Mahakam, The Last Frontier

This is a short film about fly fishing in the Mahakam River in Kalimantan Indonesia. With a mammoth catchment of some 77,100 km sq, flowing 980 km from the highlands of Borneo, it is the largest river in East Kalimantan.
Cutting extensively through the tropical rainforest of Borneo, the river is home to a plethora of flora and fauna, including the critically endangered species of freshwater dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris, or locally known as the pesut, and a long list of protected and endemic species of animals and plants.

The entire ecosystem is severely threatened by logging and mining activities. Whilst the river continues to be an important economic and survival resource for the people, primarily the Dayaks and other indigenous communities, the alarming rate of habitat loss not only serves a needful reminder on the current environmental impact, but the impending serious consequences that lie ahead.

It is a race against time to take the necessary actions through education, awareness, conservation efforts and environmental measures to protect and preserve what is remaining, and rehabilitate lost grounds through habitat enhancement and buffer provisions.

The Dayaks and the indigenous communities, together with the Government, have integral roles to play for the future of the rainforest and all the great rivers of Kalimantan and Borneo lies very much in their hands.

This is a story how conservation, fly fishing and friendship hope to inspire faith, belief, and awareness in preserving these precious and fragile ecosystems that are fast disappearing all over the world.

This film is dedicated to my uncle and my father, who passed away peacefully one day apart from one another. They are the biggest influence to my love, passion and appreciation for nature, flyfishing and trekking.