Photo Credit: HUTAN-KINABATANGAN
KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Haji Hajiji Haji Noor has welcomed Kinabatangan’s recognition as a Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, describing it as a major milestone in Sabah’s commitment to environmental sustainability and global biodiversity conservation.
He said the designation is expected to draw international attention to Kinabatangan, particularly in the areas of research, education, nature-based tourism, and global collaboration opportunities.
“The Sabah Government will continue to strengthen biodiversity conservation, expand community awareness programmes and enhance strategic partnerships to ensure that the benefits of this recognition are realised sustainably,” Hajiji said in a statement today.
Haji Hajiji Haji Noor
The Chief Minister noted that the State Cabinet had endorsed the nomination of Kinabatangan as a Biosphere Reserve on March 30, 2022, while the nomination dossier was officially approved on Aug 7, 2024.
The two-year selection process (2022–2024) was spearheaded by the Sabah Biodiversity Centre, in collaboration with ministries, government agencies, non-governmental organisations, industry players, and local communities.
With this designation, Kinabatangan becomes the second Biosphere Reserve in Sabah after the Crocker Range (recognised by UNESCO on June 12, 2014), and the fourth in Malaysia.
Photo Credit: HUTAN-KINABATANGAN
Globally, there are now 759 Biosphere Reserves across 136 countries. The recognition of Kinabatangan was declared at the 37th Session of the International Coordinating Council of the MAB Programme (ICC) on Sept 27 in Hangzhou, China.
The designation was awarded following an assessment of Kinabatangan’s unique ecology, rich biodiversity, and sustainable management practices involving a wide range of stakeholders. UNESCO’s MAB Advisory Committee, which conducted the preliminary review, also praised the high-quality nomination dossier, its clarity, and the extensive stakeholder engagement achieved through a 22-month consultation process.
Covering 413,866 hectares, the Kinabatangan Biosphere Reserve is a biodiversity hotspot and cultural treasure. Stretching 560 kilometres along the Kinabatangan River, it provides critical habitats for 315 bird species, 100 reptile species, 33 amphibians, 127 mammals and more than 1,000 vascular plant species.
It is also home to rare and endangered species such as the orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Bornean elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis), proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus), sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) and eight hornbill species native to Sabah.
Notably, the recognition also supports efforts to preserve the Sungai dialect, which UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger currently lists as Critically Endangered.
