Sungai Pin Conservation Area draws interest for its rare birdlife

A SKG Green Sdn Bhd staff (right) sharing updates on the company's initiatives at the Sungai Pin Conservation Area during the 15th Borneo Bird Festival 2025 at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sandakan on Sunday (Oct 26)

26 Oktober 2025

SANDAKAN: The lesser-known Sungai Pin Conservation Area (SPnCA) in Kinabatangan captured the interest of bird enthusiasts and conservationists during the 15th Borneo Bird Festival 2025 at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), here.

The two-day event, which concluded on Sunday (Oct 26), brought together nature lovers, researchers, and wildlife groups celebrating Borneo’s rich avian diversity, with SKG Green Sdn Bhd among the exhibitors highlighting the rare species found within SPnCA.

Covering 2,632 hectares of riparian and peatland forests, SPnCA is home to an impressive 28 protected bird species, including some of Borneo’s most threatened hornbills and storks.

Among them are the endangered white-crowned hornbill (Berenicornis comatus), wrinkled hornbill (Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus), and Storm’s stork (Ciconia stormi).

The area also shelters the vulnerable rhinoceros hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros) and oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris).

Located along a 30km stretch of the Kinabatangan River, the conservation area forms a vital link between the Pin Supu Forest Reserve and the Kinabatangan Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, serving as an important corridor for birds and other wildlife.

Visitors to SKG Green’s booth were introduced to the company’s ongoing conservation work in SPnCA, part of its long-term effort to balance oil palm production with biodiversity protection.

“The Sungai Pin Conservation Area represents hope for the survival of many rare species. It demonstrates how conservation and sustainable agriculture can coexist when managed responsibly,” said SKG Green Chief Executive Officer Philipa Datuk Wilfred Mojilis.

Beyond birds, she added that SPnCA also supports 17 protected mammals, including the Bornean orangutan, proboscis monkey, and Sunda pangolin, as well as over 500 plant species, many of which are endemic to Borneo.

SKG Green’s participation in the festival reflects its ongoing efforts to actively promote its conservation initiatives and expand its eco-tourism ventures, positioning SPnCA as both a wildlife sanctuary and a sustainable nature destination in Sabah.