How to save the rainforest: Build a health center | CNN

Brunei —

In the northeast corner of Borneo, an island off the southeast coast of Asia, lies the tiny kingdom of Brunei. It may be a small country, with a population of just over 400,000, but there's an excellent reason for travelers to make a stop there: its rainforests are home to some of the animal kingdom's rarest creatures, many of which can only be found in the region.

A wonder to behold, their scarcity also means they're not always easy to find. Some of Brunei's wildlife is so precious that conservationists take care not to share detailed locations of animal sightings or typical habitats such as steaming waterfalls and shallow streams to ensure the safety of the animals.

Here are 10 of Brunei's most amazing animals, which any wildlife tourist should consider themselves privileged to see.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

Borneo horned frog —

One such species is this creative little amphibian, who has figured out how to hide from predators by blending into its surroundings. Its shape and color have evolved to look just like the dead leaves on the forest floor. Sometimes also called the long-nosed frog, it has a pointed snout and what look like horns on its head, also part of the camouflage. This comes in handy when hiding in the undergrowth to catch its prey. The species is endemic to Borneo says Muhammad Shavez from 1StopBrunei, a group of local conservationists and eco-tourism operators.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

Praying mantis —

Due to the way it holds its front legs together as if saying prayers, this insect is named after the Greek word mantis which means prophet or fortune teller. Hardly a picky eater, the carnivorous mantis feasts primarily on other insects, but has been known to eat small reptiles, mammals and even other mantids, especially after mating, when females may decide to eat their partners.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

Borneo keeled pit viper —

Brightly colored and venomous, this snake is a patient predator and can stay put for weeks on end as it waits for the perfect opportunity to snatch its prey -- usually birds or rodents, according to 1Stop Brunei.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

A paradise for lovers of the natural world, nearly three quarters of Brunei lies under a dense layer of tropical rainforest. While deforestation and habitat loss is a problem in rainforests around the world, and other parts of Borneo, Brunei has made efforts to preserve its flora and fauna, says Shavez. "Brunei has preserved 70% of its forest, and 58% is legally protected because of the Heart of Borneo Initiative." The Heart of Borneo Initiative is a joint effort by the governments of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, who in 2007 initiated a joint declaration to protect the Borneo's biodiversity through creating protected areas and promoting sustainability on the island.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

Pangolin —

The pangolin, one of the most poached animals in the world, also live here. There are eight species of pangolins in total -- four in Africa and four in Asia -- and all are either endangered or critically endangered. Habitat loss and illegal wildlife trade are among reasons for some of its decline.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

Pangolin —

The small scaly anteater curls up when frightened. It looks a little like an armadillo and feeds exclusively on ants and termites. In traditional Chinese medicine It is sold as an alternative to rhino horns and elephant tusks as its scales are considered to have similar properties.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

A rare sight, but perhaps that's for the best. These beasts have been known to leap out of the water and <a href="http://phys.org/news/2011-06-malaysia-scientists-tag-borneo-saltwater.html" target="_blank" target="_blank">attack humans</a>. It is <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/5668/0" target="_blank" target="_blank">found across Borneo</a> in the brackish waters along the coast, as well as tidal rivers, swamps and marshes inland. "It's the worlds longest and largest crocodile," says Shaves. "It can grow up to 7 metres long and pray on fish, proboscis monkeys, and anything it can grab onto."

Salt water crocodile —

A rare sight, but perhaps that's for the best. These beasts have been known to leap out of the water and attack humans. It is found across Borneo in the brackish waters along the coast, as well as tidal rivers, swamps and marshes inland. "It's the worlds longest and largest crocodile," says Shaves. "It can grow up to 7 metres long and pray on fish, proboscis monkeys, and anything it can grab onto."

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

One of the area's most unique creatures is the <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/summary/14352/0" target="_blank" target="_blank">endangered</a> proboscis monkey who thrives in the swampy mangrove forests and can only be found on Borneo -- munching on fruit, leaves and the odd caterpillar.

Proboscis monkey —

One of the area's most unique creatures is the endangered proboscis monkey who thrives in the swampy mangrove forests and can only be found on Borneo -- munching on fruit, leaves and the odd caterpillar.

Alex Ogle/AFP/Getty Images

Though perhaps odd-looking to humans, the males use their long, bulbous noses to attract and <a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/proboscis-monkey/" target="_blank" target="_blank">impress females</a>, and they live in harem groups of one male and up to seven females. Their webbed feet make them excellent swimmers and they like to spend most of their time near water.

