Rafflesia Forest Reserve

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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Rafflesia Forest Reserve

| iucn_category = Ia

| photo =

| photo_caption =

| map = Borneo

| map_caption =

| map_width =

| label = Rafflesia Forest Reserve

| label_position = right

| location = Sabah, Malaysia

| nearest_city =

| coordinates = {{Coord|05|46.64|N|116|20.60|E|type:landmark_region:MY|display=inline,title}}

| area = {{convert|356|ha}}

| established = 1984

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| governing_body =

}}

The Rafflesia Forest Reserve is a Virgin Jungle Reserve (VJR) that covers an area of {{convert|356|ha}} in Tambunan District of Sabah, Malaysia. The reserve was first established in 1967 as part of the Crocker Range Forest Reserve (now Crocker Range National Park). In 1984, it was made a separate reserve by the Sabah Forestry Department to protect the area's Rafflesia flowers.

The Rafflesia Information Centre is located along the road from Kota Kinabalu to Tambunan. Several sites with wild specimens of the parasitic flowering plant Rafflesia pricei are reachable via hiking trails from the centre.

File:Rafflesia pricei (14105248871).jpg

Flora

Rafflesia Forest Reserve is home to Rafflesia pricei and its host plant Tetrastigma leucostaphylum. The reserve is also home to montane forest tree species such as Shorea platyclados, Agathis kinabaluensis, Lithocarpus lucidus, Palaquium gutta, Shorea smithiana, Prainea limpato and Quercus kinabaluensis. Kerangas forest tree species in the reserve include Schima wallichii and Elaeocarpus stipularis.

Fauna

Rafflesia Forest Reserve is home to a number of insect species endemic to Borneo, including Lyclene mesilaulinea, Problepsis borneamagna, Spilosoma ericsoni and Utetheisa abraxoides.

References

{{reflist | refs=

{{cite web | url = https://www.mybis.gov.my/one/padetail.php?paid=380 | title = Rafflesia Virgin Jungle Reserve | work = Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS) | publisher = Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (Malaysia) | access-date = 13 November 2023}}

{{cite web | url = https://forest.sabah.gov.my/caims/Class%20VI/A_FR6/Rafflesia.htm | title = Rafflesia FR | publisher = Sabah Forestry Department | access-date = 13 November 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927205706/https://forest.sabah.gov.my/caims/Class%20VI/A_FR6/Rafflesia.htm | archive-date = 27 September 2007}}

{{cite conference | last1 = Chung | first1 = Arthur Y.C. | last2 = Chew | first2 = Steven K.F. | last3 = Majapun | first3 = Richard | last4 = Nilus | first4 = Reuben | last5 = Kugan | first5 = Frederick | name-list-style = amp | title = Rafflesia Forest Reserve: Conserving not only Rafflesia but also endemic, rare and interesting insects | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329152466 | date = July 2012 | conference = International Biological Symposium | location = Serdang, Malaysia | access-date = 13 November 2023}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.sabahtourism.com/attraction.php?ID=40|publisher=Sabah Tourism Board|title=Rafflesia Information Centre|access-date=21 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906000346/http://www.sabahtourism.com/attraction.php?ID=40|archive-date=6 September 2007}}

}}

{{Protected areas of Sabah}}

Category:1984 establishments in Malaysia

Category:Tourism in Malaysia

Category:Forestry in Malaysia

Category:Forest reserves of Sabah

Category:Borneo montane rain forests