A giant Ficus kerkhovenii, strangling fig towering over the surrounding logged forest at the Segaliud Lokan Forest Management Unit (FMU) in Central Sabah. These giant fig trees provide the food to support abundant wildlife including pigs and deer which in turn provide food for Borneo’s five species of rare wild cats.
This FMU is one of 27 Forest Management units in Sabah intended for the long term sustainable production of timber.
Three adjoining FMUs jointly known as Beluran Safari (see map below) totaling 1625 km2 are very rich in wildlife and recently have become a popular destination for wildlife watching tourists hoping to view four of the worlds rarest felids, Clouded Leopard, Marbled Cat, Flat-headed Cat and Bay Cat on night drives along the dirt logging roads.
FMUs are regulated by the Sabah Forest Department with strict rules which prohibit animal poaching and the destruction of fig trees and encourage forest restoration with wildlife friendly trees and wildlife tourism. As a result of these policies wildlife in FMUs is becoming habituated and easier to see and FMUs are attracting increasing numbers of wildlife tourists.
In addition at Beluran Safari there are several ongoing projects for the enrichment planting of local fig tree species to sustain the local wildlife between forest fruiting seasons., as fig trees tend to fruit out of synchrony with other forest trees.
The giant Ficus kerkhovenii fig tree shown in the photos below was present in the original forest prior to logging and was spared when the forest was logged for timber.
All photos and information thanks to Shavez Cheema, Chun Xing WONG and Yulinda Wahyuni of 1 Stop Borneo Wildlife
