SANDAKAN: A relatively unknown conservation area in Kinabatangan has emerged as a focal point for bird lovers and wildlife advocates following its showcase at the Borneo Bird Festival held at the Rainforest Discovery Centre, here, recently.
The two-day event which ended on Sunday, was held at the Sungai Pin Conservation Area (SPnCA), spanning 2,632 hectares of riverside and peatland forests. It is a sanctuary for 28 protected bird species, including some of Borneo’s rarest hornbills and storks.
The reserve protects endangered species such as the white-crowned hornbill, wrinkled hornbill and Storm’s stork, along with vulnerable birds like the rhinoceros hornbill and oriental pied hornbill.
Stretching along 30km of the Kinabatangan River, the SPnCA is an important wildlife corridor connecting the Pin Supu Forest Reserve with the Kinabatangan Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.
SKG Green Sdn Bhd, which manages the area, exhibited at the festival to raise awareness of its conservation work, which aims to reconcile oil palm cultivation with habitat protection.
“The Sungai Pin Conservation Area represents hope for the survival of many rare species. It shows how conservation and sustainable agriculture can coexist when managed responsibly,” said SKG Green Chief Executive Officer Philipa Wilfred Mojilis.
The reserve also provides refuge for 17 protected mammals, including Bornean orangutans, proboscis monkeys and Sunda pangolins, plus over 500 plant species, many unique to Borneo.
The company is promoting SPnCA as both a wildlife haven and an eco-tourism destination in Sabah.
