Kota Kinabalu: A pair of Bornean peacock-pheasants has inspired a small community in Kampung Bistaria in Telupid to protect a forest reserve where these rare and elusive birds reside.
Life has become quite interesting for the folks of Kampung Bistaria since the discovery of the bird in 2019, within a forest reserve just two kilometres from their village.
Interestingly, the peacock-pheasant did not appear by itself nor was it discovered by the villagers.
Instead, it was tracked down by Khairul Ikhwan Matnin, a resilient former ranger with Yayasan Sabah. Khairul, 37, lives in Kampung Lohan Ranau, about 96km from Telupid.
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According to Khairul, tracking down the elusive peacock-pheasant species was no easy feat. He scoured various conservation areas managed by Yayasan Sabah, including Danum Valley, Maliau Basin, Imbak Canyon, Taliwas and Silam Coast.
In 2019, Khairul focused his search inside a forest reserve near Kampung Bistaria.
“I set up a camera trap within an area of three hectares, and after three months of waiting, my camera recorded a pair of Bornean peacock-pheasants.
“I couldn’t believe my luck. After all the years I spent searching, syukur Alhamdulillah, all my efforts were worth it,” he said.
While Khairul was ecstatic about his finding, he was also worried that the bird might fall victim to hunting if left unprotected.
“So I met the villagers and told them about it. They were very excited when I explained the bird’s potential to lure tourists to their village.
“They understood what I meant,” he said. “I encouraged them to protect the bird as well as the forest reserve that serves as its habitat.”
Khairul noted that the villagers not only took his advice positively but also supported him in setting up bird hides near where the birds were discovered.
In addition, he taught them how to manage tourists and handle bird hides.
Although he handed over management of the bird hide to Kampung Bistaria villagers in 2021, Khairul still keeps in contact with them.
“They told me that last year (2023), Kampung Bistaria received almost 1,000 tourists. Of course, I feel very happy for them, especially because they’re now genuinely committed to protecting the Bornean peacock-pheasant and its forest habitat,” he said.
Khairul expressed gratitude to Yayasan Sabah for instilling in him a passion for wildlife.
“It was indeed a great privilege to have been a Yayasan Sabah ranger, which enabled me to participate in many resource and wildlife surveys, particularly in the DaMaI (Danum, Maliau and Imbak) conservation areas.
It reminds me of many interesting and valuable experiences I learned from researchers and taught me to care for our natural heritage,” he said.
Khairul also participated in Yayasan Sabah resource and wildlife survey at Maliau Basin Conservation Area that concluded on May 26 and at Imbak Canyon Conservation Area Oct 1.
While continuing his bird-watching activities, he has become a freelance guide mainly catering to foreign tourists and is planning to open a bird-watching site on his private land in Ranau.