BAKO NATIONAL PARK
With its rainforest, abundant wildlife, jungle streams, waterfalls, interesting plant life, secluded beaches, panoramic rocky shoreline, bizarre rock formations and extensive network of trekking trails, Bako National Park offers visitors an excellent introduction to the rainforest and coastline of Borneo. Bako may not have an instantly recognisable star attraction, but there can be very few places in the world that pack so much natural beauty into such a limited area, all just 37 km from Kuching. Its accessibility - and its sheer range of attractions and activities - have made Bako one of the most popular parks in Sarawak. Gazetted in 1957, Bako is Sarawak’s oldest national park, covering an area of 2,727 hectares at the tip of the Muara Tebas peninsula. It is one of the smallest national parks in Sarawak, yet one of the most interesting, as it contains almost every type of vegetation found in Borneo. The well-maintained network of nature trails - from easy forest strolls to full-day jungle treks – allows visitors to get the most out of this unique environment.
THE RAINFOREST AND OTHER VEGETATION
WILDLIFE
The best times for seeing wildlife at Bako are just
after dawn and just before dusk, when the animals
are at their most active. You are more likely to
see animals on the trails if you go in small groups,
walk slowly, keep as quiet as possible, and listen
out for sounds and movements in the forest. For example,
you are likely to hear a strange grunting sound or
the crash of leaves long before you actually see
a proboscis monkey.
Telok Assam, the area around the HQ, is a great
place for seeing wildlife. Long-tailed macaques,
silvered langurs or leaf-monkeys, common water monitors,
plantain squirrels, wild boar and mouse deer are
all found here. Watch out for the macaques as they
are possibly the most fearless monkeys on earth.
They will raid dustbins and kitchens in the resthouses,
or scamper into the canteen to steal food or an unguarded
bag. Keep all doors locked and never encourage them
by offering food. In contrast to the unruly macaques,
the silvered leaf-monkey or silvered langur is a
docile and attractive creature. Adults have silver-grey
fur and a spiky crest of head hair, whilst the infants
are covered in bright orange fur.
Otters are delightful creatures to watch, and two
species are found at Bako - the oriental small-clawed
otter and the hairy-nosed otter. They spend most
of their time in the water, feeding on fish, frogs
and other small animals. Oriental small-clawed otters
are occasionally seen at Sungai Assam, swimming in
the river or running across the mud searching for
food. Hairy-nosed otters are sometimes seen early
in the morning around the mangroves at Telok Assam.
The largest of Bako’s many lizard species
is the common water monitor, olive green in colour
and reaching a length of 2 metres. Young monitors
are green with yellow spots and therefore easier
to see. They are strong swimmers and can stay submerged
for a considerable length of time. Monitors are scavengers,
feeding on carrion and occasional live prey. They
are often found near the accommodation area or near
the boat jetty, scavenging for scraps of food. You
may also see their tracks at the park’s beaches.
The small, brownish grey skink or sun lizard is
often seen basking on rocks at the beach or scurrying
away from the paths. The attractive green crested
lizard, common throughout the park, is usually bright
green but is capable of changing colour if alarmed.
Flying lizards are occasionally seen launching themselves
from tree trunks and gliding through the air.
Bako is a fascinating place for bird watching, as
over 150 species have been recorded here. Although
many of these can be seen around the accommodation
area, you need to hit the trails to appreciate the
full variety of Bako’s bird life. The mangroves
at Telok Assam are an excellent place to start. Serious
bird watchers should take a good pair of binoculars
and the Pocket Guide
to the Birds of Borneo, which
is widely available in Kuching.
Rock pools and mangroves are good places to search
for small animals such as mudskippers and crabs,
especially sky-blue fiddler crabs and shell-dwelling
hermit crabs. Bako also has its fair share of insects.
Watch out for them on the forest floor and hear them
everywhere.
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