Danum Valley Conservation Area

Danum Valley Conservation Area
Morning fog over Danum Valley, Borneo
Danum
Valley
LocationSabah, Malaysia
Nearest cityLahad Datu
Coordinates4°55′N 117°40′E / 4.917°N 117.667°E / 4.917; 117.667
Area438 km2 (169 sq mi)
Established1980

Danum Valley Conservation Area is a 438 square kilometres (169 sq mi) tract of relatively undisturbed lowland dipterocarp forest in Sabah, Malaysia. It has an extensive diversity of tropical flora and fauna, including species such as the rare Bornean orangutan, gibbons, mousedeer, clouded leopards and over 270 bird species. Visitor activities include jungle treks, river swimming, birdwatching, night jungle tours and excursions to nearby logging sites and timber mills.

There were no human settlements within the area before it became a conservation area, meaning that hunting, logging and other human interference were non-existent, making the area almost unique. It is managed by Yayasan Sabah for conservation, research, education, and habitat restoration training purposes. There have been proposals to nominate the site as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.