Tabin Wildlife Reserve
Tabin Wildlife Reserve
Tabin is a very large dipterocarp rainforest landscape located in the eastern part of Sabah with a most diverse range of flora and fauna.

Bornean Pygmy Elephant at Tabin
Tabin was declared a wildlife reserve because of the large numbers of animal species inhabiting its forest, including several which are highly endangered. The three largest mammals of Sabah, the Borneo Pygmy Elephant, Sumatran Rhino and Tembadau are found within Tabin. With a protected forest area of 120,500 hectres, Tabin plays an important role as a dedicated ground for the breeding of endangered wildlife and protected mammals in Sabah. Orang-utans, honey bears, the rare clouded leopard, sambar deer, wild boar, red leaf monkeys and macaques also call Tabin their home. There are also some 220 species of birds at Tabin, including at least seven of Sabah’s eight Hornbill species, blue-headed pittas, wren-babblers, Borneon Blue Flycatchers, Scarlet Sunbirds, and Everett’s White-eyes.
Tabin was heavily-logged until the 1980s. During this period, however, a core area of about 8,600 hectares of forest was left intact. After the logging activities were halted, and the area was declared a wildlife reserve in 1984, it was left to naturally regenerate itself.
Tabin is also unique for its mud volcanoes. The seven mud volcanoes found in Tabin (some as large as a football field) are important watering holes for the wildlife in the area due to its high mineral content. Wild animals often visit the mud volcanoes in the early mornings, leaving evidence of their stopovers in the form of paw prints on the soft grey mud.
Lipad waterfalls

Lipad Waterfall
Lipad mud volcano

One of the Lipad Mud Volcanoes
