Birding2asia.com_Mammals of
          Borneo

Mammals of Borneo; sightings from Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia.

This gallery shows mammal observations with photos all made on B2A birding trips. The rainforests on Borneo support some of the highest diversity on earth. Without being a mammal specialist or having spent dedicated time for obtaining wildlife photos it has still proved possible to create a decent photo gallery of 47 species solely through the use of opportunity shots made on birding and family trips. Hope this collection of mammal observations may be a nice reference for anyone enjoying nature on Borneo. It may well compliment Phillipps’ field guide to the Mammals of Borneo and their ecology. This beautiful book goes far beyond identification only and is loaded with all kinds of interesting information useful for every naturalist out in the field.

Note all photos in this gallery were obtained observing full respect for the animals and nature. All mammals in this gallery are wild, undisturbed and untouched in their natural habitats. This may result in a poor record of bat and mice species as it is often not possible to observe/photo those without trapping. On the other hand this collection contains some great rarities seldom photographed. It has been a privilege to encounter the critically endangered Sabah Grey Langur. It was also equally great to find well protected Hose's Grey Langurs in Brunei, a species now completely extirpated from Sabah and Sarawak. Those 2 Langurs + Whiskered Flying Squirrel and Smooth-tailed Treeshrew were all posted for the first time by my daughter on iNaturalist as new species for the project!

Malayan Weasel at Poring Hot SpringsBornean Gibbon at Tawau Hills Park
Malayan Weasel, an elusive beauty from the rainforest.
Poring Hot Springs, Sabah, August 2017
North Borneo Gibbon occur only in well protected nature reserves.
Tawau Hills National Park, June 2018


Maroon Leaf MonkeyKinabalu Squirrel
Maroon Langur (Red Leaf Monkey) remain locally common
Gomantong Caves trail, June 2018
Kinabalu Squirrel, a scarce montane endemic.
Mount Kinabalu National Park, September 2019


Bornean Pygmy Elephant, KinabatanganBornean Pygmy Squirrel at Mulu NP, Sarawak
Bornean Pygmy Elephants, part of a 30+ strong herd.
Kinabatangan River, August 2013
Bornean Pygmy Squirrel, cute and tiny at the size of your thumb.
Mulu National Park, Sarwak, Dec 2018


Hose's Grey Langur femaleHose's Grey Langur male
Hose's Grey Langur, female, ready for the night in a tall tree.
Ulu Temburong NP, Brunei, April 2019
Hose's Grey Langur, male, note sexual dimorphism
Ulu Temburong NP, Brunei, April 2019


Banded Civet at KinabatanganIsland Palm Civet in Sabah
Banded Civet, scarce one and a lucky encounter on a night walk.
Kinabatangan River, June 2018
Island (Philippine) Palm Civet, common at the forest edge incl. gardens
  Bilit, Kinabatangan, October 2016


Bornean Mountain Ground SquirrelBornean Black-banded Squirrel on Mount Kinabalu
Bornean Mountain Ground Squirrel, a locally abundant endemic
  Mount Kinabalu, August 2013
Bornean Black-banded Squirrel, common at Kinabalu Park HQ
Mount Kinabalu, September 2019


Leopard Cat at Tabin Wildlife SanctuaryOrangutan on the Kinabatangan
Leopard Cat showing well on a night drive looking for wildlife.
  Tabin Wildlife Sanctuary, July 2019
Orangutan, old male from a genuinely wild population
Kinabatangan River, June 2018


Lesser False Vampire BatLesser Gymnure or Hylomys
Lesser False Vampire Bat, daytime roost in artificial build cave
Poring Hot Springs, November 2019
Lesser Gymnure (Hylomys), an inhabitant of mossy cloud forest
Mount Kinabalu, Sarawak, May 2017


Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel on Mt KinabaluSabah Grey Langur
Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel, a rare daytime sighting.
  Mount Kinabalu, April 2018
Sabah Grey Langur, a critically endangered Borneo endemic
Sabah, September 2019


swimming Bornean Pygmy Elephant, KinabatanganBlack-eared Pygmy Squirrel in Sarawak
Elephants on Borneo do like a swim
Kinabatangan River, August 2013
Black-eared Pygmy Squirrel, local in lowland forest but absent from Sabah
Kubah National Park, Sarawak, June 2019


Proboscis MonkeyProboscis Monkey jumping in the Kinabatangan
Proboscis Monkey, an alpha male with exclusive breeding rights
Tanegang tributary, Kinabatangan River, June 2017
Proboscis Monkey, female and baby jumping in water to cross the river
Sukau, Kinabatangan River, July 2019


Bornean Striped Palm Civet at SepilokBearded Pig
Bornean Striped Palm Civet (Small-toothed Palm Civet), a Borneo endemic
  Sepilok, October 2016
Bornean Bearded Pig, an important ecosystem engineer
Kinabatangan River, May 2017


Bornean Pygmy Elephant
Two young males Borneo Pygmy Elephants having a little friendly interaction, Kinabatangan River, August 2013


Whiskered Flying Squirrel -borneoensisWhiskered Flying Squirrel -borneoensis
Whiskered Flying Squirrel, scarce and seldom photographed
Taman, Kota Kinabalu, April 2018
Whiskered Flying Squirrel, detail of wart with whiskers making ID easy
Stephen's Park, Kota Kinabalu, April 2018


