In the middle of the Malaysian peninsula
lies a rainforest so old it makes the entire Amazon jungle seem like
new growth. Taman Negara, literally ‘national park’ in Malay, has lain
virtually undisturbed for 130 million years. Located as it is in the
centre of the equator, even ice ages left barely a dent in this ancient
jungle.
The river winds through thick jungle, much of it undisturbed by man
Not surprisingly, the flora and fauna of
Taman Negara are unrivaled; 14,000 species of plants, 200 mammals and
240 types of trees can be found in a mere hectare of this lush
rainforest. And with travel within the park limited to jungle tracks and
riverboats, much more may still be waiting to be found.
One of the colourful fungi that sprouts on decaying trees
Prior to the Jurassic period, the entire
Malay peninsula was submerged underwater. As a result, sedimentary rock
and limestone make up the fertile base of Taman Negara and its
interesting cave system. Most of Malaysia’s fossils have also been
discovered within the limestone of this national park.
A perahu brings visitors to their jungle accommodation
Winding through Taman Negara and serving
as its main highway is the Tembeling River and its tributaries the
Tahan, Trenggan and Kenyam. Wooden river boats known as ‘perahu’ ply the
waters, transporting people and supplies as they have done for hundreds
of years. Human habitation along the river can be dated back nearly
2,000 years, bronze artifacts having been found along the river.
A close-up look at the perahu
Living within the rainforest are
Malaysia’s earliest inhabitants, or Orang Asli, meaning original or
native people. The Orang Asli of Taman Negara are of the Negrito group,
who have burial sites in Malaysia dating back 10,000 years.
An Orang Asli village, which can be quickly dismantled when they are ready to move on
The Orang Asli live in settlements of
about ten to thirty people. In the rainforest, they still live in hunter
gatherer societies, in harmony with nature. When they have almost
depleted the section of rainforest they live in, the Orang Asli move on
and give the jungle time to rejuvenate.
Orange Asli women and children come down to the river to bathe and fish
The Orang Asli believe that only animals
living above ground are best for consumption, so they hunt birds,
squirrels and monkeys. Hunting was originally done with bows and arrows
but nowadays the Orang Asli find blowpipes more effective. The darts of
the blowpipes are tipped with the poisonous sap of the Ipoh tree
(Antaris toxicaria). They supplement their diet with fish and jungle
fruits.
A pet bearcat relaxes in an Orang Asli village
Far outnumbering the human inhabitants
are the flora and fauna of Taman Negara. Within the park boundaries
there are tigers, Malayan tapirs, elephants, wild boar, various species
of deer, leopards, sun bears, civets and wild ox, to name just a few.
The strikingly coloured Malayan Tapir, one of the animals found in Taman Negara
Add to this between 200-300 species of
birds and thousands of insects making their lives on the jungle floor.
Taman Negara has one of the richest ecologies on earth, protected both
by its impenetrability and Malaysian law.
A Streaked Spiderhunter, a species of bird common in the Malaysian rainforest
These days, increasing numbers of
tourists visit the national park although, perhaps fortunately, numbers
are still regulated by transport restrictions. Although many hope to
catch a glimpse of the larger mammals, most of these remain well hidden
in the jungle depths.
A Barking Deer, so named for its strange calls
Visitors can, however, still experience
the wonder of being in an ancient rainforest and take walks along jungle
paths either on the ground or from hanging bridges in the trees.
Taman Negara is a unique environment and hopefully one that will remain relatively untouched for many, many years to come.
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