Proboscis monkey —

Though perhaps odd-looking to humans, the males use their long, bulbous noses to attract and impress females, and they live in harem groups of one male and up to seven females. Their webbed feet make them excellent swimmers and they like to spend most of their time near water.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

Clouded leopard —

The mighty Sunda clouded leopard can only be found in Sumatra and Borneo. Their numbers are decreasing in Brunei and spotting them in the wild has become very challenging, says Lin Ji Liaw, President of BruWild, a conservation group working in the area. They are distinguished by the cloud-like patches on their fur and the largest canine fangs relative to their bodies in any living cat species. Despite the name they are of a separate genus to leopards and other large cats like panthers and tigers. They are camera-shy predators and the one pictured lives at Taipei Zoo.

Mandy Cheng/AFP/Getty

Hornbills —

A stopover for many long-distance migratory birds and seasonal visitors from northern Asia, the forests are home to some spectacular bird species. The rhinoceros hornbill, pictured, is one of eight hornbill species found on the island. Populations are in decline due to habitat loss and poaching leading to local extinction in some areas.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

Hornbill —

The helmeted hornbill, pictured, is particularly threatened because of the ivory on its head, says Shavez. "They are being killed in hundreds on Borneo. We don't have a serious problem with poaching in Brunei yet, but the problem is that it's a very small country, so even if you take one out, it disturbs the ecosystem."

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

Flying fox —

This mysterious mammal is actually a bat, although as the name suggests, it's so big it looks more like a dog or fox with wings flying amongst the treetops. But fear not. Despite wingspans of up to five and a half feet, fortunately it's herbivorous. They can travel long distances and are important pollinators of the forest plants, Shavez explains. "They are like the bees of the night and very important for the ecosystem."

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

Slow loris —

This tiny fella may look sweet, but beware, it is poisonous and capable of giving you a nasty bite. Unfortunately it may be a little too cute for its own good, and is in demand on the illegal pet trading market, according to conservationists working in the area.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

Slow loris —

The pint-sized primate is nocturnal and has the longest tongue of all the primates, which they use to drink nectar from flowers. Now endangered, they are among the rarest primates on earth, having diverged from African bushbabies around 40 million years ago.
Although these forests' wildlife is under threat, there is hope. Brunei has recently begun to promote ecotourism, which could incentivize stronger conservation efforts in the area, if managed well, says Liaw, which will hopefully mean a brighter future for its fascinating animals.

Courtesy 1Stop Brunei

10 amazing creatures hiding in Brunei's rainforest

The roosters were still asleep when Sri Wayunisih woke her daughter, Puteri. They could not afford to sleep till dawn.

Wayunisih had taken a day off from working on the oil palm estates and Puteri had skipped school for this trip. The two of them were heading towards Sukadana, a coastal district in south-west Borneo and the capital city of North Kayong, home to the only clinic in the area, some 80 kilometers away.

An hour and a few wrong turns later, Wayunisih and Puteri reached the clinic. It was just past 5 a.m. By 8 a.m, a small crowd of 15 adults and children were sat on the clinic verandah.

It was Friday, the least busy day of the week. Any other weekday would see all 40 chairs on the verandah filled.

Everyone in the room sat facing the eastern wall featuring a large white sculpture of a tree growing out of dense undergrowth, hornbills flying out of its canopy, the letters ASRI carved on its trunk.

ASRI stands for Alam Sehat Lestari, Indonesian for ‘healthy nature everlasting’ or ‘harmoniously balanced’. It’s the name of an Indonesian non-profit organisation based here in North Kayong on the western border of Gunung Palung National Park.

North Kayong is more than five times the area of New York City. The monthly income averages around 2.45 million rupiah (US$181), but one in ten residents make do with just 250,000 rupiah a month (<$20), much less than the World Bank’s $1/day threshold for poverty.

A beach house-type hut in Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, Indonesia.

Timothy G. Laman/National Geographic/Getty Images

The obvious fact is: people need to earn a living to survive. In desperation, many fathers and sons log and burn the edge of the national park for timber and farmland.

Conservationists speak of the park’s 108,000 hectares of swamp, lowlands and montane forest, which together house sun bears, hornbills, gibbons and about 2,500 orangutans. But to local people strapped for cash, the trees look like fixed deposits to be withdrawn in entirety.

For many in North Kayong, healthcare is a dream and emergencies a nightmare. But if paying for a doctor is difficult, at least choosing one is easy: In 2016, there were only 168 nurses, 15 doctors and one dentist in the regency. Five of those doctors and that one dentist work in the clinic that Wayunisih and her daughter braved the dark road to reach, and it is here that ASRI has concentrated its efforts.

Since 2007, ASRI has been working with communities around the national park to improve the wellbeing of both humans and the environment.