Ravaged by Deforestation, Sabah Belatedly Turns to Birdwatching Tourism

With 40 percent of its rainforest gone, Malaysian state seeks rich birders

By: Lee Weng Chung

Despite massive deforestation to harvest timber for export and open land for oil palm plantations, the Malaysian north Borneo state of Sabah still boasts one of the last bits of untouched wilderness in the Maliau Basin, which has been dubbed “The Lost World.” With millions of colorful, exotic birds lost in the past 50 years to habitat …