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Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornep. Trips 100 and Audley Travel Blogger Challenge

ORANGUTANS: CONNECTING WITH OUR DESCENDENTS

23rd July 2018

Last Updated on 29th March 2021 by Bejal

Wildlife Experience: The Orangutans

Date: 26 December 2016

Location: Malaysian Borneo

Mission : Witness and experience the rehabilitation programme to

increase the depleting numbers of the Bornean Orangutan

 

The precursor for my journey 7,021 miles from London to The Bornean rainforest was to see the Orangutans. The orange haired ‘Kings of the Forest’, as their name translates to in Malay. A species we can resonate with both physically in appearance and mentally.

Being an avid conservationist and advocate of sustainable travel, I was really quite saddened to hear that orangutans in the wild were declining at a rapid rate. The main reason is lack of education of the human race, deforestation and a general destruction of their natural habitat, the rainforests of Malaysian and Sumatran Borneo.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornep. Trips 100 and Audley Travel Blogger Challenge

According to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), there were more than 230,000 orangutans in total at the beginning of the century, including 104,700 being classed as endangered in Borneo and the Sumatran orangutan being critically endangered at approximately 7,500. The most endangered of all great apes is the Tapanuli species of Orangutan, with less than 800 individuals.

I have a keen interest in genetics and anthropology (you can take the girl out of science but you can’t take the science out of the girl!!)  and the one fact that ardently sticks in my head about the Orangutan is that it shares 97% of our DNA, which makes us almost identical! It was time to witness our possible decedents in their habitat and learn of the incredible work being undertaken at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

After flying to the northern city of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in Borneo (which in itself involved three flights!)   and re-acclimatising to the tropical surroundings, I boarded a forty-five minute internal flight to Sandakan and then an onward short drive to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornep. Trips 100 and Audley Travel Blogger Challenge

The centre was founded back in 1964 by Barbara Harrison, to rehabilitate orangutans who were orphaned and is based in a 43 Sq km protected game reserve on the outskirts of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve.

Today it is estimated that 60-80 orangutans are living free in the reserve and around 25 young orphaned orangutans are looked after in the nurseries at Sepilok. It is with thanks to the vets, volunteers and employees of the centre that the population of Orangutans has not depleted further.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornep. Trips 100 and Audley Travel Blogger Challenge

Before being face to face with the animals, the staff at the centre educate you from their personal experiences as well as video footage of the heart breaking rescue operations they carry out to save Orangutans, who have been kept as pets for the exchange of money. More predominantly with babies. It is via educating the locals, who are encouraged to preserve the environment that the centre fights to rehabilitate the orangutans and eventually help them back into their environment. There is even a small museum to learn about the different species and compare how close the orangutan lineage is with ours!

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornep. Trips 100 and Audley Travel Blogger Challenge

Following this you are lead through a platform into the surrounding forest to watch the orangutans come to feed. Being in the rain forest, it is never guaranteed that there will be a sighting but it was my lucky day and a real once in a lifetime moment when I got to see not just one, but five adult orangutans and two babies. The thing is, yes I would’ve been disappointed if I came all this way with no guarantee of seeing an orangutan and didn’t get to see one. But on reflection, this truly shows that if they don’t show up for feeding then they are preparing and adapting to life in the wild. Something that I’m sure in hindsight would have given me solace.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornep. Trips 100 and Audley Travel Blogger Challenge

Photo Courtesy: Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

 

FIVE FACTS I LEARNT ABOUT ORANGUTANS

 

No.One

In the wild, orangutan babies stay with their mother’s until the age of six to learn to climb and forage for food, the centre operate a ‘buddy’ system whereby they learn these basic life skills from an older ape.

No. two

In remote areas of  Borneo, young orangutans are often kept in captivity as pets and once rescued the rehabilitation process at the centre can take up to 7 years

No. three

The feeding process is intentionally made to be monotonous in order to encourage the orangutans to go and forage for food themselves.

No. Four

Sabah Wildlife board consider Sepilok to be an important tool for the education of deforestation and the consequences for wildlife, however they will not compromise the well-being of the orangutans and it is for this reason that they have the policy of not touching the orangutans.

No Five

The orangutans are eventually released into the surrounding reserve to fend for themselves, however they do come and grab the odd meal now and then. The staff know them all by name and it’s amazing to think that the whole rehabilitation process can take 10 years or more.

