Taman Negara National Park
Designation
ASEAN Heritage Parks
Body
| Taman Negara National Park - Malaysia's first and oldest protected area |
| One of the world's oldest rainforests, Taman Negara is considered to be older than either the Amazon or the Congo, as it has remained undisturbed for over 130 million years. Located close to the equator, Taman Negara boasts the most extensive protected area of pristine, lowland, evergreen rainforest in the country. The area receives 2,200 millimeters of rain in the lowlands and up to 3,800 millimeters in the mountains throughout the year. The rainforest covers 4,343 square kilometres (434, 351 hectares) across the states of Pahang, Kelantan, and Terengganu. Originally named King George V National Park, the Park was renamed Taman Negara after the nation gained independence in 1957. Taman Negara is the first and the oldest official protected area in the country. The site was declared a National Park by the sultans of the three states in 1939 for the sole purpose of protecting and preserving the indigenous flora and fauna. Taman Negara was established under three state enactments: Taman Negara Enactment (Kelantan) 1938, Taman Negara Enactment (Trengganu) 1939, and Taman Negara Enactment (Pahang) 1939 (Zainuddin et al. 2007). The highest point in the Park is Gunung Tahan at 2,187 meters above sea level. The other peaks are Gunung Gagau (1,376 meters), Mandi Angin (1,459 meters), and Kuala Atok (75 meters). Gunung Tahan marks the Pahang-Kelantan border (Zainuddin et al. 2007). No commercial exploitation is permitted, except for subsistence hunting by the aboriginals (the Orang Asli people). |