Taman Negara National Park straddles 4,343km² of lowland and hilly rainforest over three states (Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu) at the center of northern Peninsular Malaysia, with its own mountain range that features the second highest summit of the country - Gunung Tahan (2,187m). Hosting a great wildlife diversity, along with 10,000 species of flora, some animals here include tigers, tapirs and elephants.
Experiencing high humidity and rainfall throughout the year, the park teems with vegetation and plant growth - timber trees, overwhelmingly of the Dipterocarp variety, tower high above the ground to form a dense jungle canopy that traps all sunlight. The park is also the home of an endangered indigenous tribe - the nomadic Batek people, a subset of the Orang Asli natives group.
Below, the dark forest floor lies drenched in a thick bed of dead leaves, a suitable compost for lianas, vines and rattan palms to grow in a relatively sparse environment, peppered by mushrooms and fungi. Hidden behind this natural layer are also creatures from less visible rungs of the animal kingdom - reptiles, amphibians, insects and invertebrates of many different colours, shapes and sizes.
Another integral element of the park's diverse ecosystem is its network of river tribituaries, which sustains this organic landscape with vital ingredients of water and minerals, while featuring its own aquatic biotope replete with abundant fish species. Most well known of aquatic creatures is the Kelah, a protected game fish of the Mahseer species.
