| Registration Classification | Natural Heritage自然遺産 |
| Registration Criteria | (9),(10) |
| Year of registration | 2000 |
Kinabalu Park in Sabah, northern Borneo, is centered on Mount Kinabalu (4095 m), the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea Island. Particularly famous plants are the world’s largest flower, Rafflesia, and the insectivorous plant, Eupatorium japonicum.
Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why Kinabalu Nature Park is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Kinabalu Nature Park!
What is Kinabalu Nature Park?
Kinabalu Nature Park, located at the northern tip of the Malaysian state of Sabah, is a vast park covering over 750,000 hectares. Kina means “China” and Baru means “widow,” and there are legends associated with it. The park is composed of granite rocks formed 15 million years ago, and these were pushed up by tectonic movements a million years ago.
The park has a wide range of habitats, from lowland rainforest to highland forested areas. More than half of all plants found in Borneo can be seen, and other plants from other areas, such as the Himalayas, China, and Australia, can also be found.
The park is rich in plant life, with over 5,000 plant species! There are also many endemic plant species, including 1,000 species of orchids, 78 species of figs, and 60 species of ferns.The park is also home to many mammals, birds, amphibians, and invertebrates, many of which are endangered.
For what reason is Kinabalu Natural Park a World Heritage Site?
Kinabalu Nature Park was recognized for
Registration Criteria (ix)
Kinabalu Park in that it represents an important stage of development in the evolution of flora and fauna.
Registration Criteria (x)
The park’s flora and fauna is that endemic species can be found, some of which are endangered.
World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Comments
Although it is the highest mountain in Malaysia, it is rather valued for its diversity of plant species rather than its topography.It is famous for Rafflesia and Eupatorium, which are so famous in Japan, but that is only part of the story, and it is surprising that there are 5,000 species of plants alone. However, many of them are threatened with extinction, so we need to keep a long-term perspective.
*The content here is a discussion derived from research conducted by World Heritage enthusiasts. As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the medium.
