Transcript Mount Kinabalu National Park Borneo 25/05/2016

Mount Kinabalu
National Park
Borneo
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Introduction
 Mount Kinabalu
National Park is
located in the Northern
Sabah region of
Borneo.
 It was one of the first
national parks opened
in Borneo in 1964.
 It covers an area of
754km²
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Location of the park
 The park headquaters
itself are located at
1,585m above sea
level.
 It is 83km from the city
of Kota Kinabalu.
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What makes it special
 The obvious attraction
is the mountain itself
as it is one of the
easiest mountains to
climb. With many
people climbing it to
watch the sunrise at
the peak.
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Continued…
 The mountain is famous for
its many carnivorous plant
and orchid species, most
notably Nepenthes rajah. Its
is also home to a multitude of
endemic animal species,
including the Kinabalu Giant
Red Leech and Kinabalu
Giant Earthworm.
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History
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In 1851 Sir Hugh Low, then the
Colonial Secretary for the British
crown colony of Labuan, was the
first person to climb the mountain.
It took him nine days to reach the
summit plateau, travelling in a
group of 42 people.
The summit of the mountain is now
known as Lows Peak, although
Low reached the summit plateau,
he did not reach the peak that now
bears his name. John Whitehead
was the first person to reach the
summit in 1888.
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Lows Peak
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Tourists
 Most tourists who visit
the park come to
admire the mountain,
try the shorter trails
around the park and
some attempt the
summit trail.
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Continued…
 Within the last few years an
increasing number of people
have come to enjoy more
strenuous activities, including
the Mount Kinabalu
Climbathon, mountain running
and mountain biking.
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Problems for the park
 Illegal activities in remote areas are a cause of concern for visitor
safety and potential conversion of native vegetation to drug crops.
Illegal hunting of endangered, or protected, wildlife is especially difficult
to control in rugged remote topography.
 It has also become evident that in some areas of the lower slopes tree
felling has occurred to make space for agricultural land.
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Sustainable development
 The mountain is the main attraction to the area and as long as it stands
people will want to come to see it.
 Management have tried to improve the summit trail so that the chance
of injury can be reduced i.e. putting in more banisters on steeper parts,
widening the steps and in some cases putting steps in.
 The involvement of the local community with the park keeps the
relationship with local people harmonious and also helps to bring
business to them if the park carries on being successful.
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Facts & Figures
 In 2004 more than 415,360 visitors and 43,430 climbers visited the
Park.
 Only 10% of the annual visitors reach the summit of the mountain.
 More the 250 bird varieties have been recorded. Several bird varieties
including the Mountain Bush Warbler, Kinabalu friendly Warbler,
palefaced Bilbul and Mountain Blackeyes.
 Daily temperature here varies from 20 degrees centigrade to 13
degrees at night.
 The park headquaters itself are located at 1,585m above sea level.
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