Our Planet’s Landmarks Series #38
Proboscis Monkeys in Sabah Borneo
Sabah is one of the two Malaysian provinces on Borneo Island. Three different sovereign nations – Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia – share Borneo. It is an island known for its rain forests and wetlands.
Flying into Sabah from Kuala Lumpur brings you to its capital, Kota Kinabalu. Before landing, I assumed Kota Kinabalu was a lazy-paced beach town. This impression began coming apart at its seams as soon as I landed. The airport seemed huge. It did not seem like a sleepy beach town airport. Soon, we were rolling into the city. And my eyes rolled. The city was a buzzing metropolis!
After entering the city, the hotel was at least a 20-minute drive within the city. Global chain hotel signages stood out amongst the clutter of signages that donned the modern buildings. Our guide pointed out many a mall. All across, we saw a dominant presence of international brands. These ranged from fashion to consumer goods, and technology to fast food.
Our hotel room displayed the trappings of a typical 5-star business hotel. Laptop Workstation. Study lamp. Iron and ironing board. Bathroom slippers. And more.
So how does this make Sabah our planet’s landmark?
Well, it doesn’t. Not yet, anyway. I will show the linkage. And soon. But before doing so, I urge you to stay with me and savour the destination.
One of the attractions we visited near Kota Kinabalu was Mari Mari Cultural Village. Set amidst a thick tropical rainforest, the village showcases the key tribes and tribal lifestyle of Sabah. We walked across a hanging rope bridge to cross a gushing brook. Savoured the local wines and delicacies that are staple for the tribals. Also gaped as we took in a longhouse, said to be home to an entire village of Rungus tribals. This was a glimpse of what traditional Borneo was.
We went around the city and realised the distances were like any other large city. A 45-minute drive was the norm going from point A to point B. The waterfront area was buzzing. The modern government buildings were unique. Another interesting place is the City Mosque, also known as the Floating Mosque. There were pubs and fine dining places. Kota Kinabalu even has a Hard Rock Cafe. And this was a glimpse of what modern Borneo is.
Sabah – Our Planet’s Landmark
We spent an afternoon travelling 112 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu for a memorable boat ride over River Klias. Mangroves line its banks. And 25-50 metre tall trees of the riverine forest lie beyond these mangroves. This is the habitat of the unique Proboscis monkeys. And this species is endemic to Borneo.
Our braveheart boatman would wedge the boat in the thick undergrowth of the mangroves. To get us a better glimpse of Proboscis monkeys. It was late afternoon. These weird looking monkeys were pottering around the treetops.
We learnt the males had a bulbous nose and a potbelly. They weigh around 25 kilograms. While the females had a pointy nose and weighed a mere 8 kilograms. These monkeys live in a group of 25-30. This group comprises a male with a harem of 2-7 females and a bunch of kids.
It all started with excitement. The joyous exclamations of successful captures punctuated the combined clickety-clack of our cameras. But the light was fading fast. The monkeys were slowing down. Their deliberations to jump or not were becoming longer. And soon our tired cameras also went back into their respective bags.
As we reflected and chatted over the ambient chatter of the monkeys, a feeling of admiration swept over me for this unique habitat. I knew then I would term it as our planet’s landmark.
