How to explore wildlife in malaysia

diego_cue, Mangrove area - Bako National Park - Sarawak - Borneo - Malaysia - panoramio, CC BY-SA 3.0

The tropical climate and the vast areas of virgin forests with lush green treetops make Malaysia one of the world's leading wildlife exploring destinations. The country's rainforests are unbelievably diverse and boast of a myriad of animals, birds, plants, marine, reptile and insect species, many of which, unfortunately, are classified as being threatened or endangered. Here are some ways you can explore the exquisite wildlife in Malaysia.

Visit National Parks

For those who aren't fans of hiking through forests, visiting national parks is an excellent way of exploring wildlife in Malaysia. There are several national parks that are peppered across Malaysia. The astoundingly high mountain peaks and the almost impenetrable forests in the Taman Negara National Park offers an extraordinarily diverse haven of animal and plant life amid mainland Malaysia. This age-old forest is considered to contain rare plant species like rafflesia and is conveniently located within easy reach from Kuala Lumpur. Located in Southern Sarawak close to the Indonesian Border is the Batang Ai National Park, which is draped around beautiful rivers and a gigantic human-made lake. Accessible only via boat, the park remains relatively isolated, thus keeping its dense rainforest as an undisturbed sanctuary to the most threatened animals of the region including the clouded leopard, bearded pig, gibbon, and many more. Yet another national park one mustn't keep from visiting in Malaysia is the Kinabalu National Park, which is sprawled beneath Mount Kinabalu, hence the name. Being the first-ever UNESCO World Heritage Site in Malaysia is one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world. The best time to visit this national park is from March to October when the rain is at its lowest. In close proximity to the border with Brunei in Northern Sarawak is the Gunung Mulu National Park, which has an extensive collection of limestone caves. It also boasts of the world's most extensive cave passage plus the largest known natural chambers in the world.

Explore riversides

Winding through the immaculate rainforests in Northern Sabah in Malaysia is the Kinabatangan River, the country's second-largest waterway. It finds its way through the thickest of wilderness areas, where the mangrove swamps, wetlands, and the jungle work together to create the perfect wildlife habitat. Hopping on a boat is the ideal way to see the fascinating wildlife that draws their lifeblood from this habitat. The wildlife enthusiasts can cruise the river keeping their eyes peeled for the sightings of an orangutan, a party of hornbills, or a Borneo pygmy elephant. For cruising this river, you can opt for a time between April to October which is considered to be the best period to visit this enthralling site of biodiversity.

Go island hopping at Langkawi Archipelago

The islands that belong to the Langkawi create a paradise that is known as the 'Jewel of Kedah.' Surrounded by the crystal blue waters of the Andaman Sea, this archipelago consists of 99 islands out of which only four are inhabited. Most tourists head out to the main island, Pulau Langkawi, where they can find jungle-draped mountains that give way to emerald beachscapes that hide reefs of coral teeming with vibrant marine life. The snorkelling and diving opportunities here would allow you to marvel at over 250 species of fish that thrive around the colourful coral reefs. October to April brings the ideal sea conditions for snorkellers. If you visit the Pulau Singa Besar, also known as the Eagle Feeding Island, you'd be able to see eagles circling in and around the island. Although you can't visit this island since it's inhabited and is crawling with animals known and unknown to man, you can simply throw some food at the eagles and watch these majestic creatures swoop down to grab them.

Visit animal rehabilitation centres

A place that targets in protecting, rehabilitating, and returning orangutans back to their natural habitat, the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is where you can see young Orangutans thrive while they are being taught the necessary skills of how to survive in the wild. The orangutans are brought here due to many reasons, including poaching and deforestation. Located in Northern Sabah to the west of Sandakan, it is an ideal location to be up close and personal with these charmingly lazy animals of the wild. Feel like walking alongside the largest known birds in the world. Lying close to properties such as Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas is an Ostrich Farm, which is one of the famous Desaru attractions as well. Here, you can even purchase some greens at the entrance and enjoy feeding them to these magnificent birds, after which you can enjoy a delectable meal that is prepared with ostrich eggs.