Belum Temenggor
| Belum Temenggor | |||
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| Location: | Perak , Malaysia | ||
| Next city: | Gerik | ||
| Surface: | 117,000 ha | ||
| Founding: | July 31, 2003 | ||
| Address: |
belum.com.my Perak State Parks Corporation |
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The Belum Temenggor National Park is the largest forest reserve on the entire Malaysian peninsula, which is located in the Malaysian state of Perak and borders on meridional Thailand .
history
On July 31, 2003, Belum was granted the status of a protected national park by decree by the Sultan of Perak.
geography
The park is divided into two large zones: the Royal Belum covers the northern part of the park to bordering Thailand while the Temenggor forest reserve extends south. It is believed that Belum-Temenggor, with its 130 million years, is one of the oldest forests of all primeval forests in the world, even older than the forests of the Amazon and the Congo . The forest frames the Temenggor Sea , the second largest on the Malaysian peninsula after Lake Kenyir .
The Temenggor Sea - like the Kenyir Sea - is an artificial lake built for the nearby hydroelectric power station. Nevertheless, it has a number of different local freshwater fish species, including specimens such as the great snakehead fish . Since fishing is allowed on the lake, it is an ideal destination for anglers who can rent boats and floating houses to stay overnight.
The forest is still inhabited by around 1400 locals, who are generally summarized under the name Orang Asli , which translated from Malaysian means original man or native .
Flora and fauna
The park is an important place for ornithology because it has been recognized by BirdLife International because of the rich bird life there. It is a destination for ornithologists who can observe over 300 species of birds here and, unique of its kind, the park is home to at least 10 species of the rare hornbills . It is one of the few forests in the world where rare mammals can be found, including the Malaysian tiger , Asian elephant , sun bear, and black-backed tapir .
The Belum-Temenggor rainforest is home to over 3000 species of flora, including 3 species from Rafflesia .