SAVE THE FROGS!
Borneo Ecotour
October 20th-29th, 2024
Malaysia is a country of incredible biodiversity and unique biogeography, making it a paradise for nature enthusiasts and wildlife photographers. Our ecotour was a huge success, bringing together 13 amphibian enthusiasts representing eight countries (Malaysia, India, Nepal, Denmark, Colombia, Philippines, Australia and the USA). We visited two remarkable regions of Borneo: Kinabalu and Poring. And we found and photographed 48 amphibian species!
Horned Frog photo courtesy SAVE THE FROGS! Borneo Ecotour Participant Vijay Kartick
Enjoy this short video featuring highlights from the
2024 SAVE THE FROGS! Borneo Ecotour
Thanks to Bishal Prasad Neupane for creating the video!
Photos By Vijay Kartick
Enjoy these photos taken during the SAVE THE FROGS! Borneo Ecotour by SAVE THE FROGS! Ecotour Scholarship Recipient Vijay Kartick of India.
Photos And Final Report From Bishal Prasad Neupane
Enjoy these photos taken during the SAVE THE FROGS! Borneo Ecotour by SAVE THE FROGS! Ecotour Scholarship Recipient Bishal Prasad Neupane of Nepal. Read Bishal’s report here.
Photos And Final Report From Andrie Bon Flores
Enjoy these photos taken during the SAVE THE FROGS! Borneo Ecotour by SAVE THE FROGS! Ecotour Scholarship Recipient Andrie Bon Flores of the Philippines. Read Andrie’s report here.
“Dear Dr. Kerry Kriger and the SAVE THE FROGS! Team,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for granting me the incredible opportunity to join the SAVE THE FROGS! Borneo Ecotour through the all-expenses-paid grant. The experience was truly transformative, and I am forever grateful for your generosity and support.
Exploring the rich biodiversity of Borneo, connecting with fellow conservationists, and learning from passionate experts like yourself were highlights of a journey that I will treasure for a lifetime. I am pleased to attach my final report for the Borneo Ecotour, detailing the activities, findings, and personal reflections from this incredible experience.
Once again, thank you for making this dream a reality. Your commitment to amphibian conservation and your efforts to inspire and support young biologists like myself are truly remarkable. I hope to pay this forward in my work and contribute to the global movement to save amphibians.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to the donors and supporters of SAVE THE FROGS! for making such initiatives possible. If there is any way I can assist in spreading awareness or supporting future projects, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Thank you for everything!
Warm regards,
Andrie”
Photos And Final Report From Jeremy Loh
Enjoy these photos taken during the SAVE THE FROGS! Borneo Ecotour by SAVE THE FROGS! Ecotour Scholarship Recipient Jeremy Loh of Malaysia. Read Jeremy’s report here. Click on any image in the gallery to view it larger. Hover over it in Chrome and the species name will appear at the bottom left of your screen.
“On the SAVE THE FROGS! Borneo Ecotour, I aimed to learn more about being a frogging/herping guide, and I was glad to have absorbed the wisdom of many different guides. Additionally, I wanted to level up my photography by trying some fun perspectives on the animals observed on the trip.”
Species We Found During The 2024 SAVE THE FROGS! Borneo Ecotour
You can click the “View larger version” button at the bottom right to get a full-page view of the table. Or scroll down and to the right to see more data.
Horned Frog photo by Bishal Prasad Neupane
“Finding frogs in the forest was just wonderful. I also appreciated being told their names, either scientific or common. The enthusiasm and knowledge of our guides and the members of the group in general was really fun. Our local guides were attentive and very helpful.”
“Thanks you for this amazing opportunity to hang with some awesome people with so much knowledge so we could discover our amazing world and it’s incredible inhabitants that aren’t always acknowledged or seen. I loved the wildness of what we were able to do and see! Thanks Kerry!”
Favorite Things About The Ecotour
Peggy Dorwick
Dr. Kerry Kriger
Original Tour Announcement
Come Frogwatching On A SAVE THE FROGS! Borneo Ecotour
October 20th-29th, 2024
Malaysia is a country of incredible biodiversity and unique biogeography, making it a paradise for nature enthusiasts and wildlife photographers. Our ecotour focuses on finding and photographing Malaysian amphibians, taking you to two remarkable regions of Borneo (in eastern Malaysia): Mount Kinabalu and Poring.
Our tour group will consist of:
– Trip Leader SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger;
– Tour Guides Rupert Grassby-Lewis and Steven Wong (amphibian experts with extensive experience in southeast Asia); and
– Eight ecotourists – one of whom we hope will be you!
We have purposely kept the group size small to ensure we have a small group feel and that you receive plenty of individual attention.
Join us on this extraordinary ecotour to Borneo, where you’ll witness Malaysia’s astounding biodiversity and explore the diverse biogeography while capturing stunning images of the region’s amazing amphibian species!
Cool Frog Fact: Malaysia has 279 known amphibian species, which makes it about 24 times as amphibian biodiverse per unit of landmass compared to the USA (which has 345 known species but is 30 times larger than Malaysia)! Photo of Mahogany Frog (Abavorana luctuosa) taken in Poring by our tour guide Rupert Grassby-Lewis.
2024 Borneo Ecotour Dates
This is a 10 day tour (nine nights). We will meet at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) at 12pm on October 20th, 2024 and head directly to Mount Kinabalu, where we will spend five nights. On October 25th we will descend to Poring, where we will spend four nights. On October 29th, we will drop you off at the airport (BKI) by 3pm.
Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia
Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in tropical South-East Asia, rising to 4,095 m (13,435 ft) above sea level. While the top is steep, with jagged rocks where very little life can survive, the valleys beneath are covered with rich submontane forest, holding an incredible diversity of wildlife. Moreover, these forests’ isolation amongst the clouds has led to extremely high rates of endemism, with amphibians in particular thriving in the cool, permanently damp environment.
Perhaps the most iconic inhabitant of North Borneo’s mountains is Kobyashi’s Horned Frog (Pelobatrachus kobyashii), a large but perfectly cryptic species amongst the forest floor. Several tree frogs of the Rhacophoridae family also occur here, including the rare Kinabalu Flying Frog (Rhacophorus baluensis), the colorful Green Shrub Frog (Philautus bunitus) and the incredible moss-mimicking Everett’s Shrub Frog (Philautus everetti).
Amphibians Of Mount Kinabalu
Thanks to our guides Rupert Grassby-Lewis and Steven Wong for the great photos! Click the images for a larger view and to see species names.
Poring
In the hot lowlands of Poring (around 400m above sea level), the mature dipterocarp rainforests are among the most biodiverse habitats in the world, with numerous frog species, including some of the most famous in Malaysia. Frogs can be found in an array of microhabitats, from rushing waterfalls, muddy ponds, tree holes to high up in the canopy – and even the walls of our hotel!
It would be impossible to see all the area’s amphibian diversity in one visit, but Wallace’s Flying Frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus) will be a key target. Its lesser-known cousin Norhayati’s Flying Frog (Rhacophorus norhayatii) can be found here too. It is also possible we will encounter the very special Everett’s Tree Toad (Rentapia everetti), which few people have seen in the wild. The ever-impressive Long-Nosed Horned Frog (Pelobatrachus nasuta) is common here.
Photo of Striped Stream Frog (Pulchrana picturata) from Poring by our tour guide Rupert Grassby Lewis.
Amphibians Of Poring
Thanks to our guides Rupert Grassby-Lewis and Steven Wong for the great photos! Click the images for a larger view and to see species names.
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger amidst the cacti in Curaçao, December 2023.
Meet Your Trip Leader
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger has led eight ecotours since 2013 and has organized several others. He has been among the world’s most recognized amphibian conservationists for the past two decades, and has an in-depth understanding of global amphibian conservation issues. He has traveled to 70+ countries and has spent countless nights at ponds and streams looking for, photographing and enjoying the sounds of frogs.
Dr. Kriger is also a professional musician who travels with his bansuri (bamboo flute from northern India), darabuka (hand drum from Turkey) and dan moi (Vietnamese jaw harp), so expect to hear some quality live music during the tour!
Meet Your Tour Guides
Steven Wong
Steven is a Kuala Lumpur native and professional herping guide who boasts an endless catalogue of knowledge on Malaysia’s wildlife, with a specialist focus on reptiles & amphibians. His immense experience bringing groups and individuals herping in Malaysia is invaluable, and his brilliant eye for herpetofauna will make every night of the expedition productive. Steven, as a local and ‘food enthusiast’ (*not* a foodie), is also perfectly poised to make astute recommendations for local food and drinks – for those who want to experiment and indulge in the local culture.
Rupert Grassby-Lewis
Rupert is a professional herping guide from the United Kingdom, specializing in the herpetofauna of South-East Asia. As director of Explore Herpetology, Rupert has redefined what is considered a ‘successful herping trip’ through an unwavering commitment to success, laser-focused mindset and multifaceted understanding of the ecology of every species we could target. He has been on field trips to Borneo on multiple occasions, with an elite track record of tracking down some of the rarest and most remarkable herpetofauna.
About The Accommodation
We will stay at Sutera Sanctuary Kinabalu (5 nights) and Sutera Sanctuary Poring (4 nights) hotels, which should be very comfortable. There is a chance you would share a room with another ecotourist some or all of the nights if you are traveling alone. Once we know your rooming needs (e.g. private versus shared), we will be able to tell you if we can offer you exactly what you seek, and how much a single supplement fee would be (if applicable).
Perak Spadefoot Frog (Grillitschia aceras) from Malaysia, photo by Robin Backhouse, 2023 SAVE THE FROGS! Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner.
Your Ecotour Payment Supports Amphibian Conservation
Proceeds from this tour will fund a $2,000 SAVE THE FROGS! Grant for amphibian conservation in Malaysia, and will help to educate, inspire, empower and connect the world’s amphibian conservationists. Payments to lodges, parks, restaurants and small businesses help ensure local communities have ample reason to protect Borneo’s world-famous biodiversity.
Important Links
Payments, Refunds, Cancellations
Ecotour Code Of Conduct
Ecotour Terms & Conditions
We will be able to split into two groups much of the time, and expect the trails to be relatively easy walking. As such, we can accommodate ecotourists of differing fitness levels. We do encourage all participants to exercise regularly prior to the tour.
We look forward to hearing from you!
More Borneo Amphibian Photos
Enjoy these photos of Borneo’s frogs from SAVE THE FROGS! supporter David Dennis! Click the images for a larger view
People in Malaysian Borneo speak Malay and English. You might also meet members of the Iban and Dayak communities who speak local languages as well.
Frog art from the 2020 SAVE THE FROGS! Art Contest by Jieh Long Koh of Malaysia
