The 10 reasons why Pulong Tau should be gazetted immediately




In Kelabit and Lun Bawang dialects "Pulong Tau" means "Our Forest" and expresses both the pride the local people have in their forest and the sense that it is the collective heritage of all Sarawakians and Malaysians. Pulong Tau National Park evolved from a community initiative and in July 1984 the National Parks & Wildlife Department submitted a detailed proposal, together with a petition letter from the community, to the Government of Sarawak.

The proposed park is 164 500 ha and includes most of the Tamu Abu range and the spectacular twin peaks of Batu Lawi (2043 m) and Gunung Murud, Sarawak's highest mountain (2 650 m). Close to the Indonesian border in northern Sarawak the proposed park includes the headwaters of the Limbang, Baram, Kelalan and Tutoh rivers, in fact the entire upper catchment of northern Sarawak and hence would, in addition, prove invaluable for watershed protection.

During a survey in 1986 by the National Parks & Wildlife Department the presence of Sumatran Rhinoceros, Orang Utan and Rafflesia was confirmed. A second proposal, submitted in 1987, therefore argued very strongly for the inclusion of these areas within the boundaries of the park and that the park be designated as soon as possible. Although the International Timber Trade Organization figures for Totally Protected Areas count Pulong Tau as 164 500 ha the park has not yet been gazetted and there is concern that logging may enter the proposed area before it is designated or that hunting may endanger some of the rarer wildlife. In fact, access roads have already been driven into much of the north and northwestern parts of the proposed park and illegal hunting of, for example, Helmeted Hornbill whose casques are used for carving, is threatening their populations. The current status of the Sumatran Rhinoceros in the area is unknown but is liable to be precarious especially as easy access along the roads allows poachers into their habitat.

As a large area of remote, rugged and pristine forest, that is big enough to protect populations of rare animals such as Clouded Leopard, Bulwer's Pheasant, Bornean Gibbon and Sumatran Rhinoceros, with superb fishing, including Sarawak's state fish Ikan Semah, in the rivers, with the spectacular peaks of Batu Lawi and Gunung Murud and superb jungle trekking, Pulong Tau has the potential to become one of South East Asia's elite national parks. It could easily rival other already famous parks in Borneo such as Mulu or Mt. Kinabalu, especially if it remains one of the few places in the world where Sumatran Rhinoceros still roam.

The Malaysian Nature Society, together with members of the local community, recently conducted a ten day expedition to the northern part of the proposed park. The expedition followed the regular trekking route to Batu Lawi, climbing the lower peak on National Day. The team then set out through very remote forest to find a new approach to Gunung Murud and made the first ascent of the mountain from the south side. Along the way observations of the geology, vegetation, birds and mammals were made. Despite the brief time in the area and the already demanding trekking schedule an amazing array of interesting observations was amassed, revealing both the remarkable diversity of the forests and visibility of the wildlife, and further underlining the importance of this montane habitat. Of 67 bird species and 27 mammal species observed (no mean feat) one fifth of the birds and almost half the mammals were Borneo endemics. Several, such as Helmeted Hornbill, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Bornean Gibbon, Hose's Langur, Maroon Langur and Giant Squirrel are totally protected species in Sarawak, while many others including Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Mountain and Smooth-tailed Treeshrews, Oriental Small-clawed Otter, Binturong and Sun Bear are protected species, meaning they can only be hunted with a special license.

However, it was perhaps the fantastic beauty of the forests which left the deepest impression on the team members. In walking through the park one passes first from mixed diperocarp forest through tall oak and lithocarpus forest, to the enchanting mossy elfin forests on the lower ridges and from there through stunted Rhododendrons, literally smothered in soaking wet moss, on the mountain slopes, finally to the heath of the mountain summits. Every corner appears to hold a secret. Orchids abound. There is a profusion of pitcher-plants, a large trilobite beetle almost certainly new to science and the abundant tracks and sounds of wildlife, adding to the anticipation of what might be round the next bend. Then when the summit of Gunung Murud is finally won there is the breathtaking view towards Batu Lawi. It must be one of Malaysia's finest. Pulong Tau simply has to be gazetted before it is too late.

