Malaysian Borneo - Its all about the animals

It was a surprise visit organised by the company I was working for at the time.  And as I stood in the middle of the Sepilok forest reserve I felt privileged to be there, orang-utans were swinging through the trees making their way into a slight clearing in the forest where lunch was waiting.  These orang-utans were the lucky ones, after a poor start to their lives, these orphans had been brought to this sanctuary to be rehabilitated.  Care is provided for those that need it, medical help given if necessary, but also important is the life skills these creatures receive as they learn to look after and feed themselves.

The gathering crowd

 

The orang-utans that came swinging in to land on the feeding platforms were those that hadn't quite decided it was time for them to leave yet, they are offered the security of a good lunch if they want it, before they disappear off into the forest reserve.  Sometimes seen regularly sometimes not seen for days. 

Checking us out

We had followed a guide and the board walk to get to the place where a viewing platform allowed us free view of the orang-utans having fun.  They were eating and swinging on the ropes that had been strung up between the trees.  They particularly seemed to enjoy hanging holding on with a mixture of 2 or 4 grips.  A lot of bananas were consumed in the time we spent there.  It was quiet in the forest apart from the noise of birds and of the breeze in the trees, a perfectly great spot to watch these creatures at work.

What a feast!

The second of the wildlife adventures experienced on that trip was accessed by boat.  The Turtle Island of Borneo is located in the Sulu sea, just off the north coast of Borneo.  We didn't know what to expect but as our small boat pulled off the jetty and made its way towards the small island in front of us the excitement grew.  We were only going to be there for one night and the afternoon was spent exploring the accommodation area of the island and waiting for nightfall.  For it was then that we would appreciate why we had come here. 

Getting the boat from the mainland

The island is one of the worlds' most important conservation programmes in order to ensure the survival of the sea turtle.  Turtles come upon the beaches of this island to lay their eggs.  And that night we were lucky enough to see, with the help of our guide some turtles settling in for some egg laying.  It took a while, but it was amazing watching in the darkness, the faint light from the moon highlighting areas of the beach.  What a privilege.  The eggs of the turtles are later uncovered and collected by the rangers that work on the island.  They are kept in a hatchery for up to 60 days, this protects the eggs from hunters and natural predators. After the turtles hatch they are then released back into the sea.  They were very cute, and I have to say very many.  The turtles here lay eggs all year round, so you are pretty much guaranteed to see some on a visit to this special island.

Turtle Island

So Malaysian Borneo, a place with much to offer, covered here is only 2 of the many highlights.  But there is a worry.  The growth in the demand for palm oil combined with the poverty of many people in this area, is resulting in large scale deforestation of some of the most unique environments on the planet.  I just hope other solutions to this large scale destruction are found before it's too late for the orang-utans, and before we come to realise just what we have lost.