JOHOR
Johor
With a land cover of 19,210 square kilometres, Johor is the third largest and the southernmost state in Peninsular Malaysia. The state is serviced by its state capital, Johor Bahru and supported by a fairly new international airport, the Senai International Airport. Johor has 3 IBAs (MY13, MY14 and MY15) and also has 3 out of 7 Ramsar sites in Malaysia.
- Contact Info
- Southern Johor Forestry Office
- www.johornationalparks.gov.my
- Johor National Parks Corporation
- Tel: 07 226 1301
- www.johornationalparks.gov.my
The state offers a variety of habitats and bird life for nature enthusiasts including beautiful island that made it in a Hollywood film! It attracts birders and photographers from Singapore and international visitors flying into area, buffered by its over 500 species count.
Panti Forest Reserve
Coordinate: 1°52’44.5”N 103°55’18.2”E
No. of species: > 350
Panti Forest Reserve is a famous site for birdwatching in the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia and it is very popular among birdwatchers from Singapore due to its distance from the Johor-Singapore border. This birding site is popularly known as Panti Bird Sanctuary.
Located about 20 kilometres from the town of Kota Tinggi, this site covers an area of approximately 275 square kilometres and is situated at the headwaters of the Johor, Linggiu and Ulu Sedili rivers in southern Johor. The area is made up mostly of lowland forest with hill forests on two mountains, Gunung Muntahak (654m) and Gunung Sumalayang (615 metres). The montane ericaceous forest occurs on the western summit of Gunung Panti (654 metres) and peat swamp forest can be found in the low-lying areas.
Panti Forest Reserve is listed as an IBAs (MY14). More than 350 resident and migrant bird species have been found here. This include many Sunda endemics. Five globally threatened bird species – Wallace’s Hawk-eagle, Rail-babbler, Chestnut-necklaced Partridge, Short-toed Coucal, Wrinkled Hornbill and Helmeted Hornbill – are also found here.
The peat swamp forest trail thrives with wildlife and here you might find the Blyth’s Hawk-eagle, Wrinkled Hornbill, Banded Kingfisher, Red-billed Malkoha, White-bellied Erpornis and Purple-naped Spiderhunter. You might also spot the Bat Hawk, Lesser Cuckooshrike, Green lora, Scarlet Minivet and Fiery Minivet and Black-and-White Bulbul while birdwatching along the Quarry Trail. Migrants include the Siberian Thrush, Siberian Blue Robin as well as the Dark- sided Flycatcher, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Yellow-rumped Flycatcher and Blue-and-White Flycatcher.
The Panti Forest Reserve’s Bunker trail harbours 8 hornbill species as well as the Olive-backed Woodpecker, Dusky Broadbill and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. Parts of the forest reserve have been turned into a bird sanctuary. Currently, the most accessible trail is the Bunker Trail.
Access to this reserve is strictly with a permit which can be obtained but months in advance from the Southern Johor Forestry Office. The only way to get to this site is by your own vehicle and you are encouraged to engage a local guide.
Endau Rompin National Park
Coordinate: 2°31’50.2”N 103°24’54.4”E
No. of species: 250
Endau Rompin National Park is another amazing tropical rainforest like Taman Negara and Royal Belum State Park. It is also one of the largest parks in the country covering 48,000 hectares of lowland forest, hilly terrain and a series of pristine streams and river. This park was gazetted in 1993 and was named after the 2 rivers that flow through the park, Endau River and Rompin River.
Listed as an IBAS (MY13), Endau Rompin National Park supports over 250 species of birds with 9 globally threatened species such as Malay Peacock-pheasant, Crestless Fireback, Lesser Adjutant, Storm’s Stork, Wallace’s Hawk-eagle, Masked Finfoot, Short- toed Coucal, Blue-banded Kingfisher and Straw-headed Bulbul.
Other birds sighted here include the Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Pin-striped Tit-babbler, Fiery Minivet, Oriental Paradise-flycatcher (Blyth’s Paradise- Flycatcher), Cream-vented Bulbul, Red-eyed Bulbul, Blue-winged Leafbird, Red Junglefowl, Buff-necked Woodpecker, Rhinocerous Hornbill, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Greater Coucal, Brown Boobook, Sunda Scops- owl, Raffles’s Malkoha, Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, Malay Black Magpie, White-rumped Sharma, Rufous-crowned Babbler, Black-throated Babbler, Chestnut-rumped Babbler, Chestnut-winged Babbler, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Little Spiderhunter, Common Hill Myna and many more.
