Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary
🇲🇾 Malaysia
🦧 Bornean Orangutan Stronghold Along Wild RiversKinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary sits in eastern Sabah, Malaysia, protecting a lowland tropical rainforest that follows the winding Kinabatangan River and its flood‑plain swamps. Towering dipterocarp trees, vines and mangrove edges create a mix of riverbank, jungle and seasonal wetlands, supporting both land and water species.
5.495° N 118.131° E
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
Bornean Orangutan
Pongo pygmaeus
★ 
Proboscis Monkey
Nasalis larvatus
★ 
Saltwater Crocodile
Crocodylus porosus
📊 Most Spotted
Oriental Pied Hornbill
Anthracoceros albirostris
Crab-eating Macaque
Macaca fascicularis
Green Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula aenea
Silvered Leaf Monkey
Trachypithecus cristatus
Asian Elephant
Elephas maximus
Blue-eared Kingfisher
Alcedo meninting
Stork-billed Kingfisher
Pelargopsis capensis
Southern Pig-tailed Macaque
Macaca nemestrina
Common Water Monitor
Varanus salvator
Great Egret
Ardea alba
Purple Heron
Ardea purpurea
Crested Serpent Eagle
Spilornis cheela
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Crab-eating Macaque
Macaca fascicularis
Silvered Leaf Monkey
Trachypithecus cristatus
Asian Elephant
Elephas maximus
Southern Pig-tailed Macaque
Macaca nemestrina
Maroon Leaf Monkey
Presbytis rubicunda
Prevost's Squirrel
Callosciurus prevostii
Common Palm Civet
Paradoxurus hermaphroditus
Malay Civet
Viverra tangalunga
Sunda Flying Lemur
Galeopterus variegatus
Small-toothed Palm Civet
Arctogalidia trivirgata
Least Pygmy Squirrel
Exilisciurus exilis
Plantain Squirrel
Callosciurus notatus
📊 Most Spotted
Oriental Pied Hornbill
Anthracoceros albirostris
Green Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula aenea
Blue-eared Kingfisher
Alcedo meninting
Stork-billed Kingfisher
Pelargopsis capensis
Great Egret
Ardea alba
Purple Heron
Ardea purpurea
Crested Serpent Eagle
Spilornis cheela
Oriental Darter
Anhinga melanogaster
Dollarbird
Eurystomus orientalis
Slender-billed Crow
Corvus enca
Black Hornbill
Anthracoceros malayanus
Storm's Stork
Ciconia stormi
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Common Water Monitor
Varanus salvator
Flat-tailed House Gecko
Hemidactylus platyurus
Common Bronze-back
Dendrelaphis pictus
White-banded Narrow-disked Gecko
Gekko albofasciolatus
Ornate Earless Agama
Aphaniotis ornata
Common Mock Viper
Psammodynastes pulverulentus
Rough Mabuya
Eutropis rudis
Spotted House Gecko
Gekko monarchus
Green Crested Lizard
Bronchocela cristatella
Borneo Skink
Dasia vittata
Paradise Flying Snake
Chrysopelea paradisi
Gold-ringed Cat Snake
Boiga dendrophila
📊 Most Spotted
Chasen's Frilled Tree Frog
Kurixalus chaseni
Copper-cheeked Frog
Chalcorana raniceps
Harlequin Tree Frog
Rhacophorus pardalis
Smooth-Fingered Narrow-mouthed Frog
Kaloula baleata
Rough-sided frog
Pulchrana glandulosa
Green Paddy Frog
Hylarana erythraea
Crested Toad
Ingerophrynus divergens
Large White-lipped Frog
Chalcorana megalonesa
Brown-Striped Tree Frog
Polypedates macrotis
Rough Guardian Frog
Limnonectes finchi
Alpine Cricket Frog
Fejervarya limnocharis
Crab-eating Frog
Fejervarya cancrivora
Recent sightings in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Orangutan Nesting and Feeding Season
Orangutans build nests and forage heavily in fruiting fig trees, offering prime viewing opportunities during boat cruises.
2Proboscis Monkey Riverbank Display
Proboscis monkeys gather in large troops along the Kinabatangan River, leaping between trees and displaying their distinctive noses during dawn and dusk cruises.
3Frogging and Amphibian Chorus Wet Season
Heavy rains trigger explosive breeding choruses of frogs like the Copper-cheeked Frog and Harlequin Tree Frog, filling the forest with sound and visibility at night.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Orangutan Nesting and Feeding Season
- 2Proboscis Monkey Riverbank Display
- 3Frogging and Amphibian Chorus Wet Season
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
Anyway, here’s the animals we saw during our Kinabatangan River cruise: - Proboscis monkeys - Orangutans - Long-tailed macaques - Stump-tailed macaques - Saltwater crocodile (an adult AND A BABY!!!) - Rhinoceros hornbill - Crane - Kingfisher - Snake of some sort It’s also possible to see pygmy elephants!
I saw wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys, tons of macaques (both long- and short-tailed), silver leaf monkeys, several types of hornbills, including the rhinoceros hornbill and so much more.
During my stay, I saw otters, several species of hornbills, freshwater crocodiles, and more.
We saw the Big 5: orangutans, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, hornbills, and crocodiles, plus some other weird and wonderful wildlife.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary?
The most likely sightings are Oriental Pied Hornbill (seen by about 90% of wildlife watchers), Proboscis Monkey (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Saltwater Crocodile (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Crab-eating Macaque (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Green Imperial-Pigeon (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers) — among 1064 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary for wildlife?
May has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Bornean Orangutan in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Bornean Orangutan sighting in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, based on 275 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Proboscis Monkey in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Proboscis Monkey sighting in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, based on 790 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Saltwater Crocodile in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Saltwater Crocodile sighting in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, based on 545 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
Very goodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
ExcellentHow likely to see animals?
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
