Before 1993 scientists considered peat swamp forest to be low in biodiversity and unimportant for conservation. Our research has blown this out of the water, showing the Sabangau Forest to have a high biodiversity of plants and animals. We have extended the known distribution range of several species and have recorded many endangered species of mammal and bird.

The island of Borneo has 358 recorded bird species; of these, 154 species have been confirmed in the various habitats of the Sabangau Forest, and 43 others have been recorded but are not yet confirmed. Peat swamp forests support a specialized subset of the lowland forest bird-fauna and some important wetland birds. There are 37 endemic species in Borneo, many of which are known to range in the tropical peat swamp forest. In addition, many of the species which have been sighted in the Sebangau River catchment are listed as near-threatened, vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), and the US Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Important species include the white-shouldered ibis, storm's stork, lesser adjutant stork, hook-billed bulbul, Bornean bristlehead, rhinoceros hornbill, wrinkled hornbill and Wallace's hawk eagle.

To view the latest bird species list click here

Nine species of primate are recorded in the Sabangau, including the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pgymaeus). The Bornean agile gibbon (Hylobates albibarbis) and red surili (red leaf monkey - Presbytis rubicunda) appear to be common in the mixed swamp and tall interior habitat sub-types. Pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) are often seen in large groups within 2km from the forest-edge. Long-tailed macaques ( Macaca fasicularis) are extremely common on all forested waterways (and also kept as pets in villages along the river). The silvered leaf monkey (Trachypithecus cristatus) is very uncommon but a few sighting shva ebeen made, usually near the large rivers. A population of proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus) occurs on the lower reaches of the Katingan and Bulan Rivers although their preferred habitats of riverine and mangrove forest have been largely cleared. Sightings of the nocturnal slow loris (Nycetibus coucang) and western tarsier (Tarsius bancanus) occur but are rare.

Fifty-six other species of mammals other than primates have been recorded, although this only includes a fraction of the bat species expected to be present. Amongst the larger and more commonly sighted mammals are sun-bears (Helarctos malayanus) and bearded pigs (Sus barbatus). Muntjac (Muntiacus atheroides) and mouse deer (Tragulus javanicus) are sighted occasionally, as are several species of civet. If you're lucky you may come across a leopard cat, pangolin or flying squirrel.

To view the latest mammal species list click here.

There are many species of reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates, and many of the latter are likely to be unknown to science. Again, the Sebangau catchment appears to support a large and varied population. 23 species of snake have been recorded to date, including the reticulated python and king cobra. Crocodilians appear to be absent from much of the area, presumably as a result of hunting. They are known to be present on the Kelare River in the Katingan catchment, and locals also report them from the Paduran River in the south-east Sebangau catchment. No formal study of amphibians has been undertaken to date and so we only have a few species recorded. Fish are common in the river and forest pools during the wet season, and we have started to document and identify these.

To view the latest herpefauna species list click here.

We work with the Darwin Herbarium at the University of Palangkaraya to collect, store and identify species of tree and plant. We are also grateful to the Bogor Herbarium and Wanariset Herbariukm for their help in this. To date we have identified 317 species of plant in the various habitats of the Sabangau Forest, 222 of which are trees and the rest lianas, strangling figs, epihytic and terrestrial orchids and ferns, parasitic plants, shrubs, herbs, sedges and the famous insectivorous pitcher plants.