No Six

Orangutans are solitary creatures and are virtually vegetarian, munching on fruit but also leaves, flowers, small bark and occasionally small insects.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornep. Trips 100 and Audley Travel Blogger Challenge

Standing metres from an orangutan in the wild is the most indescribable experience. It’s a mix of emotions including the realisation that these great apes look like us, have the same mannerisms, possess a high level of manual dexterity, have thoughts and feelings and an incredible force of intelligence and memory. We are alike. They are beautiful and it is disgraceful to think that the human race has tried to destroy one of it’s own by taking away their home.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornep. Trips 100 and Audley Travel Blogger Challenge

Photo Courtesy: Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

One of my most poignant wildlife memories to date will always be looking into the eyes of an orangutan and feeling both emotions of guilt and delight. Guilty that it has had to come to the centre but then delighted that such a place exists where staff make it their mission to educate locals and try and replicate and preserve this great species. Their work allows our future generations to know of these orange hued shaggy descendants. I can truly say I am in awe of the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre’s work. For more information please visit The Orangutan Appeal.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornep. Trips 100 and Audley Travel Blogger Challenge

One arduously rewarding Journey…

For a once in a lifetime wildlife adventure…

Sparked by one girl’s interest in great apes…

Mission accomplished.

 

I dedicate this post to the 25 or so orangutans we lose daily due to deforestation

and the loss of their natural habitat.

 

Orangutans: connecting with our descendants is my entry in the

Trips 100/Audley Travel Blogger Challenge.

Win an African safari with Audley Travel by sharing your best wildlife photograph or video on your social media channels. To enter write #AudleySafari and @AudleyTravel on your Instagram or Twitter post or share directly on the Audley Travel Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/audleytravel/. To find out more or enter via the website, visit www.audleytravel.com/social.  Entries must be posted between 20th August – 23rd September.

 

À Bientôt…

 

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Orangutans An adventure to connect with our descendents Pinterest Pin

10 Comments
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Bejal

I’m Bejal aka Be, an ex-scientist turned travel writer and digital content creator. I have travelled to 6 continents, visited 70 plus countries, including an around the world trip, making me quite the expert in crafting intricate itineraries. I love to discover some of the world's more remote destinations and stay in some incredible hidden location eco-hotels. My aim is to transport you, my audience, to inspirational and cultural global spots that are less visited and allow you to see the 'real' and authentic side of destinations through detailed guides with a sprinkling of luxury. The spotlight is on eco-friendly responsible experiential travel with lifelong memories.

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  • ndsouza2006
    23rd July 2018

    They look so cute especially the little one having a wash. It is sad to see their numbers depleting and therefore so important for sanctuaries like this to exist. Looks like you had a great experience and definitely are passionate about this with the number of flights you took x

    Reply
    • Bejal
      ndsouza2006
      23rd July 2018

      Oh they’re beautiful creatures. It’s heartbreaking that there numbers are going down so rapidly and it really saddens me too. i am just glad that there are organisations like the rehabilitation centre who are so passionate about the cause.

      Reply
  • Connie (@connieconsumes)
    23rd July 2018

    You got such beautiful photos! The centre does remarkable work – I’m sad to say that 2 years on from your visit, the numbers seem to still be declining. We went on a wet day so unfortunately did not see any in the outdoor platform but they have since created a nursery space which you can see them from!

    Reply
    • Bejal
      Connie (@connieconsumes)
      23rd July 2018

      Thankyou Connie. That does really sadden me to think that the numbers are further dropping.Shame you didn’t get a chance to see them face to face but the nursery sounds like a great idea.The ye are fascinating creatures

      Reply
  • Binny
    23rd July 2018

    Fingers crossed hun a beautiful post and such gorgeous animals!!!

    Reply
    • Bejal
      Binny
      23rd July 2018

      Thankyou Binny for your kind comments. Such a passionate topic for me!

      Reply
  • the Curious Pixie
    24th July 2018

    Your pictures are gorgeous. So sad when you hear about the declining numbers for these magnificent animals. It’s articles highlighting the enormous issue which will hopefully help change the course. Good luck hon x

    Reply
    • Bejal
      the Curious Pixie
      24th July 2018

      Thankyou Sima. I hope that one day the numbers start to rise otherwise it would be quite sad that these amazing ‘kings of the forest’ will not exist for future generations.

      Reply
  • Laura
    24th July 2018

    What a beautiful piece, it must have been so special!

    Reply
    • Bejal
      Laura
      24th July 2018

      Thankyou Laura. It was so very moving as it’s something I have so much passion for.

      Reply

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Hello, I'm Be, an ex-scientist turned travel writer and digital content creator having travelled to 70 plus countries, all over the globe. My aim is to transport you to less visited inspirational and cultural global spots showing off the 'real' authentic side of destinations through detailed guides with a sprinkling of luxury. The spotlight is on eco-friendly responsible travel with lots of coffee spots and veggie food thrown in!

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