Malaysia, Home of the World's Most Diverse Ecosystem

The tropical rainforests in Malaysia were blessed with a location far from the ravages of the earth's ice ages that they developed much earlier than the other equatorial rainforests in Africa and South America. Evolving for over 120 million years, they displayed a much greater diversity and provided shelter for the emergence of mammals as well as birds.

When the earth became drier, the rainforests of Southeast Asia, sheltered by the Himalyan Massif, remained moist. This was followed by the ice ages when sea levels fell dramatically, forming land bridges between mainland and island Southeast Asia, allowing plant and animal migration. As the climate began to warm, this vast genetic storehouse burst forth with the profusion of species that exists today.
Malaysia is also home to the world's richest marine environment, which includes coral atolls, fringing reefs and barrier reefs. Coral reefs are to the sea what tropical rainforests are to the land. Corals require stringent conditions in order to flourish, only existing in warm, shallow seas where sunlight penetrates to about 100m and warm currents flow.


These living organisms form an ecosystem and tightly recycle everything, being virtually self-contained. Although they are found primarily in the tropics, they do not exist throughout tropical seas. It is very difficult to say which is the most complex ecosystem on earth - the coral reefs or the tropical rainforests. Both have no equals. Both are fragile yet boast unparalleled diversity.


Malaysia enjoys the best of both worlds and is truly the ideal destination for the nature lovers. It is not only one of the few countries that is home to these extraordinary ecosystems but also ranks among the very few that provide wide ranging protection in terms of designated parks as well as sanctuaries for these unique living treasures.

Ref:
Courtesy of Tourism Malaysia

Photos:
- Courtesy of Tourism Malaysia
- Carol @ Lankayan Island Resort
- Carol @ Sepilok Nature Resort