Borneo is the third largest island in the world after Greenland and New Guinea. It is a vast land of swamps, huge caves, jungles, big rivers, and towering mountains. Along the coast, Borneo is dominated by low-lying, swampy areas that are quite extensive and may extend inland for hundreds of kilometers from the ocean. Central Borneo is mostly low-lying hills and plains, however there are some mountains both there and in the north.

Large, wide, meandering rivers and oxbow lakes are common along the coast. Forests of mangroves and nipah palms dominate the coastal area. These are the only forests in Borneo where just a few species of trees dominate the landscape. Yet, these areas are still very diverse. Mangroves provide homes and nurseries for dozens of species of fish, crabs and birds. These areas and forests along adjacent rivers are also the home of a brightly-colored species of monkey that is unique to Borneo, the Proboscis Monkey. These monkeys are named for the males' large noses. To see photos and find more information on Proboscis monkeys try these web pages:

http://www.best5.net/animal/APAsrch3.cgi?dspNum=5&qt=proboscis+monkey

http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Tower/6773/ProboscisMonkey.html

http://www.jaring.my/stb/probo.htm

http://ftp.wcmc.org.uk/species/data/species_sheets/crocodil.htm

http://westbengal.com/wildlife/ecosystems2.html

http://4wd.sofcom.com/Places/Au/WA/MitchellPlateau.html

of Borneo consists mostly of low-lying hills and plains. However, Central and Northern Borneo do contain some high mountains. Most spectacular of these is Mount Kinabalu in the Malaysian state of Sabah. The mountain is 4,100 meters (13,455 feet) tall and thus is the highest point in all of Southeast Asia. The mountain lies at the center of a large National Park that protects the mountain's forests and wildlife. Climbing the mountain is a favorite past time for visitors to the park. Though the hike may involve torrential rains and certainly includes miles of steep trails, thousands reach the summit every year. Information on Mt Kinabalu can be found at

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/1015/gkb.htm and at

http://www.interknowledge.com/malaysia/kinabalu.html.
 
 
 
 

Kinabalu is home to many rare and unique plants and animals. Some of the most interesting of these are members of the plant genus Rafflesia, which produce the world's largest flowers. They are found in the park's low elevations near Poring Hot Springs. These parasitic plants feed on vines of the genus Tetrastigma and produce flowers only rarely. There are 14 species found throughout Southeast Asia, some are very rare and have not been seen since the 1940s. Rafflesia arnoldi produce the largest flowers which can be 1 meter or three feet across. Rafflesia flowers were not designed with floral arrangements or bouquets in mind, however. Rather they evolved to attract flies, such as bluebottle flies, that feed on carrion (dead flesh). Thus the flowers are bright red and white like freshly cut meat and they smell like rotting flesh. For pictures of Rafflesia go to http://www.albion.edu/fac/biol/skean/raffprpg.htm or http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/images/rafflesia_sp.jpg .

At higher elevations Kinabalu's cool mountain climate produces forests that are more similar to forests found in North America, East Asia or Europe. Oaks, chestnuts, laurels and rhododendrons are common. The mountain is also home to many rare species of birds that have evolved to live in the cool moist climate of the montane forest.

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