BORNEO PYGMY ELEPHANT
The Borneo elephant, also known as the Borneo pygmy elephant, inhabits northeastern Borneo.
Its origins still remain the subject of debate.
Generally smaller than its African counterpart, it is also remarkably tame and passive.
Since 1986, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed it as endangered.
Its population has declined by at least 50 per cent over the last three generations (which is estimated to be 60 to 75 years).
The species is primarily threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.
BORNEAN ORANG UTAN
The Bornean orang utan, Pongo pygmaeus, is a species of orangutan native to Borneo. It belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia. A highly intelligent creature, it shares approximately 97 per cent of its DNA with humans.
It is also a highly endangered species. Deforestation and hunting pose a serious threat to its continued existence.
According to the IUCN Red List of mammals, it is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The total number of Bornean orang utans is estimated to be less than 14 per cent of what it was in the recent past (from around 10,000 years ago until the middle of the 20th century). This sharp decline has occurred mostly over the past few decades due to human activities and development.
PROBOSCIS MONKEYS
Protected by law in all regions of Borneo, the proboscis monkey is endemic to the island of Borneo and is most common in coastal areas and riverbanks. Perhaps the most aquatic of primates, it is a fairly good swimmer, capable of swimming up to 20m underwater and is known to swim across rivers.
The proboscis monkey is listed as endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and listed in Appendix I of CITES.
Its total population has decreased by more than 50 per cent in the past 36 to 40 years because of habitat loss and hunting.