Kinabalu Park

🇲🇾 Malaysia

🐍 Malcolm's Pitviper Thrives in Mist

🌍 #150 Global · 3.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #8 in Southeast Asia #44 in Savanna & Grassland

Southeast Asia, Malaysia 1181 spp. recorded

Kinabalu Park is a protected mountain sanctuary in Sabah, Malaysia, dominated by high-altitude grassland and steep montane vegetation. Visitors walk rugged trails through chilly slopes and misty ridges where ancient rock formations meet dense cloud forests. This dramatic elevation gradient creates distinct ecological zones that set the area apart from lowland rainforests.

6.183° N 116.679° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Malcolm’s Pitviper

Trimeresurus malcolmi

30–40% · Possible

Kinabalu Slender Litter Frog

Leptobrachella arayai

30–40% · Possible

Bornean Mountain Ground Squirrel

Sundasciurus everetti

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Bornean Treepie

Dendrocitta cinerascens

70–80% · Very likely

Indigo Flycatcher

Eumyias indigo

60–70% · Likely

Yellow-breasted Warbler

Seicercus montis

60–70% · Likely

Black-capped White-eye

Zosterops atricapilla

60–70% · Likely

Golden-naped Barbet

Psilopogon pulcherrimus

60–70% · Likely

Temminck's Sunbird

Aethopyga temminckii

60–70% · Likely

Mountain Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus trivirgatus

60–70% · Likely

Bornean Whistler

Pachycephala hypoxantha

60–70% · Likely

Chestnut-crested Yuhina

Staphida everetti

60–70% · Likely

Bornean Whistling-Thrush

Myophonus borneensis

50–60% · Likely

White-throated Fantail

Rhipidura albicollis

50–60% · Likely

Black-sided Flowerpecker

Dicaeum monticolum

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Bornean Mountain Ground Squirrel

Sundasciurus everetti

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Borneo Black-banded Squirrel

Callosciurus orestes

40–50% · Likely

Jentink's Squirrel

Sundasciurus jentinki

40–50% · Likely

Tufted Pygmy Squirrel

Exilisciurus whiteheadi

40–50% · Likely

Least Pygmy Squirrel

Exilisciurus exilis

30–40% · Possible

Mountain Treeshrew

Tupaia montana

30–40% · Possible

Prevost's Squirrel

Callosciurus prevostii

20–30% · Possible

Pale Giant Squirrel

Ratufa affinis

20–30% · Possible

Kinabalu Squirrel

Callosciurus baluensis

10–20% · Possible

Small-toothed Palm Civet

Arctogalidia trivirgata

10–20% · Possible

Maroon Leaf Monkey

Presbytis rubicunda

10–20% · Possible

Lesser Treeshrew

Tupaia minor

10–20% · Possible

Proboscis Monkey

Nasalis larvatus

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Bornean Treepie

Dendrocitta cinerascens

70–80% · Very likely

Indigo Flycatcher

Eumyias indigo

60–70% · Likely

Yellow-breasted Warbler

Seicercus montis

60–70% · Likely

Black-capped White-eye

Zosterops atricapilla

60–70% · Likely

Golden-naped Barbet

Psilopogon pulcherrimus

60–70% · Likely

Temminck's Sunbird

Aethopyga temminckii

60–70% · Likely

Mountain Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus trivirgatus

60–70% · Likely

Bornean Whistler

Pachycephala hypoxantha

60–70% · Likely

Chestnut-crested Yuhina

Staphida everetti

60–70% · Likely

Bornean Whistling-Thrush

Myophonus borneensis

50–60% · Likely

White-throated Fantail

Rhipidura albicollis

50–60% · Likely

Black-sided Flowerpecker

Dicaeum monticolum

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Malcolm’s Pitviper

Trimeresurus malcolmi

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Borneo Forest Dragon

Gonocephalus bornensis

50–60% · Likely

North Philippine Temple Pitviper

Tropidolaemus subannulatus

40–50% · Likely

Green Crested Lizard

Bronchocela cristatella

40–50% · Likely

Sabah Bamboo Pitviper

Trimeresurus sabahi

40–50% · Likely

Balu Bow-fingered Gecko

Cyrtodactylus baluensis

40–50% · Possible

Schmidt's Reed Snake

Calamaria schmidti

40–50% · Possible

Malayan Crested Lizard

Gonocephalus grandis

30–40% · Possible

Flat-tailed House Gecko

Hemidactylus platyurus

30–40% · Possible

Blunthead Slug Snake

Aplopeltura boa

30–40% · Possible

Borneo Skink

Dasia vittata

30–40% · Possible

🦎 No photo available

Pelturagonia cephalum

30–40% · Possible

Spotted House Gecko

Gekko monarchus

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Kinabalu Slender Litter Frog

