Our History

In the mid-1990s, a small group of passionate environmentalists and birding enthusiasts came together to protect the last remaining patch of mangrove forest along Kota Kinabalu’s coastline. At the time, the area faced threats from encroachment and unregulated settlement, and this group knew immediate action was needed.

They formed the Likas Wetlands Sanctuary Management Committee (LWSMC) and brought their concerns to the Sabah State Government, even lobbying the Chief Minister at the time, Datuk Yong Teck Lee. Their efforts paid off — in 1996, the mangrove was officially declared a protected bird sanctuary under the Land Ordinance.

Recognition of the site’s cultural and natural value grew quickly. In 1999, it was declared a Cultural Heritage Site, and the following year it was formally gazetted as the Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary (KKCBS) to coincide with the city’s declaration as Kota Kinabalu.

As the sanctuary grew, so did its mission. The pioneers behind LWSMC registered as the Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society (SWCS) in 2005, expanding their work beyond birds to include wetlands education, awareness, and international conservation efforts. In 2006, during World Wetlands Day, the sanctuary was renamed Kota Kinabalu Wetlands to highlight the importance of the entire mangrove ecosystem, not just its birdlife.

Today, under the care of SWCS, KK Wetlands is more than a thriving mangrove forest — it is a place for recreation, education, and conservation. Students, tourists, and locals alike visit this “green lung” of the city to connect with nature and experience an ecosystem found nowhere else in Kota Kinabalu.

Getting Here

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Ramsar Site No. 2290

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Operating Hours

Tuesday – Sunday 8:00 am – 6:00pm

Close on Monday & Public Holidays

Contact

Kota Kinabalu Wetland Ramsar Site
Off Jalan Bukit Bendera Upper, Likas
88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Phone : +6088-246955

Fax : +6088-247955

Email: swcs@sabahwetlands.org