The Indo-Malayan rainforests are the oldest in the world. The region is a woodland of tall trees with abundance of warmth and rainfall through out the year. Almost all rain forests lie at or near the equator.

Many diverse species of animal and plant life can be seen here, with a large number of these occurring nowhere else in the world.

Rainforests on the Malaysia peninsula and in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo continue to excite a great deal of scientific interest. Scientists can spend entire lifetimes at work here. Some believe that some undiscovered plant may hold cures to many currently incurables human diseases.

It is estimated that over 15,000 flowering plant species (9 percent of the world’s total) and 185,00 animal species (16 percent of the world’s total) are found in Malaysia. The 125 acre, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) contains more tree species than exist in the whole of North America.

The world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, is unique to the region. Another tree to be seen is the towering Tualang tree, tallest of all tropical trees. It can reach up to 80 mt (260 ft) in height.

The Malaysian rainforest holds hundred of thousands of animal species, many of which are unique to the region and the world. Almost 300 species of mammals live here including tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, black and white tapirs, civet cats, leopards, honey bears and the sambar, and the barking deer. Also found here is the cat-sized mousedeer. There is also the badger-like binturong with its prehensile tail and many kinds of gibbons (small apes) and monkeys including the quaint loris with its sad eyes and lethargic manner. Sabah and Sarawak is home to the extraordinary Orang-Utan.