Lesseer Mouse Deer at Tabin Wildlife SanctuaryGreater Mouse Deer at Sepilok Rainforest Discovery
              Center
Lesser Mouse Deer, note single unbroken white throat line
Tabin Wildlife Sanctuary, July 2019
Greater Mouse Deer, photographed below the canopy walkway
Rainforest discovery center, Sepilok, November 2019


Orangutan SepilokPig-tailed Macaque at Sepilok
Orangutan mother and baby, reintroduced population now living back
in the wild at Sepilok Forest Reserve, November 2019
Southern Pig-tailed Macaque
  Sepilok-Kabili Virgin Jungle Reserve, October 2014


Giant Squirrel at SepilokLarge Treeshrew at Gomantong Caves
Giant Squirrel, eye-level views from the Canopy Walkway at
Sepilok Rainforest Discovery Center, October 2016
Large Treeshrew, note its terrestrial habits and distinctive rhinarium
  Gomantong Caves trail, June 2019


Malayan Civet at KinabatanganSmooth Otter
Malayan Civet, beauty looking for scraps by the lodge restaurant
Kinabatangan, July 2018
Smooth Otters, low water levels helped this sighting on the river bank
Kinabatangan River, October 2014


Silvered LangurSilvered Langur rufous morph
Silvered Langur with a youngster (infants are orange first 3 months)
Kinabatangan, August 2018
Silvered Langur rufous morph with baby (note pale face)
Kinabatangan, November 2019


Horse-tailed Squirrel at SepilokJentink's Squirrel on Mount Kinabalu
Horse-tailed Squirrel, a scarce inhabitant of lowland rainforest
Sepilok, November 2019
Jentink's Squirrel often follows bird feeding flocks
Mount Kinabalu, September 2019


Lesser Treeshrew in the Crocker RangeRed Giant Flying Squirrel in Sepilok RDC
Lesser Treeshrew are highly arboreal and often easy to observe
Crocker Range NP Keningau, April 2017
Red Giant Flying Squirrel emerge from tree hollows at dusk
Sepilok Rainforest Discovery Center, May 2017


Sunda Stink Badger - SkunkSlow Loris at Sepilok Forest Reserve
Sunda Skunk (Stink Badger or Teledu), best approached front side only!
Kinabatangan River, July 2018
Bornean Slow Loris; scarce, nocturnal, arboreal and poisonous!
Sepilok Forest Reserve, October 2016


Long-tailed MacaquePlantain Squirrel
Long-tailed Macaque frequent the river banks providing the occasional
meal for the Saltwater Crocodiles at the Kinabatangan, June 2018
Plantain Squirrel, the common garden, orchard and forest edge Squirrel
Sepilok, October 2016


Yellow-throated Marten at Borneo HighlandsWhitehead's Pygmy Squirrel
Yellow-throated Marten, omnivorous and also at home high in the trees
Borneo Highlands, Sarawak, November 2018
Tufted (Whitehead's) Pygmy Squirrel, super cute montane endemic
Mount Kinabalu, September 2019



Giant Squirrel - subspecies cothurnataRed Giant Flying Squirrel
Giant Squirrel, subspecies cothurnata only found on southern Borneo
  Kubah NP, Sarawak, June 2019
Red Giant Flying Squirrel, 150+ meter glide recorded
Rainforest Discovery Center Canopy Walk, Sepilok, September 2019



Three-striped Ground Squirrel at Borneo HighlandsShort-tailed Mongoose at Borneo Highlands
Three-striped Ground Squirrel, a terrestrial squirrel absent from Sabah
Borneo Highlands near Kalimantan viewpoint, Sarawak, November 2018
Short-tailed Mongoose, seems rarely photographed
Borneo Highlands (Gunung Penrissen), November 2018



Prevost's SquirrelPrevost's Squirrel subspecies caroli
Prevost's Squirrel, subspecies pluto
Sepilok, October 2016
Prevost's Squirrel, subspecies caroli
Ulu Temburong NP, Brunei, April 2019



Bornean Pygmy ElephantLesser Mouse Deer at Tabin
Borneo Pygmy Elephant, consume enormous quantities of vegetation
  Kinabatangan, August 2013
Lesser Mouse Deer, the world's smallest Deer roughly the size of a rabbit
Tabin Wildlife Sanctuary, July 2019



Low's Squirrel with babySmooth-tailed Treeshrew at Mahua WF
Low's Squirrel carrying an infant
Poring Hot Springs, Sabah, June 2018
Smooth-tailed Treeshrew, a rare montane Borneo endemic
Mahua Waterfall, Crocker Range, April 2017



Orangutan on nestBornean Orangutan on nest
Orangutan build a new sleeping nest every evening
Sepilok, May 2017
This mother invited her youngster on the nest after construction.
Sepilok, May 2017



Slender SquirrelMaroon Langur at Tawau Hills Park
Slender Squirrel, another one not found in Sabah
Kubah NP, Sarawak, June 2019
Maroon Langur (incl. "safe" landing!)
Tawau Hills Park, June 2017



Long-tailed MacaqueShort-nosed Fruit Bat
Long-tailed Macaque babies
Kinabatangan, October 2014
Short-nosed Fruit Bat daytime roost
Kubah National Park, Sarawak, December 2019






Hope this page may help with the education, identification, appreciation, conservation and research efforts of the mammals on Borneo.

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