Sabah, Borneo, March 2020

Sabah, Borneo, March 2020. Unfortunately, a trip report isn’t necessary on this occasion – a brief write-up will suffice. Me, Mark Bibby, Phil Telfer and Karen Baker arrived in Borneo on Sunday 15th March and returned to the UK on Monday 23rd after having to cut our trip short due to coronavirus.
Our original itinerary was: 2 nights Sepilok; 2 nights Kinabatangan river; 4 nights Tabin (although Mark was going to do Tawau Hills instead); 3 nights Kinabalu mountain. Depart Borneo for 4 nights Peninsular Malaysia including Frasers Hill. Return to UK 31st March.
However, all we got was 2 nights at Sepilok (My Nature Lodge) before the lockdown began when all the national parks, nature reserves, shops, hotels, lodges closed, and we all went into lockdown. Fortunately, we had time to rearrange our flights to depart a week earlier than intended and book into Kinabalu Mountain Lodge (KML) earlier than planned. For those who have stayed at KML you will know that it is isolated and surrounded by good quality forest being on a slope adjacent to Kinabalu National Park. Although in lockdown we were able to do short walks in the immediate vicinity of the lodge.

Mammals seen at Sepilok (My Nature Lodge/Rainforest Discovery Centre/Labuk Bay): Three species of unidentified (flying) bats although one was almost certainly Least Pipistrelle, Prevost’s, Plantain, Sunda Giant and Red Giant Flying Squirrels, Silvered Langur, Proboscis Monkey.

Mammals seen at Kinabalu Mountain Lodge: Two species of unidentified (flying) bats, Mountain Treeshrew, Long-tailed Macaque the following squirrel species: Brooke’s, Jentink’s, Bornean Black-banded, Whitehead’s Pygmy, Sunda Giant, Bornean Mountain Ground and Spotted Giant Flying plus Brown Rat, Asian House Mouse and a dead Bornean Shrew.

John Wright
Email: johnpwright1500@gmail.com