Kinabalu Park (Malay: Taman Kinabalu) was created in 1964 as one of Malaysia’s first national parks. It became Malaysia’s first World Heritage Site in December 2000 because of its "outstanding universal values" and its importance as a major area for plant and animal life. The park is home to more than 4,500 species of plants and animals, including 326 types of birds, about 100 types of mammals, and over 110 types of land snails.

The park is located on the west coast of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. It covers an area of 754 square kilometers and surrounds Mount Kinabalu, which reaches a height of 4,095.2 meters. This makes it the tallest mountain on the island of Borneo.

Kinabalu Park is one of the most visited places in Sabah and Malaysia. In 2010, the park welcomed 611,624 visitors, including 47,613 climbers who reached the summit of Mount Kinabalu.

UNESCO has named the site a Center of Plant Diversity for Southeast Asia. It contains representatives of at least half of all plant species found on Borneo. The park is also very rich in plant life, with species that have connections to regions such as China, Australia, the Himalayas, Malaysia, and tropical areas around the world.

History

British government official and naturalist Hugh Low led a journey from Tuaran to the region in 1851. He also became the first person known to reach the top of Mount Kinabalu. The highest point of the mountain was later named Low's Peak in his honor.

The area was made a national park in 1964. This decision was influenced by studies conducted by botanist E. J. H. Corner for the Royal Society in 1961 and 1964.

Geography

Kinabalu Park is located on the Crocker Range along the western coast of Sabah. It is found in the Ranau district, which is part of the West Coast Division. This park should not be confused with Crocker Range National Park, a different park located farther south.

The park headquarters is 88 kilometers from the city of Kota Kinabalu. Paved roads connect the headquarters to other areas of Sabah. The headquarters is positioned on the southern edge of Kinabalu Park, at an elevation of 1,563 meters (5,128 feet).

Administration and park features

This park is managed by an organization named Sabah Parks. Places to stay, like chalets, are available in the park, mainly near the headquarters. Reservations for lodging and mountain climbing guides are handled by Sutera Sanctuary Lodges, a private company. Anyone who wants to climb the mountain must be with a trained guide. Sutera now requires hikers to spend one night at their lodge near the entrance, in addition to a required stay at Laban Rata. Staying at Sutera's lodge costs much more than staying at places outside the park and includes required purchases of meals and other items.

The mountain summit trail starts at Timpohon. There is also another path called the Mesilau Trail.

An important feature of the park is Low's Gully. It is a deep ravine that is 1.6 kilometers deep and 10 kilometers long, located on the side of the mountain peak.

Ecology

This area has many different types of plants and animals that live in four different climate zones. These include rich lowland forests with dipterocarp trees, montane forests with oak and rhododendron trees, coniferous forests, alpine meadows with small plants, and stunted bushes on the mountain's highest parts. The mountain is also famous for having many carnivorous plants and orchids, including the Nepenthes rajah.

The area is home to many animal species that are found nowhere else, such as the Kinabalu giant red leech and Kinabalu giant earthworm. The park also has a wide range of birds, insects, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.

Mount Kinabalu is one of the youngest mountains that are not formed by volcanic activity. It was created between 10 and 35 million years ago. The mountain continues to grow at a rate of 5 millimeters each year.

Gallery

• Kinabalu Park Headquarters
• Mountain squirrel
• Ochraceous bulbul
• Male Philautus bunitus
• Crested dragon ( Hypsicalotes kinabaluensis )
• Black and golden cicada ( Huechys fusca )
• Orbweb spider ( Araneidae )