The Oldest Rainforests in the World
Malaysia's rainforests are among the oldest and most diverse ecosystems on Earth. The Taman Negara National Park is estimated to be 130 million years old — it existed when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. By comparison, the Amazon rainforest is "only" 55 million years old.
Malaysia is home to over 15,000 plant species, including the Rafflesia arnoldii — the largest bloom in the world (up to 1 meter in diameter, weighing up to 11 kg), which smells like rotting flesh and blooms for only a few days. In the Cameron Highlands and on Borneo, Nepenthes (pitcher plants) grow — carnivorous plants that digest insects and even small rats.
But paradise is threatened: Malaysia has cleared vast areas of rainforest for palm oil plantations in recent decades. Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo are particularly affected — from the plane, you see endless green squares (oil palms) next to the last remnants of primary forest. The Malaysian government has committed to maintaining at least 50% of the land area as forest — a challenging balancing act between economic development and nature conservation.
