatthesouthernedgeofthereserve,
locatedonthebanksofthefamous
KinabatanganRiver.Whatweencountered
onourwaytheresurprisedusall.Out
ofthevegetationsuddenlyboundeda
beautifulwildbovid:“Banteng!”
Withinseconds,theEndangered
herbivore,whichis threatenedbyhunting
andhabitatloss,rana fewyardsdownthe
track,turnedrightanddivedbackintothe
forest,itsdistinctwhiterumpdisappearing.
Back at base, we show Deramakot ForestReservetouractivityco-ordinatorPatrick
Pascuaproofofourencounter:“Ihaven’t
seena bantengsince 1997 inSukau!”
Throughouttherestoftheevening,
themagicwordtembadaucropsup
inconversationsasthegoodnewsof
ourfleetingglimpsespreadsamongst
surprisedstaffandotherguests– a rare
andsecretiveBorneanendemichasfound
refugeina placethatis being managed
with wildlife in mind.MostofSabah’siconic
speciescanbefound
here,includingthe
clouded leopard.
Deramakot aerial: Christian Loader/Alamy; banteng: Daniel Heuclin/naturepl.com; clouded leopard, flying squirrel and red leaf monkey: Chien C LeeMay 2020