The forest floor is the domain of Sabah's ghost species. These are animals that live quietly away from human trails and are rarely seen by anyone. Some are nocturnal and others are masters of staying out of sight. A few face severe threats from poaching and habitat loss. Knowing they are there changes how you look at the forest.
If you do a morning walk through the dipterocarp trees you are likely crossing the path of an animal that no human has seen in months. The appeal of the Bornean rainforest comes partly from its scale and complexity. The dense vegetation and the vast areas of protected land mean many animals live their entire lives without encountering a person.
"Camera traps demonstrate that well-managed secondary forests are vital conservation strongholds rather than lost causes."
The unseen wildlife
A ghost species is an elusive animal that lives quietly away from human trails. The term covers wild cattle, secretive cats and rare ground birds. These animals are often categorised as Endangered or Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Camera traps offer glimpses of their lives.
The Bornean banteng is the most endangered large mammal in Sabah. Known locally as the tembadau, this wild cattle species was uplisted to Critically Endangered in 2024 following a severe population decline. Sabah holds an estimated 326 individuals divided across 4 isolated management units. The banteng is seen with luck on a night drive.
Camera trap discoveries
For decades, researchers placed cameras on human-cut trails for convenience. A landmark study in the Kalabakan Forest Reserve placed cameras randomly in the undergrowth. The results proved that the bay cat and other rare species survive in commercially logged secondary forests.
At Borneo Rainforest Lodge, your guide might share verified infrared imagery of animals that walked the trails hours before you woke up. The lodge's construction and expansion period runs from 1 January 2025 to 22 January 2027. Camera traps reveal the resilience of the ecosystem and confirm that the food web remains intact even in areas with human activity.