The Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary which covers an area of 26,800 hectares, forms part of the Kinabatangan region which is the largest floodplain the Malaysia covering a total of 23% of the land area of Sabah or 16,800 sq.km. Gazetted in 2005 as a gift to the Earth, it has a diverse ecosystem from coastal mangrove swamp, to riparian, freshwater and dipterocarp and oxbow vegetation teaming with wildlife supporting ten species of primates including more than 1,000 orang utans, proboscis monkeys, more than 300 Borneo pygmy elephants, 50 species of mammals, 20 species of reptiles and over 1,026 species of plants.

River safari cruises will always bring about wonderful sights and scenes, sometimes even unexpected surprises. On your list of “must-see” will be the Borneo Big 5 of Kinabatangan, which includes the ever popular Orangutan, elusive Borneo Pygmy Elephant, majestic Rhinoceros Hornbill, unusual Proboscis Monkey, and mysterious Estuarine Crocodile.
There are also a myriad of avifauna that can be found in Kinabatangan, making it every birder’s paradise to sight rare species such as the Storm’s Stork, Oriental Darter and Bornean Ground Cuckoo also endemic birds of Borneo like the Bornean Falconet and Bornean Bristlehead.

Birdlife is especially rich here (over 325 species have been sighted in the area) including eight species of hornbills, kingfishers, darters, owls, kites, eagles, broadbills, doves, storm storks, herons, hawks, ospreys, falcon, pheasants, parakeets, bee eaters, woodpeckers, pittas, bulbuls, forktails, babblers, warblers, flycatchers, orioles, flowerpeckers, spiderhunters, among others.

Our lodge is also visited by various wildlife and birdlife from time to time. Resident orangutans Lucky and her baby Day would often drop by to delight guests with their presence as they swing from tree to tree while feasting on figs. Explore your natural surroundings further as take a walk at our Hornbill and Attenborough Boardwalks.

Staying in Sukau Rainforest Lodge also means that you will get to know a little more about Borneo’s culture, especially that of the people of Kinabatangan. Our lodge team are mostly locals from around here and will be more than happy to engage in a conversation about their heritage and way of life.