Geographical Overview Of Tawau Hills Park

The park serves as a vital water catchment area for the major rivers in this part of Sabah, the Tawau , Merotai, Kinabatangan, Mantri and Balung rivers. Covering an area of 27,972 hectares, the Tawau Hills Park was gazetted in 1979. It is home to numerous plant and animal species. Walking down any of the many paths, visitors will notice that a wooden label identifies almost every plant. The dominant vegetation is lowland dipterocarp forest. With increasing altitude (above 1,000 m), a thick damp mossy forest takes over. Lowland orchids are also abundant; the most spectacular is the Elephant's Ear Orchid. Be sure to check out the 2-hectare Lowland Gardens, home to an astounding selection of flora.