Mensalong Forest Reserve

The FR is located within the Kota Marudu District. The reserve shares approximately 5 km of its boundary with the Kinabalu Park in the west and eastern boundary with Lingkabau FR (Class II Commercial Forest). It is accessible from the Ranau-Kota Marudu road.

Latitude/Longitude: 6° 12.062’N–6° 17.258’N; 116° 45.222’E–116° 55.930’E 

A highway road from Ranau to Kota Marudu was built traversing the reserve.

Creations – The FR was gazetted in 2016 as a Class I Protection Forest, covering an area of 7,967.65 ha. It was formerly part of the Lingkabau FR (Class II).

Management responsibility – Kota Marudu District Forestry Office

Boundary matters – The boundary is yet to be demarcated

Management plan – None

Current Use – Protection and Research 

Settlements and other buildings approximately 2 km from the boundary:

• Kg. Monggis
• Kg. Turuntungon
• Kg. Surun-surun
• Kg. Tagibang
• Kg. Gunsapou
• Kg. Pugi
• Kg. Kantas Baru
• Kg. Malulingging Melangkap

This reserve’s northern and southern boundaries are adjacent to private land, mainly utilised for agricultural activities.

Topography

Hydrology

River tributaries: no information

Soils

Crocker soil associations

Meteorological data

See Tandek P.H rainfall data.

The original natural vegetation of Mensalong Forest Reserve is primarily covered with Mixed Dipterocarp Forest and a smaller extent of montane forest. However, anthropogenic disturbances in the past, such as timber extraction, encroachment and road development, has resulted in various quality and regenerative vegetation.

Flora

A total of 821 plant taxa were recorded from the reserve. The ten most speciose families in decreasing order are Rubiaceae (50); Lauraceae (45); Annonaceae (42); Dipterocarpaceae (34); Myrtaceae (32); Malvaceae (30); Euphorbiaceae (29); Fabaceae (29); Fagaceae (25); and Meliaceae (24).Of the total taxa recorded,  196 are endemics to Borneo, including 25 endemics to Sabah. 24 plant species are listed as threatened species under IUCN Red List.

Threatened species under IUCN Red List:

• • 24 Species

Taxa under Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997: –

Schedule 1, part II – (i) Tetrastigma diepenhorstii (ii) Tetrastigma leucostaphylum

Schedule 2, part II – (i) 14 Gingers (ii) 6 Orchids (iii) 2 Ramin (iv) Agarwood (v) Fern

         (vi)   Palm

Species listed under Appendix II CITES: 

• • 10 Species

Prohibited Species Under Sabah Forest Enactment 1968: 

• • 63 species (mostly of fruit trees and agarwood)

Avian

At least 101 species from 37 families of birds were recorded from this FR. Of which 10 species are Bornean endemic. Namely, i) Bornean Banded Pitta, ii) Bornean Ibon, iii) Bornean Spiderhunter, iv) Bornean Treepie, v) Chestnut-crested Yuhina, vi) Dusky Munia, vii) White-crowned Shama, viii) Black-throated Wren-babbler, ix) Blue-banded Pitta (VU) and x) Kinabalu Serpent Eagle (VU).

The most specious families are Pycnonotidae (13); Nectariniidae (8); Pellorneidae (8); Picidae (6); and Columbidae (5).

Insect

At least 76 insect species were recorded from this reserve. Nine species are endemic to Borneo, consisting of five moths, two beetles, and two damselflies.

• • Butterfly – 15 species
  • Moth – 24 Bornean endemic species
  • Beetle – 12 species
  • Damselfly and Dragonfly – 15 species
  • Other insects – At least 10 species

Mammals

A total of 22 mammals’ species from 10 families were recorded from this FR.

• • Cephalopachus bancanus (EN)**
  • Sus barbatus (VU)***
  • Rusa unicolor (VU)***
  • Macaca nemestrina (VU)**
  • Rheithrosciurus macrotis (VU)**
  • Urva brachyurus (NT)**
  • Hemigalus derbyanus (NT)**
  • Ratufa affinis (NT)**
  • Sundasciurus hippurus (NT)
  • Sundasciurus lowii (LC)
  • Prionodon linsang (LC)**
  • Viverra tangalunga (LC)**
  • Prionailurus bengalensis (LC)**
  • Paradoxurus hermaphroditus (LC)**
  • Tragulus napu (LC)***
  • Tragulus kanchil (LC)***
  • Muntiacus muntjak (LC)***
  • Callosciurus prevostii (LC)
  • Sundasciurus tenuis (LC)
  • Hystrix brachyura (LC)***
  • Trichys fasciculata (LC)**
  • Thecurus crassispinis (LC)**

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

• Multi-disciplinary studies were conducted during the Heart of Borneo Expedition (HoB) by Sabah Forestry Department in 2019.

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

Road – hamper wildlife movement and pose the risk of wildlife roadkill.

Mensalong FR connects Kinabalu Park with other FRs, connecting two large forested areas. It should act as a wildlife corridor to facilitate wildlife movement. However, the newly built Ranau-Kota Maradu road that traverses the Mensalong FR could be a downside to this movement. More studies should be conducted in these areas.