Conservation supporters have raised £287,871 through an international fundraising appeal to help protect a 16-hectare patch of rainforest in Malaysian Borneo, creating a potential lifeline for endangered orangutans and other wildlife. Announced by the UK-based charity World Land Trust on September 10, 2026, the fundraising success will help its Malaysian conservation partner, HUTAN, secure forest land in the Kinabatangan floodplain in Sabah. The proposed acquisition is intended to extend the existing Sungai Sukau Wildlife Corridor, helping reconnect isolated forest patches in a landscape affected by decades of deforestation. The project aims to improve habitat connectivity for wildlife, including the Northeast Bornean orangutan and Bornean elephant, whose survival depends on access to suitable forest habitats.
World Land Trust appeal raises £287,871 for Borneo rainforest
The money was raised through World Land Trust’s Act Now for Orangutans appeal, which sought funding to help HUTAN secure 16 hectares of forest in the Kinabatangan floodplain. The charity announced on September 10 that the appeal had raised £287,871, allowing its conservation partner to move forward with efforts to secure the land.The original fundraising appeal set a target of £287,821. World Land Trust also offered to match the first £50,000 in donations, increasing the impact of contributions made during the campaign. The funds are intended to support the acquisition of the forest, rather than simply finance general conservation activities.
Why the Kinabatangan forest is important for orangutans
The Kinabatangan floodplain in Sabah is one of the important remaining wildlife landscapes in Malaysian Borneo. However, extensive deforestation, particularly for agriculture and plantations, has divided once-connected forests into smaller, isolated patches.This fragmentation makes it harder for wildlife to move between habitats, find food and locate potential mates. The proposed 16-hectare acquisition is intended to extend the Sungai Sukau Wildlife Corridor, helping connect forest areas that have become separated by land-use changes.The corridor could improve movement opportunities for orangutans and other animals while supporting the conservation of riverbank and riparian habitats along the Sungai Sukau River. It is also expected to benefit wildlife populations living near the village of Sukau, where encounters between animals and people can create conservation challenges.
Northeast Bornean orangutans and elephants among the beneficiaries
One of the key beneficiaries of the proposed forest protection is the Northeast Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio), a subspecies classified as critically endangered. These orangutans depend on forest habitats for feeding, nesting, movement and reproduction. When forests are broken into isolated sections, populations can become increasingly separated, limiting opportunities for breeding and long-term survival.The Bornean elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis), classified as endangered, is another species expected to benefit from improved habitat connectivity. These elephants need large areas to move between feeding grounds and other parts of their habitat. Fragmented forests can push them closer to agricultural land and settlements, increasing the possibility of conflict with people.Protecting and reconnecting forest patches can help maintain wildlife movement routes and reduce some of the pressures associated with habitat fragmentation.
HUTAN’s conservation work in Malaysian Borneo
HUTAN is a Malaysian conservation organisation that has worked in the Kinabatangan region for nearly three decades. Its activities include orangutan research and monitoring, wildlife protection, habitat restoration and collaboration with local communities.The organisation has been involved in efforts to protect and reconnect forest habitats through the Sungai Sukau Wildlife Corridor. Its work combines scientific research with practical conservation measures, including monitoring wildlife populations and supporting coexistence between people and animals.The 16-hectare forest targeted by the World Land Trust appeal would extend this wider corridor initiative, helping address the effects of habitat fragmentation in one of Sabah’s important wildlife landscapes.
