Borneo

Is Borneo an island or a continent?

In one single square kilometre of Borneo woodland have been found as many species of trees as exist in all of North America.

More than 100,000 orangutans in Borneo died between 1999 and 2015 due to deforestation.

Borneo is the third largest island in the world.

Orangutans once thrived across Southeast Asia, but today they are found only in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. In the province of Kalimantan, there are an estimated 50,000 orangutans.

The family also spent time in Bali, Borneo, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Nepal. They backpacked, snorkeled, and got a close up view of animals few American children see except in zoos, but they saw disturbing evidence as well of how human activities can affect the environment. Zoe Glick read an excerpt from her journal.

The research shows that Borneo elephants were separated from other Asian elephants about three-hundred-thousand years ago. Some differences are easy to see. The Borneo elephants are smaller than other elephants. Their ears and tails make up a larger part of their bodies. And their tusks are straighter.

Scientists have identified the elephants that live on the island of Borneo in Malaysia as separate from other Asian elephants. The group Worldwide Fund for Nature, or W-W-F, announced the finding. This follows genetic tests on waste from Borneo's Pygmy Elephants, as they are called.