Animals in Malaysia (Northern Borneo)
Below you can find a complete list of Borneo animals. We currently track 185 animals in Malaysia (Northern Borneo) and are adding more every day!
Malaysia (Northern Borneo) is a country on a peninsula, located in Southeast Asia, just south of the Gulf of Thailand. It is a land of exotic rainforests, endangered animals, and also some dangerous wildlife. Some of the most unique Malayasian wildlife includes the Asian Elephant, the Borneo Pygmy Elephant, Clouded Leopard, the Sun Bear, the Malayan Tiger, the King Cobra, the Malayan Civet, and the Lunar Moth. Several of these unique species are endangered and a few others might soon be extinct.
The Official National Animal of Malaysia (Northern Borneo)
The Malaysian National Animal is the Malayan Tiger. This unique and somewhat dangerous creature’s technical scientific name is Panthera tigris jacksoni, but the Malaysian national name for this tiger is listed as the “Panthera tigris mayalensis.” The Malayan Tiger is only found in southern Thailand and parts of Malaysia. This rainforest animal is critically endangered and at risk of becoming extinct if not protected.
Where To Find The Top Wild Animals in Malaysia (Northern Borneo)
Much of the wildlife in Malaysia can most easily be found in its national parks, such as the Taman Negara National Park and various nature preserves, like the Danum Valley Conservation Area, where you can see many rainforest animals.
The Most Dangerous Animals In Malaysia (Northern Borneo) Today
Snakes are easily the most dangerous animals living in Malaysia, but other exotic wildlife makes the list too. The most dangerous exotic animals in Malaysia and the Borneo rainforest include:
Endangered Animals In Malaysia (Northern Borneo)
Several of the animals that live in the Malaysian rainforest and elsewhere in northern Borneo are endangered. This includes:
Borneo Animals
Stunningly beautiful wings
First evolved 100 million years ago!
Renew their horns every year!
They are so named because they "march" in armies of worms from one crop to another in search of food
Domesticated for hundreds of years!
It mainly eats mangos and coffee!
Adult atlas moths do not eat - they live off fat they stored as larvae.
Extinct ancestor of all domesticated cattle!
People spin clothing and fishing nets out of these spiders’ silk.
Markings give it camouflage!
There are over 1768 known species!
Found everywhere around the world!
Detects prey using echolocation!
There are 8 different species!
Bed bugs feed for 4-12 minutes.
Rock paintings of bees date back 15,000 years
There are more than 350,000 different species
Also known as the Asian Bearcat!
Not all birds are able to fly!
They typically prey on insects!
Known to use large leaves as umbrellas!
The smallest species of elephant!
The most common species of bee!
There are thought to be up 17,500 species!
The camel crickets that are found in the USA are light brown in color. They also have dark streaks all over their body.
May have been domesticated up to 10,000 years ago.
The larvae of a moth or butterfly!
There are nearly 3,000 different species!
There are about 3,000 documented species!
First domesticated more than 10,000 years ago!
Dated to be around 300 million years old!
The most common raptor in the UK!
House spiders have the ability to eat most insects in a home.
Has a long, strong prehensile tail!
They can fly 35 mph and dive 150 feet below water.
There are nearly 1.5 billion worldwide!
Cow reticulated pythons hatch solid white, then develop spots as they mature.
There are 93 different crab groups
Found throughout the South-East Asian jungles!
Crab Spiders can mimic ants or bird droppings
Many are critically endangered species!
Male crickets can produce sounds by rubbing their wings together
Have changed little in 200 million years!
Crocodylomorphs include extinct ancient species as well as 26 living species today.
There are around 40 different species!
First domesticated in South-East Asia!
First domesticated 5,000 years ago!
Found in Europe, Africa and Asia!
It's larvae are carnivorous!
Rows of tiny plates line their teeth!
The dung beetle can push objects many times its own weight
Has exceptional eyesight!
These lizards can practically shut down their metabolism and appear comatose for long periods.
They are hermaphrodites, which means they have male and female organs
There are nearly 2,000 different species!
Eels can be a mere few inches long to 13 feet!
Spends around 22 hours a day eating!
Its hood is actually made of many elongated ribs.
The fastest creatures on the planet!
Found across mainland Europe and Asia!
The firefly produces some of the most efficient light in the world
Scoops fish out of the water using it's paw!
Adult fleas can jump up to 7 inches in the air
There are more than 240,000 different species!
Can glide up to 90 meters!
Only 12 species are considered "true foxes"
There are around 7,000 different species!
Fruit flies are among the most common research animals in the world
Named for the Arabic word for love poems
There are thought to be over 2,000 species!
Originally known as the Desert Rat!
Found in dense jungles and tropical forests!
Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!
Most closely related to the Sheep!
Migrates between Europe and Asia!
There are 29 different species!
There are 11,000 known species!
Able to run as quickly backwards as forwards!
Many hawk moth caterpillars eat toxins from plants, but don’t sequester them the way milkweed butterflies do. Most toxins are excreted.
Thought to be one of the oldest mammals on Earth!
Inhabits wetlands around the world!
There are only 8 recognized species!
Stunning bird with a stinky way to deter predators!
