A Walk in the Park

American naturalist and engineer of some of the world's first National Parks John Muir once wrote:

"The world is big and I'd like to have a look at it before it gets dark."

While Malaysia has currently 22 National Parks and many more State Parks, Marine Protected Areas, and places designated as Wildlife Sanctuaries, Forest Reserves, and Conservation Areas, fast encroaching oil palm plantations and development continue to put pressure on the sanctity of these places for the organisms that live there, increasing their importance.

The Taman Negara ("National Park" in Bahasa Malaya) encompasses over 4,000 square kilometers in the middle of peninsular Malaysia, existing in three different states.  Protected since the late 1930's this old growth rainforest is home to many now-threatened large animals that once had great ranges throughout Malaysia and Southeast Asia including the Asian Elephant and Malayan Tiger, the later of which is considered to be critically endangered and estimated to number less than 200 individuals.

The easiest and most popular entry point is to cross the river from the village of Kuala Tahan, on the southern end of the park. From there the well marked and board-walked trails take you along the river, through a swamp, or into the hills. The further from the entry point, the more wildlife (or evidence of wildlife - hello, giant elephant droppings!) one is to encounter.

Male Horsfield's Baron butterfly. This species is sexual dimorphic; the females
are much less flashy with colouring to camouflage with dead leaves and bark

While quite common, the Malayan lascar butterfly is stunning to look at - if it
sits still long enough!

While not my favourite primate in Malaysia, this
mother and baby long-tailed macaque posed
nicely for me near the Kuala Tahan park entrance.

After waiting nearly an hour in a high hide at the edge of a clearing at dusk,
this stunner emerged silently from the edge, ate some grass, tossed dirt on it's
back, and wandered off into the forest again. Even with the zoom on my DSLR
working hard, the fear of him hearing the shutter and leaving was there.
Definitely a high point of the visit!

The "darkness" Muir speaks of is almost certainly open to interpretation, however, looking at it from the point of conservation and not a eco-tourist's checklist, puts the emphasis on maintaining places where these organisms can continue to exist safely for generations to come, possibly expanding into other areas and reestablishing the much-needed biodiversity of the region. National Parks anywhere are important and visiting them ensures their future and the future of the flora and fauna within them.