Nature & Wildlife
Temburong is home to pristine rainforests that are over 150 million years old, making it one of the oldest rainforests in the world. The forests are rich with many species of flora and fauna, some native only to Brunei and Borneo. Seventy-two percent of Brunei Darussalam’s total land area is covered by forest and 41 percent is protected by law.
Fauna
Brunei's forests are home to a diverse range of fauna comprising of 121 mammal species, 474 bird species, 182 amphibians and reptiles, 500 species of marine fish and invertebrates, and some native species such as Proboscis Monkey, Bornean Sun Bear, Bornean Horned Frog, Green Crested Lizard and the Bornean Slow Loris.
Flora
Temburong's pristine forests contain an estimated 15,000 species of vascular plants and estimated 2,000 species of trees. Botanical fieldwork research conducted with the Forest Department from Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism have identified 32 plant species including one rare species across the resort.
Our local environment
Brunei still has many untouched forest reserves, and the preservation of these is significantly important not only for Brunei but also for the biodiversity of Borneo. Our government policy sets the highest standard for rainforest and biodiversity preservation in Southeast Asia to protect, conserve and maintain our nation’s biodiversity heritage.
Asian small-clawed otter
Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest and most social of the otter species. Their coat consists of tightly packed under-fur and long guard hairs which are water repellent. The air pockets within their coat keeps them insulated and dry while under water, so they groom regularly to reintroduce air into their coats. They have small ears which can be closed, like their nostrils, while they swim under water.
Sunda clouded leopard
Due to this leopard's elusive nature, its habits are largely unknown. We do know that it is strongly arboreal, only hunting on the ground and using its climbing skills to hide from danger. They are seemingly solitary and active mostly at night. They also have flexible ankle joints which help them to climb down trees head first.
Proboscis monkeys
These long-nosed monkeys are the primate world’s most prolific swimmers. They can often be seen leaping from trees and hitting the water with a belly flop before swimming across rivers with their webbed toes and fingers. They are capable of swimming up to 20m underwater and are able to outpace crocodiles!
Sambar deer
Sambar deer are generally light brown or dark with a grayish or yellowish tinge and pale underparts. A very large male deer has an average shoulder height of 1.6m and weight of about 300kg. Females are considerably smaller with an average shoulder height of 1.1m and weight of 230kg. These deer have an average lifespan of 20-26 years.
White-bellied sea eagle
Young eagles have brown plumage, which is gradually replaced with white by the age of 5-6 years.They have a distinctive loud goose-like honking call, with the male’s call being higher pitched and more rapid than that of the female.While hunting over water on sunny days, this sea eagle often flies directly into the sun or at right angles to it, seemingly to avoid casting shadows over the water and hence alerting potential prey. They are able to soar up to heights of 1,400m with its wings held stiff in a V-shape.
Rhinoceros Hornbill
The Rhinoceros Hornbill is an important bird and cultural symbol for the Dayak community. They call it The Chief of The Birds and if a hornbill is seen flying over or visiting their residences, it is said that good luck and fortune will soon follow. These amazing creatures are born with a white casque and bill which becomes orange and red when they are 6 years old. This distinctive colour comes from preen oil which the birds rub on from the preen gland above their tails during grooming to keep their feathers healthy.