UNESCO has designated Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve (CRBR) in 2014 as a part of World Network of Biosphere Reserve (WNBR) under the Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme. CRBR located near the south of the World Heritage Site Mount Kinabalu, is the biggest biosphere reserve in Sabah covering about 350,584 hectares of terrestrial ecosystems and natural landscapes. The rocky topography of the Biosphere Reserve constitutes solely of mountains, hills and small basins and small basins dissected by deep river valleys.

The CRBR initiative is one of the initiatives of the Sabah State Government, Malaysia to contribute in global efforts to address economic issues, education, scientific research, cultural science, and recreation of the world’s population. By integrating stakeholders in the programmes, the CRBR hopes to help local towns enhance their economies in areas of tourism, education, and culture/heritage.

About six permanent plots has been set up around Crocker Range used for ecological monitoring where about 300 floral species were successfully listed in an inventory including two endemic Rafflesia species. In terms of fauna, the number of species recorded in Crocker Range Park and its surrounding area includes: 101 mammals, 259 birds, 47 reptiles, 63 amphibians, and 42 freshwater fish. The Crocker Range is also the habitat of several endangered species, like the Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), and the clouded leopard. A separate research site is also established in the Mount Alab substation used to monitor the weather and rainfall rate which is important to detect changes in climate as well as provide data to input in models for future predictions.