The BRL birding team (from second left) Sabinus, Shahrin and Nevin with researcher Dr Robert Ong (left) and photographer Gary Albert (right).
KOTA KINABALU (Nov 22): The Borneo Rainforest Lodge (BRL) outperformed 17 other teams to win the ‘Big Year’ with sightings of 123 bird species during the 14th Bornean Bird Festival 2024.
The team spearheaded by Director of Operations Abd Sail Jamaludin, consisting seasoned nature guides — AK Mohd Shahrin as leader, Nevin Wolli, and Sabinus Sadah — were strong favourites from the start.
In the photo race, a new category introduced this year, Nevin received a special mention in the wildlife photography contest for his shot of a Bornean pygmy squirrel.
He also secured the first runner-up position in the bird video contest with a rare capture of a Giant Pitta singing.
The success of the BRL team reflects their expertise and the rich biodiversity of Borneo’s rainforests, further cementing their reputation as leaders in lowland birding and nature guiding.
BRL Chief Executive Officer Freddie Coleman attributed the victory to rigorous on-the-job training, including monthly exposure to nature experts at the lodge.
The festival, held at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sandakan, attracted birders from across Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The bird race challenged participants to identify as many bird species as possible in the Sepilok rainforest using both sight and sound.
The festival serves as an important platform for raising conservation awareness while promoting birding as a form of sustainable tourism.
