Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in the Malaysian Sabah District of North Borneo was founded in 1964, to rehabilitate orphan orangutans. The site is 43 sq km of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve. Today around 60 to 80 orangutans are living free in the reserve.
When Sabah became an independent state in Malaysia in 1963, a Game Branch was created in the Forest Department for the conservation of wild animals in the region.
Consequently, 43 sq km of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve was turned into a rehabilitation site for orangutans, and a centre built to care for the apes. Today around 25 young orphaned orangutans are housed in the nurseries, in addition to those free in the reserve.
The facility provides medical care for orphaned and confiscated orangutans as well as dozens of other wildlife species. Some of the other animals which have been treated at the centre include; sun bears, gibbons, Sumatran rhinos and the occasional injured elephant.
Recently rehabilitated individuals have their diet supplemented by daily feedings of milk and bananas. The additional food supplied by the centre is purposefully designed to be monotonous and boring so as to encourage the apes to start to forage for themselves.
Sepilok is considered by the Wildlife Department to be a useful educational tool with which to educate both the locals and visitors alike, but they are adamant that the education must not interfere with the rehabilitation process. Visitors are restricted to walkways and are not allowed to approach or handle the apes.
In the wild orang utan babies stay with their mothers for up to six years while they are taught the skills they need to survive in the forest, the most important of which is climbing. At Sepilok a buddy system is used to replace a mother’s teaching. A younger ape will be paired up with an older one to help them to develop the skills they need.
The creation of reserve areas minimises the impact of deforestation on orangutans and far fewer young apes become the victim of the illegal pet trade as a result of these ‘sanctuaries’. Babies are often caught during logging or forest clearance or captured by poachers who slaughter the adult apes to reach them. The Malaysian Government has clamped down on illegal trading, outlawing all such practice and imposing prison sentences on anyone caught keeping them as pets.
Youngsters kept in captivity often become sick or suffer neglect which in some cases extends to cruelty. Whilst some of the orangutans raised as pets can never be returned to the wild, others can be rehabilitated; it is a long and expensive process, taking up to seven years but one centres such as Sepilok take on without question.
Kinabalu National Park
Kinabalu Park which covers an area of 754 sq km was gazetted a park in 1964.The basis for the establishment of a protected area in Kinabalu were formed after a report from the Royal Society Kinabalu Scientific expedition in 1962-1964 led by Prof. Corner. It is the first Park in the Malaysian Borneo’s state of Sabah.
Its main feature is Mount Kinabalu (4,095.2 m), the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea. Its slope is home to a rich assemblage of plants and animal species. It is a hot spot of particularly the plant biodiversity with affinities to flora from the Himalayas, China, Australia, Malay Peninsula, as well as pan-tropical region.
The main entry point for visitors is the Park Headquarters located about 92 km on the Kota Kinabalu – east coast highway lying at an elevation 1,520m above sea levels. Cooler climates attracted over 250,000 visitors in 2009 with about 47,000 made the attempt to conquer the peak.
The administrative center is located in the ‘Conservation Center’ building. Also in the same building is the Research and Education offices and facilities.
Danum Valley Conservation Area
Danum Valley, a protected lowland rainforest, is located towards the southwest of the town of LahadDatu, Sabah’s fourth largest town. After it was declared a national park in 1976, the area came to be called ‘Danum Valley Conservation Area’.
Today, it covers more than 400 square kilometres of untouched, virgin forests and is home to some rare species of animals like the orang-utans, Wallace Flying Frog, Sumatran rhinoceros, mouse deer and blue coloured leopard. Some 90% of the conservation area is classified as dipterocarp forest where the canopy of trees sometimes reaches a height of 70 meters.
The Borneo Rainforest Lodge nestled within the magnificent setting of Danum Valley is said to be the first eco resort in the area. It provides all the hotel facilities such as restaurant, bar, and chalets to the visitors who want to explore the diverse and complex ecosystem of Danum Valley. Jungle treks, river swimming, bird watching and night jungle tours are some of the outdoor activities that keep the tourists overwhelmed!
Tambunan Rafflesia Centre
The Rafflesia Forest Reserve covers an area of 356 ha of Tambunan district,Sabah, Malaysia. It was established in 1984 by the Sabah Forestry Department to protect the Rafflesia flowers abundant in the area.
The Rafflesia Information Centre, located directly along the road from Kota KInabalu toTambunan, is the main touristical target within the reserve. Several sites of Rafflesia pricei reachable from the centre on hiking trails.
The journey by road to the Rafflesia Information Centre takes nearly two hours, with roads winding up and down the mountains. Visitors who are prone to motion sickness are strongly advised to bring medication.
Visitors are advised to wear shoes and socks and long pants. The Rafflesia are located on the mountainside and 2 hours of hiking is often the norm to see them. Shoes and socks offer some protection against tiny leeches that live under the leaves and dead foliage.
Along the way up to the Rafflesia Information Centre from Kota Kinabalu is the newly opened Kipandi Butterfly Park. Highly informative guide and recommended for shutterbugs.
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