The Menanggul river is a small tributary of the mighty Kinabatangan river which runs from the north bank of the Kinabatangan north to the Gomantong Caves in east Sabah.
The Menanggul river is famous with wildlife tourists for two reasons.
(1) It is the best place to the world to view the rare Flat Headed Cat which fishes along the river bank at night and
(2) At dusk it is a favoured roosting site for many species of primate including Long-Tailed Macaques, Silvered Langurs and Proboscis Monkeys.
In Borneo, primates like roosting along small rivers because they can escape attacks by Clouded Leopards by jumping into the river below and easily swim to the far side.
The banks of the Menanggul River are lined with some large Ficus virens figs. The young leaves of Ficus virens are eaten by humans as a vegetable and and also by many primates including Orangutans and Red Langurs. Consequently it appears that the Ficus virens growing along the bank are becoming defoliated by the large number of primates roosting along the banks at night.
In turn the concentration of primates attracts a concentration of wildlife tourists.
