THE OLDEST rain forest on earth
Executive summary by darmansjah
BORNEO
The tropical rain forest dos not get any rainier
than on the island of Borneo. Covering hundreds of thousands of square miles
across the borders of Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia, Borneo’s rain forest is
pounded by up to 160 inches (406 cm) of monsoon per year. The montane and lowland
forests protect a dizzying array of plants and animals, including orangutans,
pygmy elephants, and the Sumatran rhinoceros. A single dipterocarp tree can
host 1,000 kinds of insects. And the count has just begun. Since 2007, more
than 120 new species have been found, among them the world’s longest insect (a
stick insect 1.6 feet, or 0.5 m, long) and a colourful ‘ninja slug’ that shoots
hormonal darts into its mate.
HONK IF YOU LOVE HORNBILLS More than 380 birds species make their homes in Borneo’s
rich rain forests. One of the most spectacular is the rhinoceros hornbill,
whose colourful casque, a hollow keratin structure on its bill, amplifies its
harsh honking call.
TAKING THE LEAP An infant holds tight as a
proboscis monkey leaps toward a hanging
vine. The endangered monkeys are one of 13 primate species found on Borneo,
ranging from orangutans to slow lorises.
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