Leptobrachella arayai

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Mossy Bush Frog

Philautus macroscelis

50–60% · Likely

Horned Toad

Megophrys nasuta

50–60% · Likely

Black-spotted Rock Skipper

Staurois guttatus

40–50% · Likely

Peter's Tree Frog

Nyctixalus pictus

40–50% · Likely

Montane Large-eyed Litter Frog

Leptobrachium montanum

40–50% · Likely

File-eared Tree Frog

Polypedates otilophus

40–50% · Possible

Kinabalu Sticky Frog

Kalophrynus baluensis

30–40% · Possible

Kiau Borneo Frog

Meristogenys kinabaluensis

30–40% · Possible

Green-spotted Foot-flagging Frog

Staurois tuberilinguis

30–40% · Possible

Kinabalu Slender Toad

Ansonia hanitschi

30–40% · Possible

Green Bush Frog

Philautus bunitus

30–40% · Possible

Yellow-spotted Narrow-mouthed Frog

Chaperina fusca

30–40% · Possible

Animal Events

🐸

Frog Chorusing Season

JanFebJulAugSepDec

Male frogs of multiple species, including the Black-spotted Rock Frog and Borneo Splash Frog, gather in streams to call for mates during the monsoon season.

Black-spotted Rock Skipper

Staurois guttatus

40–50% · Likely

Green-spotted Foot-flagging Frog

Staurois tuberilinguis

30–40% · Possible

🦎

Pit Viper Hunting Season

JanAugOctDec

The Kinabalu Green Pit Viper and Sabah Bamboo Pitviper become more active, hunting at night in the lower montane forests as temperatures drop.

Sabah Bamboo Pitviper

Trimeresurus sabahi

40–50% · Likely

Malcolm’s Pitviper

Trimeresurus malcolmi

30–40% · Possible

🦌

Squirrel Foraging Boom

MarMayJunSepOct

Endemic squirrels like Sundasciurus everetti and Callosciurus orestes engage in synchronized seed dispersal, caching nuts in tree hollows before the dry season.

Bornean Mountain Ground Squirrel

Sundasciurus everetti

40–50% · Likely

Borneo Black-banded Squirrel

Callosciurus orestes

40–50% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

Malcolm’s Pitviper

40–50

20–30

30–40

20–30

30–40

20–30

10–20

30–40

20–30

30–40

0–10

40–50

Kinabalu Slender Litter Frog

0–10

10–20

10–20

0–10

10–20

20–30

40–50

40–50

60–70

0–10

20–30

40–50

Bornean Mountain Ground Squirrel

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

30–40

40–50

70–80

60–70

20–30

30–40

Bornean Treepie

50–60

60–70

80–90

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

Indigo Flycatcher

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

Yellow-breasted Warbler

50–60

50–60

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

Black-capped White-eye

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

40–50

60–70

40–50

50–60

Golden-naped Barbet

60–70

60–70

80–90

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

Temminck's Sunbird

40–50

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

Mountain Leaf Warbler

50–60

60–70

70–80

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

Bornean Whistler

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

Chestnut-crested Yuhina

60–70

80–90

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

Bornean Whistling-Thrush

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

White-throated Fantail

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

Black-sided Flowerpecker

30–40

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

30–40

50–60

Animal Events

🐸 Frog Chorusing Season

🦎 Pit Viper Hunting Season

🦌 Squirrel Foraging Boom

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Excellent

🐍 Malcolm's Pitviper Thrives in Mist

🦜

Biodiversity

Excellent

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

623

🐒 Mammals

199

🦎 Reptiles

218

🐸 Amphibians

141

1181 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

108 Threatened 3 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

3.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

62%

📊

Coverage (268 species at ≥5% of 1181 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

23%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (12 bird)

47% Global avg

0%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

101

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

6

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

38

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