Has evolved over 50 million years!
Horseflies have been seen performing Immelmann turns, much like fighter jets.
Thought to have orignated 200,000 years ago!
Some huntsman spiders have an interesting way of moving around. Some cartwheel while others do handsprings or backflips.
Found in swamps, marshes and wetlands!
There are an estimated 30 million species!
Some can jump 50 times the length of their bodies
Inhabits wetlands and woodlands worldwide!
The kissing gesture that the kissing gourami displays is not a mating gesture
There are more than 5,000 species worldwide!
There are 11 different species!
The offspring of a lion and tiger parents!
There are around 5,000 different species!
Ear tufts make it look bigger!
Often hangs upside down while feeding!
They are found across Europe, Asia and Africa!
Also known as the Oriental Civet!
Found throughout Asia, India and China!
They have a symbiotic relationship with ants.
Some species have a poisonous bite!
Primarily hunts and feeds on Earthworms!
Range in size from just 1 to 3 foot!
Has characteristics of two or more breeds!
Some species are thought to carry a weak venom!
There are around 260 known species!
Feeds on aquatic insects and water-spiders!
There are 250,000 different species!
Found on every continent on Earth!
The offspring of a horse and donkey parents!
Roamed Asia and Europe for around 100,000 years!
Nematodes range in size from 1/10 of an inch to 28 feet long
Able to regrow lost or damaged limbs!
Named more than 1,000 years ago!
Females are about four times the size of males
There are 13 different species worldwide
The owl can rotate its head some 270 degrees
Can live for up to 100 years!
Most commonly found on the Indian mainland!
Females lay between 8 and 12 eggs per clutch!
Thought to have been domesticated in 9,000 BC!
Found in mountainous regions and rocky areas
Some of these snakes flatten their neck and raise their heads to imitate cobras if they’re threatened.
There are 500 different species!
There are 30 different species worldwide!
Natively found on the island of Borneo!
Inhabits woodland and forest areas worldwide!
There are more than 300 different species!
Omnivores that eat anything!
Rat snakes are constrictors from the Colubridae family of snakes.
The redback spiders found in New Caledonia differ from other populations in that they don’t practice sexual cannibalism and don’t bite people as much.
These popular pets can get big enough to kill their owner.
It's horns are made from keratin!
Inhabits freshwater habitats around the world!
There are more than 45 species in Australia alone!
The capybara, the world’s largest rodent, likes to be in and around bodies of water. Because of this, the Catholic Church in South America decided that it was a fish, and people were allowed to eat it during Lent and First Fridays.
Will mate with the entire flock!
There are more than 700 different species!
There are around 2,000 known species!
The sea eagle tends to mate for life with a single partner
Males give birth to up to 1,000 offspring!
Around 35 million in the English countryside!
There are 2,000 different species worldwide!
Also known as the Polecat!
Found widely throughout British gardens!
Has up to 45 eggs per egg case
There are nearly 1,000 different species!
There are around 4,000 known species worldwide
There are 140 different species!
Small rodents found in woodlands worldwide!
There are more than 3,000 different species!
Average adults weigh about 200 grams!
The smallest species of bear in the world!
Populations have been affected by pollution!
Most closely related to horses and rhinos!
Tarantula hawks are excellent pollinators, especially for milkweed.
Each eye weighs more than their whole brain!
Their mounds can be up to 9 meters tall!
The adult tiger beetle is one of the fastest land insects in the world
Can live until they are more than 150 years old!
Found in warmer jungles and forests!
Some species of aquatic turtles can get up to 70 percent of their oxygen through their butt.
Vinegaroons can spray 19 times before the glands are depleted
Vipers are one of the most widespread groups of snakes and inhabit most
There are 30 different species worldwide!
There are around 75,000 recognised species!
Has been domesticated for thousands of years!
Spends most of it's time in the trees!
The smallest carnivorous mammal in the world!
None have been seen in the wild for 50 years!
Males have a top tusk to sharpen the bottom one!
Thought to date back more than 300,000 years!
Carnivorous arachnid that hunts its prey.
This animal can roll up into a ball
There are 200 different species!
There are around 75 different species!
Borneo Animals List
About the Author
AZ Animals is a growing team of animals experts, researchers, farmers, conservationists, writers, editors, and -- of course -- pet owners who have come together to help you better understand the animal kingdom and how we interact.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What types of animals live in Borneo?
Malayasian wildlife includes the Asian Elephant, the Borneo Pygmy Elephant, the Clouded Leopard, the Sun Bear, the Malayan Tiger, the King Cobra, the Malayan Civet, and the Atlas Moth.
What dangerous animals live in Borneo?
There are several dangerous animals that live in Borneo, including many venomous snakes and several large cats. Malaysia is home to Pit Vipers, Cobras, Leopards, Tigers, and Crocodiles.
What animals live in the Malaysian rainforest?
In addition to several hundred bird species, the rainforest of Borneo is home to a plethora of wildlife, including Orangutan, Clouded Leopard, rhinoceros, Gibbon, Sun Bear, and the Borneo Pygmy Elephant.
Are there Gorillas in Borneo?
The only Gorillas in Malaysia are to be found in its zoos, as none are native to the country.