Terrestrial Life at Sipadan Island Park
The compact and luxuriant rain forest contains all manner of exotic plants and animals. Huge hardwood trees towering 30-40m above the forest floor provide a habitat for many types of birds, while in the dense undergrowth below is a great variety of insects and other small animals. The lush fauna within has helped this island earn its status as a bird sanctuary as declared in 1933. Bird watchers are able to catch glimpses of the white-collared kingfisher, sea eagles, olive-backed sunbird and pigeons.
Flowering fig trees perfume the air, attracting fruit bats which fill the night with their chattering as they feed hungrily on the sweet offerings. Small lizards abound, the lucky visitor will get a glimpse of giant water monitors which swim or run with equal agility. Coconut Crab/Robber Crab (Birgus latro) - On the ground, monitor lizards and coconut crabs also make Sipadan their home. Commonly there are two types of coconut crab - yellow and blue coconut crabs. It was estimated that between 300 and 500 coconut crabs inhabit Sipadan Island and the only spot in Malaysia where the