By Jumiati Rosly

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 (Bernama) -- While Sarawak is known as the Land of the Hornbills, the Belum Temenggor Forest in Perak is considered the `Nest of the Hornbills'.

The ten hornbill species found here are among the many natural treasures in the 130 million year old tropical rain forest that is believed to be far older than the Amazon in South America and Congo in Africa.

The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), along with other parties, is playing the guardian role for the protected forest from the destructive forces like development and logging.

MNS president Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor noted that since the first expedition in 1993, involving more than 100 scientists and 300 volunteers, numerous new flora and fauna have been found in the forest.

BIGGEST HORNBILL SPECIES

Dr Salleh related that in the first expedition, nine hornbill species were identified in Belum-Temenggor.

"Once they spotted more than 3,000 hornbills flying in the V formation and it was a spectacular view," he said.

Dr Salleh recalled that at that time the expedition members were unaware that they had mistaken the Wreathed Hornbills for the Plain-pouched Hornbill categorised as an endangered species.

"With the discovery of the Plain-pouched Hornbill, thus all the 10 species of hornbills native to Malaysia have been found in Belum-Temenggor, the only place in the world where hornbills can be seen flying in big groups," he said.

The hornbills nest on big trees in the dense jungle covering 300,000 hectares.

Among the important finding recorded by MNS is that more than half of the hornbills nesting and breeding in the Royal Belum part often fly into the Temenggor Forest.

THE BELUM-TEMENGGOR UNIQUENESS

Located in north of Perak and surrounded by the waters of Tasik Temenggor that covers an area of 45,000 hectares, the Belum-Temenggor Forest Complex covers an area of 300,000 hectares, almost four times the size of Singapore.

Other than being the main water catchment area for Peninsular, Belum-Temenggor is also the home for numerous plants where 274 bird species depend on them.

Belum-Temenggor is also the home for more than 100 mammal species including the Sumatran Rhinoceros, Malayan Tiger, Sun Bear and, Gaur. The number includes at least 13 species in the endangered list.

The forest complex is also the home for three species of giant flowers, the biggest in the world, the Rafflesia Kerrii, Rafflesia Kantolii and a new species Rafflesia Azlanii (named after the Sultan of Perak).

On the whole there are more than 3,000 species of flowering plant, 168 butterfly species, 64 fern species, 51 snail species, 23 snake species and 21 lizard species in the Belum-Temenggor forest.

BELUM AND TEMENGGOR DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE COIN

The Belum-Temenggor Forest Complex is physically divided into two by the East-West Expressway with one site known as Royal Belum State Park and the other Temenggor Forest Reserve.

Dr Salleh said MNS is hopeful that a corridor connecting both sides of the forest would be established to facilitate the movement of wild animals in both areas.

"The forest complex at Royal Belum only covers 117,500 hectares from the total land area of 132,000 hectares. This means there is only 14,500 hectares yet to be gazetted," he said.

On the contrary, the Temenggor Forest is yet to be gazetted as a state park and logging is continuing.

"When MNS met the state government last June, the state government agreed to end all logging activities next year," he said.

BELUM-TEMENGGOR ECOTOURISM HERITAGE

Dr Salleh noted that MNS understands the loss of revenue for the state government when logging is stopped.

"We are not asking the state government to stop the logging activities right today but want them stopped as scheduled," he said.

Belum-Temenggor is set to become a world renowned eco-tourism heritage if well preserved and this will definitely bring greater returns for the state government.

"With the rich diversity in flora and fauna, visitors from all over the world will relish the beauty and uniqueness of Belum-Temenggor," he said.

He said visitors to Belum-Temenggor can also meet with the Orang Asli tribes like Jahai and Temiar who still live in this jungle.

MERDEKA AWARD A RECOGNITION

MNS' efforts in preserving the Belum-Temenggor Forest Complex received the highest recognition when MNS received the inaugural Merdeka Award in the environment category on Monday.

The award being the initiative of Petronas, with the cooperation of ExxonMobil and Shell, comes with RM500,000 in cash, trophy and a certificate presented by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Salleh received the award on behalf of MNS and the money will be used to finance further reseach on preserving Temenggor forest and the hornbills' habitats in Belum-Temenggor.

"If there is more funds available, MNS will also like to save the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve in Kedah from logging activities.

MNS being the oldest nature society in Malaysia was established in 1940 by a group of Britons. It now has 12 branches all over the country with 4,000 members.

MNS has carried out numerous nature conservation and rehabilitation work all over the country like in the Endau Rompin National Park, Batu Caves and Taman Laut in Redang and Tioman.

-- BERNAMA