This section highlights some of the larger animals and reptiles found in Indonesia, Malaysia (the Malaysian Peninsula, especially Langkawi Island) and Thailand.

Also check out our SE Asia Primates and SE Asia Birds pages.

Where to see the big animals of Southeast Asia:  While Indonesia still claims to have tigers and elephants, these animals are very rare and not likely to be seen outside a zoo or perhaps a "showcase" park in Sumatra.  Kalimantan, Borneo is home to the orangutan and proboscis monkeys.  Orangutans can also be seen at a reserve in Sumatra.  Both reserves welcome visitors and are relatively easy to access.  The Komodo Dragon is perhaps the most famous large animal of Indonesia.  Since it lives only on Komodo and Rinca Islands in the Komodo National Park, the Komodo Dragon is also easily seen (if a bit difficult to get to).  Elephants, both wild and trained can be seen in Peninsular Malaysia at Taman Negara NP and Kuala Gandah Elephant Reserve.

BIG kitty - Indochinese Tiger

In Thailand, rehabilitated tigers can be visited at the Tiger Temple in Kanchanburi and there are many opportunities to get up close and personal with an Asian Elephant around Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand.  With the exception of the Komodo Dragon, most of Southeast Asia's larger animals are endangered.  Educational opportunities can be found throughout the area at the many preserves.  Perhaps you can help in some way.

Tigers are one of the most endangered of all the Asian animals, and we were lucky to visit the Thai Tiger Temple (as it's known in English) in the Kanchanaburi Province of Thailand.  Here, the Buddhist monks have been taking in orphaned tiger cubs for several years, and are now successfully breeding them. They are fed on cooked chicken (about 5 kg per day) to reduce their blood-thirst as they are visited by hundreds of people each week.  At the temple, no one has been harmed by a tiger.  It is estimated that about 2,000 Indochinese Tigers Panthera tigris corbetti live in the mountains and hills to the north of the Temple and across the border in Burma.  Unfortunately, poaching is rife.  The tigers at the temple will be released into a protected area.

Although not as large as their cousins the Bengal Tigers of India, the Indochinese Tigers are big -- measuring about 1 meter at the shoulder and 2 to 3 meters long.  The tail is another meter long.  Tigers are the only large wild cats with stripes, and the patterns on each animal are unique, sort of like fingerprints on humans.  The largest tigers are bigger than the biggest lions.  They have 30 teeth designed for catching, holding and chewing their prey of smaller animals, especially deer and pigs.  Tigers have excellent vision, especially at night, and very good hearing.  Tigers (like the Ocelot!) are good swimmers and unlike many cats aren't afraid of water.  They give birth to 2 or 3 blind, helpless cubs who stay with their mother until they are almost adult sized, many months later.  For more about the tiger sanctuary in Thailand, see their TigerTemple.org website.  Photo © Sue Hacking

About 2000 Asian Elephants Elephus maximus still roam freely in parts of the Malaysian Peninsula and  Borneo and another 2000 or so in remote areas of Thailand.  Sadly, their numbers are decreasing as their habitat is destroyed by the pressures of expanding human settlements and cultivation of fields, and -- primarily in Malaysia -- palm oil plantations. On the Malaysian Peninsula wild elephants still raid farm crops causing havoc with the villagers. In the past these elephants were shot, but now for the most part, they are being captured (with the aid of trained elephants) by the staff of Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary. This small sanctuary east of Malaysia's capital of Kuala Lumpur brings in orphaned or renegade wild elephants for a few weeks or months (sometimes years, for the youngest ones) of rehabilitation before releasing them into Malaysia's huge Taman Negara National Park.  The best place to see elephants up close and personal in Malaysia is Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary. See the MyElephants.org website.

