MAMMALS
Of the world's 4,600 species of living mammals (class Mammalia) (warm-blooded vertebrates which suckle their young), there are a total of 280 species in Malaysia, with 210 in Peninsular Malaysia and 220 in Sabah and Sarawak. The mammals of Malaysia range in size from the very large elephant to the tiniest of bats and mice. While it is the large mammals which tend to be the best known, the number of such species is small. It is the tiny animals which form the majority of the mammal species in Malaysia: bats comprise 40 per cent and rodents about another 30 per cent.
Mammals occupy virtually every kind of habitat available in Malaysia's rainforests—from bats, flying squirrels and the flying lemur in the tree tops to soil-burrowing mammals such as shrews, the moonrat and bamboo rats. At varied levels in the tree canopy are many more species, such as monkeys, cats and civets. Mammals living on the forest floor include the prey-eating tiger and plant-eating species such as the Sumatran rhinoceros and the Malayan tapir. Each species makes its home close to its source of food, which also influences the time at which each species is most active. For example, primates are mostly diurnal (move about during the day), while bats are mostly nocturnal (active at night). The tree squirrels are diurnal, but the flying squirrels are nocturnal.
While most Malaysian mammals are found in the lowlands, some are confined to high altitudes; others live at all elevations. There is also some division between the two regions of Malaysia. Many species occur in both regions, but some are found in only one. The tiger, for example, is found only in Peninsular Malaysia, while the orang utan, the western tarsier and the proboscis monkey are found only in Sabah and Sarawak.
Although related to other species in distant parts of the world, some Malaysian mammals are quite distinct from these relatives. The Malayan tapir is related to the tapir of South America, but has distinctive black and white coloration. The orang utan is related to the African apes, but is the only ape which builds nests, a practice also followed by the sun bear.
Some mammals are the heroes of legends; the mouse deer (Sang Kancil) is the most famous, with its uncanny ability to outwit even its largest opponent. Other mammals, such as wild pigs, provide food.
