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Site description (2003 baseline):
Site location and context
Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve lies within the northern end of the Banjaran Bintang. This range runs parellel with, but is not connected to, the Banjaran Titiwangsa, from which it is separated by the valley of Sungai Perak. Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve is an extensive area of hilly rainforest stretching from Gunung Bintang in the north and abutting Bukit Larut in the south. A chain of granite peaks form the backbone of the area, including Gunung Bintang (1,862 m asl), Gunung Inas (1,801 m asl) and Gunung Titiwangsa (1,726 m asl). The rivers of Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve feed into several important waterways. East-flowing streams drain into Sungai Perak, the major river system in the state while west-flowing streams feed Tasik Bukit Merah and Sungai Krian, the main sources of water for the Krian ricefields.
Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve is an important IBA candidate because of its extensive size, wide altitudinal coverage and relatively undisturbed state. The area provides sanctuary for the Sundaic lowland and montane forests bird assemblages, including the Mountain Peacock-pheasant. The area lies within the autumn migration route of several raptor species including Oriental Honey-Buzzard
Pernis ptilorhynchus, Japanese Sparrowhawk
Accipiter gularis and Chinese Sparrowhawk
Accipiter soloensis.
Non-bird biodiversity: (I) Globally threatened mammals (IUCN, 2002): CRITICAL: Sumatran Rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis, Malayan Roundleaf Horseshoe Bat Hipposideros nequam; ENDANGERED: Asian Elephant Elephas maximus, Tiger Panthera tigris, Malayan Tapir Tapirus indicus, South-east Asian White-toothed Shrew Crocidura fuliginosa; VULNERABLE: Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa, Serow Capricornis sumatraensis, Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca nemestrina, Common Porcupine Hystrix brachyura; NEAR THREATENED: Banded Leaf-Monkey Presbytis melalophos, White-handed Gibbon Hylobates lar, Agile Gibbon H. agilis, Siamang Symphalangus syndactylus, Long-tailed Macaque M. fascicularis, Bronzed Tube-nosed Bat Murina aenea; DATA DEFICIENT: Malayan Sun Bear Helarctos malayanus(II) GLobally threatened reptiles (IUCN, 2002): No information.(III) Globally threatened plants (IUCN, 2002): CRITICAL: Parashorea lucida; VULNERABLE: Cynometra inaequifolia, Nepenthes macfarlanei; LOWER RISK/conservation dependent: Elaeocarpus glabrescens; NEAR THREATENED: Eugenia nitidula
The vegetation in Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve consists of lowland mixed dipterocarp rain forest, lower montane forest and upper montane forest on the higher peaks. The latter forest is sometimes called mossy or cloud forest. The trees are typically gnarled and stunted, about 5 m tall and festooned with dripping mosses and epiphytes. The floor is covered by a soaking wet layer of sphagnum moss and pitcher plants.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The northern and southern part of the reserve has been logged but an undisturbed area lies near Gunung Inas. Illegal clearing of forests for orchards pose a problem.
Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve is a Permanent Forest Reserve gazetted under Gazette No. 960 in 1925. A Recreational Forest has been established by the Forestry Department at Lata Kekabu near Lenggong. Bintang Hijau VJR is an IUCN Category Ia protected area.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bintang Range (Malaysia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bintang-range-iba-malaysia on 22/11/2024.