In Thailand, the Asian Elephant is a revered animal and the relationship between people and elephants extends back through ancient history.  Elephants having a working life of almost 50 years, so often a father/son team of mahouts (care-givers and trainers) worked with one elephant.  Forestry has now been banned in Thailand as a result of over-harvesting, so today there are many unemployed elephants and mahouts.  In remote parts of the country elephants are still used as jungle transportation, their huge padded feet moving easily through the underbrush and along rivers.  Many mahouts and elephants now work in the tourist trade, allowing visitors to learn more about these wonderful huge animals.  In northern Thailand whole villages are dedicated to caring for and working with large families of elephants.  Elephant treks and visits to working elephants camps in northern Thailand can be arranged through tour agents in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Asian Elephants are shorter than African elephants (males being about 1m or 3 ft shorter).  They have more toes (5 on the front feet and 4 on the back), and only 1 fleshy lobe on the end of the trunk.  (African elephants have 2 lobes on their trunks).  Asian elephant ears are smaller, not covering their shoulders like those of the African elephants.  The Asian elephant's back humps up, while the African elephant's back is bowed.

Wild Pigs are found throughout SE Asia.  We saw them in two distinct habitats in Indonesia: on the arid beaches of Komodo and Rinca Islands in southern Indonesia (left) and again deep in the rainforest of Kalimantan (right).  Like their cousins, the warthogs of Africa, wild pigs raise their tails when fleeing danger.  (Recognize the term "High-Tailing it?")  They are omnivorous, feeding on whatever is available, and are responsible for much destruction to cultivated fields.  In Tanjung Puting Reserve in Kalimantan (home to the orangutans) the wild pigs often compete for the food put out for the rehabilitated orangutans.  Wild pigs have long canine teeth that grow upwards and outwards, forming small tusks.  Photos © Amanda Hacking

REPTILES of South East Asia

In southern Indonesia there is a whole national park named after the world's largest lizard: the Komodo Dragon Varanus komodoensis.  A member of the family of monitor lizards, the Komodo is a fearsome creature, reaching a length of up to 3 m (10 feet).  These lizards have fork-like tongues and are able to swallow their prey whole.  They eat all manner of small animals (and some not so small) including insects, birds, mammals, plus carrion.  Found only on Komodo and Rinca islands in southern Indonesia, these large carnivorous lizards have been able to flourish for they are not hunted by the local people.  Komodo dragons are shy and elusive except when they gather near the national park headquarters for feeding.  Walking the trails of Rinca Park and Komodo we only occasionally spotted juveniles in the dry brush.  Larger animals have been known to attack humans, pigs, and goats.  The wooden carving was done by tribesmen on Komodo Island, Indonesia.

We came upon this young False Gharyal Tomistoma schlegelii lying on the banks of the Sekonyer river, in Kalimantan, Borneo.  A member of the crocodile family, these reptiles are brown with black bars and blotches (great camouflage!) and have characteristically long slender snouts.  They have 80 equally long sharp teeth, ideal for eating fish and small vertebrates.  Endangered due to habitat destruction, they are still found in freshwater swamps and rivers of Sumatra, Java, Borneo and the Malay Peninsula.  The average adult length is 3 meters (10 feet) but individuals have been recorded up to 4 meters (13 feet).  Photo © Amanda Hacking

This magnificent (and venomous) Malaysian Pit Viper was a common resident in the tree branches above a patio restaurant in Penang, Malaysia.  Although SE Asia is home to many snakes it is very rare to see one.  (In fact, this is the only one we saw in 7 months of travel in Southeast Asia!)  Photo © Amanda Hacking

Up | Southeast Asia Primates | Southeast Asia Birds | Other SE Asia Animals | SE Asia Home | SE Asia Newsletters

West Indies Flora/Fauna | Venezuela Flora/Fauna | SW Caribbean Flora/Fauna | Galapagos Flora/Fauna | Fr. Polynesia Flora/Fauna | Tonga & Fiji Flora/Fauna | Australia Flora/Fauna | Southeast Asia Flora/Fauna | Sri Lanka Flora/Fauna | Madagascar Flora/Fauna | Marine Mammals