Mengilan Forest Reserve

Mengilan Forest Reserve is a Class I Protection Forest and consists of two units. The forest reserve (FR) is located about 100 km west of Tawau town and situated in between two Class II Production Forest, i.e. Sapulut FR and Kalabakan FR. Its southernmost boundary is also the international border between Sabah, Malaysia and Kalimantan, Indonesia. The reserve is accessible via a junction at 176 km of the Kalabakan-Tawau road and another 30 km drive along heading south. 

Latitude/Longitude: Northern unit 4° 22.650′ N-4° 26.700′ N, 116° 54.298′ E-117° 0.682′ E; Southern unit 4° 20.171′ N-4° 22.522′ N, 116° 53.654′ E-117° 0.682′ E

There is no infrastructure within the reserve.

Creations – The reserve was classified as Class I Protection Forest on 29th March 2012. It was formerly gazetted under Kalabakan FR (Class II) and Sapulut FR (Class II). The total area of the reserve is about 6,688 ha. 

Management responsibility – Serudong District Forestry Office 

Boundary matters – The boundary is yet to be demarcated

Management plan – None

Current Use – Protection

There is no known settlement surrounding the reserve.

Topography

Figure 1: Topography and drainange map of Mengilan FR

Hydrology 

River tributaries: no information

Soils

Serudong and Maliau soil associations.

Meteorological data

See Maliau Basin rainfall data.

The original natural vegetation of the reserve consists of the upland mixed dipterocarp-kerangas forest and the lower montane kerangas forest. The former forest ecosystem has the largest extend, covering 61 % of the total area of the reserve. This forest ecosystem usually occurs between 500–900 m asl. The lower montane kerangas forest occurs at a slightly higher elevation between 900–1400 m asl. Unfortunately, past timber extraction activities had resulted in disturbed vegetation of various regenerative stages. 

Flora

A total of 763 plant taxa that derived from 122 families were recorded from the reserve and surrounding areas. Of the total taxa, the largest group of plants are represented by the Angiosperms (Monocotyledon, 15 taxa and Dicotyledon 82 taxa); and followed by the ferns (20 taxa); Gymnosperm (3 taxa); and lycophytes (2 taxa). The ten most speciose families in decreasing order are: Dipterocarpaceae(54); Rubiaceae (39); Lauraceae (11); Annonaceae (31); Orchidaceae (27); Fagaceae (26); Melastomataceae (25); Myrtaceae (22); Zingiberaceae (19); and Malvaceae (18). About 175 species in the reserve are bornean endemics and 23 endemic to Sabah. 

Threatened species under IUCN Red List:

• • 24 species

Taxa under Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997: –

Schedule 2, part II – (i) Ginger (ii) Palm (iii) Agarwood

Species listed under Appendix II CITES: 

• • 1 Species

Prohibited Species Under Sabah Forest Enactment 1968: 

• • 27 species (mostly of fruit trees and threatened tree species)

Agathis orbicula, Aquilaria beccariana and Shorea symingtonii are selected as part of the key conservation targets for monitoring biodiversity integrity in Mengilan FR.

Avian

A total of 75 species belonging to 33 families were recorded. The four most species families are Pellorneidae (6), Pycnonotidae (6), Nectariniidar (5) and Cuculidae (5). The most abundant families of Bird species are Apododae, Pycnonotidae, Cisticolidae and Estrilidae.

Of which seven species are Bornean endemic. Namely, i) Black-crowned Pitta, ii) Bornean Black Magpie, iii) Bornean Leafbird, iv) Bornean Necklaced Patridge, v) Dusky Munia, vi) White-crowned Shama, and  vii) Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker. 

Bornean Necklaced Patridge (VU) was listed as threatened species under IUCN Red List.

Insect

An average of 52 nocturnal insect species from 66 individuals was recorded from a one-metre-square area of the light-trapping cloth. At least eight Bornean endemic species were recorded.

• • (i) Butterfly – 13 species; Frequently encountered species: Moduza procris,  and Ypthima pamdocus.
  • (ii) Moth – 36 species; including 6 Bornean endemic
  • (iii) Beetle – 4 species; Interesting species: Oxynopterus audouini (Largest Click Beetle in Borneo)
  • (iv) Dragonfly and Damselfly – 11 species; including 2 Bornean endemic Damselfies: Heliopcypha biseriata and Rhinocypha aurofulgens Interesting species: Zygonyx iris errans (rarely encountered species)
  • (v) Other insects – At least 10 species; Interesting species: Megapomponia merula (Largest Cicada in Borneo)

Few records were unable to be identified down to species level.

Mammals

A total of 36 mammals’ species were recorded from this FR. There are 13 species listed as threatened under IUCN Red List.

• • Manis javanica (CR)*
  • Elaphes maximus (EN)*
  • Hylobates muelleri (EN)**
  • Rusa unicolor (VU)***
  • Macaca nemestrina (VU)**
  • Neofelis borneensis (VU)*
  • Nycticebus coucang (VU)**
  • Aonyx cinerea (VU)**
  • Rheithrosciurus macrotis (VU)**
  • Sus barbatus (VU)***
  • Helarctos malayanus (VU)*
  • Arctictis binturong (VU)**
  • Diplogale hosei (VU)**

Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997: Schedule 1*; Schedule 2**; Schedule 3***

• Multi-disciplinary studies were conducted during the Heart of Borneo Expedition studies (HoB), by Sabah Forestry Department in 2020.

Illegal hunting – Wildlife, probably associated with easy access to the FR.

Enforcement and surveillance – the remoteness of the reserve.

Transboundary wildlife corridor between Southern Sabah and Northern Kalimantan.