Description of the attraction
Betung Kerihun National Park is a nature reserve located in the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan. Previously, the park was called differently - Bentuang Karimun. The territory of the park runs along the border with Malaysia, a state in Southeast Asia, the territory of which, it is worth noting, is divided into two parts by the South China Sea. To be more precise, the territory of the national park runs along the border with East Malaysia.
Betung Kerihun National Park was founded in 1995, the total area of the park is about 8000 sq. Km, or 5.5% of the entire territory of the West Kalimantan province. Due to its unique nature, flora and fauna, the park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The territory of the park is mainly mountainous and hilly, there are steep slopes. The highest mountains are Mount Kerihun, whose height is 1,790 m, and Mount Lavit, whose height reaches 1,767 m. The park is located at the source of the Kapuas River, which flows through the province of West Kalimantan, and is the longest river in Indonesia and the longest island river in the world. …
Perhaps, conditionally, the park includes two ecoregions: the Bornean mountain rain forests, which occupy two-thirds of the park, and the Bornean plain rain forests. On the territory of lowland rain forests, mainly trees of the dipterocarp family grow, the number of which is decreasing, unfortunately, due to illegal logging. The wood of these trees is highly valued; in addition, aromatic essential oils and balms are made from them. Also on the territory of plain rain forests there are 97 species of orchids and 49 species of trees from the palm family. The fauna of the park is rich and has about 300 species of birds, 25 species of birds - endemic to the island of Borneo, 162 species of fish and 54 species of mammals. In addition, the park is home to the Bornean orangutan and seven other primate species.