The park is also famous for its indigenous community and a good place to see Asian elephants. Going to the park is either by, driving your own 4×4 to the park or drive a normal vehicle to the town of Kahang and hire the 4×4 service through the Johor National Parks office. This is where you can also pay your park entrance fees and make your bookings for accommodation (a simple chalet room or dormitory beds). The journey from Kuala Lumpur is 5-hour however if you are coming from Johor Bahru, the journey is shorter at 3.5-hour. This duration includes a 1.5-hour drive in a 4×4 vehicle.
Gunung Panti Recreational Forest – Panti Bird Sanctuary (Northern Area)
Species Count : +380 bird species.
Habitat : The area comprises extensive lowland dipterocarp forests.
Visitor Experience : Birdwatching is typically conducted along the main logging trails, forest roads, and smaller footpaths radiating from the main entrance of the recreational forest.
Resident Birds : Malaysian Rail-babbler, Cinnamon-rumped Trogon, Scarlet-rumped Trogon, Black Hornbill, Red-naped Trogon, Grey-breasted Babbler, Malaysian Honeyguide, and Crested jayshrike.
Migratory Birds (August–March) : Amur Paradise Flycatcher, Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher, and Arctic Warbler.
Lenggor Forest Reserve
Species Count : +280 bird species.
Habitat : Lenggor Forest Reserve comprises extensive lowland dipterocarp forests.
Visitor Experience : Birdwatching in Lenggor Forest Reserve is typically carried out along logging tracks, forest access roads, and small footpaths that penetrate deep into the reserve.
Resident Birds : Scarlet-rumped Trogon, Diard’s Trogon, Banded Broadbill, Malayan Banded-Pitta, Black-thighed Falconet, Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker, Cinnamon-rumped Trogon, and Striped Wren-babbler.
Migratory Birds (August–March) : Tiger Shrike, Amur Paradise Flycatcher, and Eastern-crowned Warbler.
Gunung Arong Recreational Forest
Species Count : +260 bird species.
Habitat : The recreational forest is characterized by lowland dipterocarp forests gradually transitioning into hill forest along the hiking trails that lead up to the summit of Gunung Arong.
Visitor Experience : Gunung Arong is a popular destination for nature lovers, hikers, and birdwatchers alike. A well maintained trail leads to the 274-metre summit, which can be reached in under two hours.
Resident Birds : Little Green Pigeon, Rufous-tailed Shama, Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, Chestnut-rumped Babbler, Banded Kingfisher, and Spotted Fantail.
Migratory Birds (August–March) : Tiger Shrike, Amur Paradise Flycatcher, Arctic Warbler, and Dark-sided Flycatcher.
Endau-Rompin National Par
Species Count : +220 bird species.
Habitat : The habitat ranges from lowland dipterocarp forests and riverine ecosystems to hill forests and rugged upland terrain. Dense primary forest dominates most of the landscape, swampy areas, and forest edges near rivers and trails.
Visitor Experience : Birdwatching in Endau-Rompin is a rewarding experience for nature enthusiasts and serious birders alike, though it requires some planning and effort due to its remote location. Trails such as those leading to Buaya Sangkut Waterfall, Upeh Guling, and Kuala Jasin are productive for birdwatching.
Resident Birds : Rhinoceros Hornbill, Straw-headed bulbul, Checker-throated Woodpecker, Great Argus, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Collared Scops Owl, and Red-naped Trogon.
Migratory Birds (August–March) : Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher, Amur Paradise Flycatcher, Arctic Warbler, and Dark sided Flycatcher.
Sungai Balang Rice Fields
Species Count : +180 bird species.
Habitat : The Sungai Balang landscape is dominated by vast rice fields interspersed with irrigation canals.
Visitor Experience : Birdwatching at Sungai Balang is typically done by driving along the network of small roads and levees that crisscross the rice fields.
Resident Birds : Purple Heron, Black-winged Stilt, Black winged Kite, White-breasted Waterhen, Zitting Cisticola, and Grey-headed Swamphen.
Migratory Birds (August–March) : Black-tailed Godwit, Oriental Plover, Common Greenshank, Long-toed Stint, Oriental Pratincole, and Common Greenshank.
Mersing Beach
Species Count : +120 species.
Habitat : Mersing Beach is a scenic stretch of sandy coastline interspersed with rocky shores.
Visitor Experience : Birdwatching at Mersing Beach is best done during low tide, when extensive mudflats are exposed, attracting large flocks of waders. The site is accessible and suitable for casual birdwatchers, with easy walking along the beach and coastal roads.
Resident Birds : Little Egret, Pacific Reef Heron, White bellied Sea Eagle, Collared Kingfisher, Brahminy Kite, and Malaysian Plover.
Migratory Birds (August–March) : Whimbrel, Common Redshank, Terek Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Tibetan Sand Plover, Greater Crested Tern, Little Tern, Great knot, and Grey-tailed Tattler.
