Binsuluk Forest Reserve
Binsuluk Forest Reserve, also known as Binsulok Forest Reserve, is a protected peat swamp forest on Sabah’s Klias Peninsula in the Beaufort District, Malaysia. It covers about 121.06 square kilometres (12,106 hectares) and is classified by the IUCN as a strict nature reserve (Category Ia). The Sabah Forestry Department manages the reserve, which was established in 1984 and designated a Class 1 Protection Forest in 1992.
The reserve is mostly flat and composed of peat swamp forest, with a small area of mangroves. Along with the nearby Klias Forest Reserve, Binsuluk is one of Sabah’s last peat forests, which makes it highly susceptible to fires.
Fire history and threats: Peatlands burn easily, and large fires in 1997–1998 burned much of the reserve. In 2016, peat bog fires spread from nearby open burning and contributed to the Malaysian haze, with more than half of Binsuluk affected. A fire in 2020 burned about 274 hectares.
Biodiversity: Across Binsuluk and Klias, at least 134 tree species have been recorded, including four Nepenthes pitcher plants. Notable tree species include Dryobalanops rappa, Shorea platycarpa, Dactylocladus stenostachys, and Gonystylus bancanus, though their status is uncertain due to fires and logging. An IUCN assessment in 2019 did not list Binsuluk as a habitat for Dryobalanops rappa.
Fauna: Mammals such as wild boar, sambar deer, and macaques live in the area. Five amphibian species have been found: Hoplobathracus rogulosa, Rana erythraea, Rana glandulosa, Polypedates coletti, and Polypedates leucomystax. Saltwater crocodiles inhabit the peninsula. The peat forests host about 66 butterfly species.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:26 (CET).