Our own Taman Negara is said to be the oldest rainforest in the world. Older than either the Amazon or the Congo, it has remained undisturbed for 130 million years. It is more ancient than the dry surface of Colorado (US), which used to be under the ocean at that time. It is a grandmother to the rest of the world’s rainforests. During the Ice Ages, when immense glaciers covered much of the Earth, Malaysia was blessed with a location far enough away from the ice that its forest started to develop 130 million years ago - far earlier than forests of Africa and Latin America.
The Taman Negara’s age explains why it is considered to be one of the richest natural environments on earth with 10,000 species of plants, 350 species of birds, 100 types of snakes, 1,000 varieties of butterflies, perhaps 150,000 kinds of insects and 140 types of animals - including bears, elephants, leopards, tapirs, tigers, deer, wild cattle, pigs, rhinoceros, and numerous species of lizards.
This brings to mind the lost continent of Sundaland, the drowned large land mass which was our ancient home and which Dr. Stephen Oppenheimer, in his book Eden in the East: The Drowned Continent of Southeast Asia, suggested was the world's first civilization.
Two images of Sundaland
But that’s another story and maybe a separate posting. What can be said at this juncture is, because of its very old age, our undiscovered deep ancient history perhaps lies in the jungles of Taman Negara.
Taman Negara is well described in our travel guides and brochures, but here’s a nice write-up from a foreign website.
In the middle of the Malaysian peninsula lies a rainforest so old it makes the entire Amazon jungle seem like new growth. Taman Negara, literally ‘national park’ in Malay, has lain virtually undisturbed for 130 million years. Located as it is in the centre of the equator, even ice ages left barely a dent in this ancient jungle.
In the middle of the Malaysian peninsula lies a rainforest so old it makes the entire Amazon jungle seem like new growth. Taman Negara, literally ‘national park’ in Malay, has lain virtually undisturbed for 130 million years. Located as it is in the centre of the equator, even ice ages left barely a dent in this ancient jungle.
Taman Negara river winds through thick jungle, much of it undisturbed by man. Photo: taylorandayumi
Not surprisingly, the flora and fauna of Taman Negara are unrivalled; 14,000 species of plants, 200 mammals and 240 types of trees can be found in a mere hectare of this lush rainforest. And with travel within the park limited to jungle tracks and riverboats, much more may still be waiting to be found.
One of the colourful fungi that sprouts on decaying trees. Photo: taylorandayumi.
Prior to the Jurassic period, the entire Malay peninsula was submerged underwater. As a result, sedimentary rock and limestone make up the fertile base of Taman Negara and its interesting cave system. Most of Malaysia’s fossils have also been discovered within the limestone of this national park.
Kuala Tahan. Perahu (boat) brings visitors to their jungle accommodation. Photo: dms_303A
Winding through Taman Negara and serving as its main highway is the Tembeling River and its tributaries the Tahan, Trenggan and Kenyam. Wooden river boats known as perahu ply the waters, transporting people and supplies as they have done for hundreds of years. Human habitation along the river can be dated back nearly 2,000 years, bronze artefacts having been found along the river.
Living within the rainforest are Malaysia’s earliest inhabitants, or Orang Asli, meaning original or native people. The Orang Asli of Taman Negara are of the Negrito group, who have burial sites in Malaysia dating back 10,000 years.
An Orang Asli village, which can be quickly dismantled when they are ready to move on. Photo: Honza Soukup.
The Orang Asli live in settlements of about ten to thirty people. In the rainforest, they still live in hunter gatherer societies, in harmony with nature. When they have almost depleted the section of rainforest they live in, the Orang Asli move on and give the jungle time to rejuvenate.
Orange Asli women and children come down to the river to bathe and fish. Photo: dms_303.
The Orang Asli believe that only animals living above ground are best for consumption, so they hunt birds, squirrels and monkeys. Hunting was originally done with bows and arrows but nowadays the Orang Asli find blowpipes more effective. The darts of the blowpipes are tipped with the poisonous sap of the Ipoh tree (Antaris toxicaria). They supplement their diet with fish and jungle fruits.
Far outnumbering the human inhabitants are the flora and fauna of Taman Negara. Within the park boundaries there are tigers, Malayan tapirs, elephants, wild boar, various species of deer, leopards, sun bears, civets and wild ox, to name just a few.
The strikingly coloured Malayan Tapir, one of the animals found in Taman Negara. Photo: Trisha Shears.
Add to this between 200-300 species of birds and thousands of insects making their lives on the jungle floor. Taman Negara has one of the richest ecologies on earth, protected both by its impenetrability and Malaysian law.
A Streaked Spiderhunter, a species of bird common in the Malaysian rainforest. Photo: Lip Kee.
These days, increasing numbers of tourists visit the national park although, perhaps fortunately, numbers are still regulated by transport restrictions. Although many hope to catch a glimpse of the larger mammals, most of these remain well hidden in the jungle depths.
Visitors can, however, still experience the wonder of being in an ancient rainforest and take walks along jungle paths either on the ground or from hanging bridges in the trees.
Taman Negara is a unique environment and hopefully one that will remain relatively untouched for many, many years to come.
