Created in the year 1984, It has been declared a Wildlife Reserve primarily on account of the large number of animals inhabiting its forests, some of which are highly endangered. The three largest mammals of Sabah, namely Borneo Pygmy Elephant, Sumatran Rhinoceros and Tembadau are all found within the reserve; nine species of primate are present, as well as three species of cats all of which are on the protected wildlife list. Of bird species, 42 families representing 220 species have been recorded. One of the highlights of Tabin being the active and mineral-rich mud volcanoes, attracting frequent visits by wildlife for their mineral intake and present an ideal platform for wildlife observation and bird-watching.

The Wildlife Department of Sabah is the custodian of the animals in the reserve while the Forestry Department of Sabah is responsible for the tress in Tabin. The reserve is covered mainly with lowland dipterocarp forest.

Since the availability of accommodation provided by Wildlife Resort in 2004, Tabin Wildlife Reserve has gained popularity to be one of the best places in Sabah to observe the rich bio-diversity of nature and to part-take in nature-base activities. Amongst the popular things-to-do in Tabin are jungle-trekking, night safari, night walk, wildlife-spotting, bird-watching and rainforest education.

This Reserve is located in the eastern part of Sabah, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. The reserve comprises a rectangular area of approximately 122,539 hectare in the centre of the Dent Peninsula, north-east of Lahad Datu town, south of the lower reaches of the Segama River and north of the Silabukan Forest Reserve.