The ten justifications for gazetting the 164 500 ha of Pulong Tau as a national park

  1. Protection of a large area of very valuable montane habitat, sufficient to conserve the species and genetic diversity of a large part of the mountain flora and fauna of northern Borneo. Together with Indonesia's `Cagar Alan Sg. Kayan - Sg. Muntarang' strict nature reserve, Pulong Tau would form a transfrontier protected area considerably increasing the effectiveness of each in preserving the biodiversity of the region.
  2. Protection of rare and in some cases extremely endangered wildlife - For example, Bulwer's Pheasant is found in only a few localities in northern Borneo and always appears to be rare. A breeding population of Sumatran Rhinoceros, previously thought to be extinct in Sarawak, was found in Pulong Tau in 1986 and may be the only one left in Borneo as other populations are so sparse individuals have difficulty locating one another in order to mate. Clouded Leopard now rare over so much of Sarawak is apparently common especially towards the south of Tamu Abu.
  3. Protection of rare species of plants - Although a detailed flora for Pulong Tau is not available already we know that it contains a pitcher plant, Nepenthes murudensis, found nowhere else and several endemic orchids. Many more plants are restricted to Pulong Tau and a few other montane regions in northern Borneo. The open swampy grassland of Ba Sakun to the south of the area is unique and of phenomenal botanical interest as a habitat found nowhere else in Borneo.
  4. Protection of the amazing natural phenomenon of the mass migrations of Be arded Pigs which feed in the oak and lithocarpus forests and move down to the dipterocarp forests during the occasional fruiting years. Occuring beneath the forest canopy the migration has been difficult to observe, and must be smaller now, but at least one estimate from the 1930's put it at including more than one million animals, on a par with the famous Wildebeest migrations in East Africa.
  5. Protection of cultural artefacts of the Kelabit people especially the man y stone carvings, and the religious significance of Batu Lawi and Gunung Murud.
  6. Protection and preservation of the spectacular beauty of the twin peaks of Batu Lawi and their surrounding forests.
  7. Protection of the summit of Gunung Murud, Sarawak's highest mountain (2650 m) and its unique summit flora.
  8. Protection of the watershed of all the major rivers in northern Sarawak - Locally this would protect the extremely valuable Bario rice paddies in Ba Kelalan, Bario, Long Lellang and Pa Tik, with their premium quality rice. Over the wider region it would safeguard drinking water and provide flood protection over a large part of Sarawak. This is especially significant as the drainage in Pulong Tau is through steep v-shaped valleys with fast run off which if damaged could lead to flash flooding and severe siltation.
  9. The enormous potential for eco-tourism - With the possibility of fishing, river trips, jungle trekking through a pristine forest with beautiful plants, hill climbing on spectacular peaks, viewing of rare wildlife and visits to sites of local artefacts, Pulong Tau has an amazing amount to offer the tourist. In fact, it is likely that the only factors that have held back the development of tourism in the area so far are the lack of sufficient flights to Bario and other communities in the area, which makes it impossible for most tourists to obtain seats, and the uncertainty of Pulong Tau which makes investors reluctant to put their money forward. Despite the difficulties there is already a regular stream of adventurous tourists exploring the area. With so much space and interesting longer treks the area could accommodate a large number of tourists without seeming crowded, and thereby spoiling the atmosphere created by such a pristine and remote area, as is really already the case on Mt. Kinabalu and from which Mulu might suffer soon if no alternative is opened up. Tourists would also be likely to stay much longer increasing the number of tourist days spent in Sarawak. Obviously tourism would have to be managed carefully so that it meets the needs of the local communities without swamping them and does not compromise the natural beauty of Pulong Tau. However, this would be possible with an adequate management plan.
  10. The support of the local communities - Often when plans are proposed for a national park local communities feel it is an infringement of their freedom and oppose them, which can then compromise the value of the national park. In the case of Pulong Tau, however, it was a community initiative which first led to the proposal of the area as a national park. Hence, the cooperation of the local community is assured.

This is an ideal opportunity for the state govenment of Sarawak to demonstra te its strong support for the community, conservation and tourist developmen t in the area by formally gazetting Pulong Tau National Park in its entire p roposed form.


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