Name Niah National Park, includes Niah Caves National Historic Monument

IUCN Management Category National park: II (National Park)

National historic monument: III (Natural Monument)

Biogeographical Province 4.25.13 (Borneo)

Geographical Location Lies 10km inland and about 96km south-west of Miri, Fourth Division, Sarawak. Accessible via Miri. Buses are available on a daily basis to Batu Niah, approximately 4km upstream from the park. 3°48'-3°53'N, 113°49'-113°54'E

Date and History of Establishment The caves were gazetted as a natural monument in 1971 and national park status was assigned in 1974.

Area National Park: 3,140ha

National Historic Monument: 71ha

Land Tenure State

Altitude Ranges from 15m to 397m.

Physical Features Some two-thirds of the park is dominated by Gunung Subis, a large, almost vertical limestone massif. Most of the area was originally formed as a coral reef in the Lower Miocene which has since been uplifted and modified by faulting and erosion. There are several hundred caves within the park, the two most interesting ones being Niah Great Cave which is the largest with eight entrances and Painting Cave which is of archaeological interest. The Sungei (River) Subis flows along the park's western border. Comprises clay soils (Walsh, 1981).

Climate The region experiences a heavy monsoon from November to February (M. Wood, pers. comm., 1986).

Vegetation Limestone forest is the dominant vegetation type. Although mixed dipterocarp forest occurs, the remainder of the region is either alluvial or peatswamp forest. Prominent species include Dipterocarpus confertus, Octomelis sumatrana, Aeschynanthus tricolor and Christensenia sp. (Walsh, 1981).

Fauna Mammalian species include long-tailed macaque Macaca fascicularis, Bornean gibbon Hylobates muelleri, slow loris Nycticebus coucang, western tarsier Tarsius bancanus, Asiatic brush-tailed porcupine Atherurus macrourus and cave gecko Cyrotdactylus cavernicolus. Seven bat species live in the caves and include Cantors leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros galeritus and hairless bat Cheiromeles torquatus. Two species of swiflet occur, namely Collocalia sp. and black nest swiftlet Aerodramus maximus. Other avifauna include bat hawk Machaerhamphus alcinus, Brahminy kite Haliastur indus, common iora Aegithina tiphia and green iora Aegithina viridissima (Walsh, 1981).

Cultural Heritage Coins and pottery of the T'ang Dynasty have been found in the Great Cave, and it is suspected that bird's nests have been collected since 700 AD. Archaeological work began in 1954, especially in the Great Cave. In 1958 a human skull was found and carbon dating has shown it to be about 39,000 years old, making it the oldest recording of a human in South-east Asia. In the same year the only haematite cave paintings to be found in Borneo were discovered (Walsh, 1981).

Local Human Population No information

Visitors and Visitor Facilities In 1988, the park received 1,990 visitors (Kassim and Ngui, 1989). There is a hostel accommodating 36 people at Pangkalan Lobang. About 12km of footpaths have been created, and a visitors centre is planned (Walsh, 1981).

Scientific Research and Facilities Considerable archaeological work has been carried out principally by the Sarawak Museum (Walsh, 1981).

Conservation Value The area is of great archaeological importance (Walsh, 1981).

Conservation Management The Great Caves are under the juristiction of the Sarawak Museum. Collection of bat guano is now only permitted in prescribed areas (Walsh, 1981).

Management Constraints Principal threats are created by the collection of swiftlet nests to make birds nest soup and bat guano which is used as fertilizer (Walsh, 1981).

Staff No information

Budget No information

Local Addresses

National Parks and Wildlife Office, Forest Department, (Ibu Pejabat Perhutanan), Banbunan Wisma Sumber Alam, Jalan Stadium, Petra Jaya, 93660 Kuching (Tel: 82 442180; Fax: 82 441377)

References

Anon. (1975). Niah National Park. Tigerpaper 2(2):23.

Walsh, M.M. (1981). Niah National Park, Sarawak. Nature Malaysiana 6(4): 4-10.

Date May 1992