Orang Utan + Sun Bear & Mangrove River Cruise

Description

Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre

The Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre (SOURC), the world largest Orang Utan rehabilitation centre, was set up in 1964 to rehabilitate orphaned baby orang utan. Set in the lush 4,300-hectare Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, the Centre under the administration of the Wildlife Department of Sabah attracts tourists and researchers alike, giving them the opportunity to watch the orang utan up close in their natural habitat. A boardwalk leads you to a viewing gallery and feeding platform where the apes are fed milk and bananas twice a day at 10:00am and 3:00pm by rangers. Feeding time also attracts long-tailed macaques to the area.

While orang utan rehabilitation is still the primary goal at Sepilok, it also focuses on public education on conservation, research and assistance on other endangered species such as the rhinoceros.

Visitors are restricted to walkways. Some orang utan have become familiar with people but touching them is strongly discouraged, and while the apes are naturally shy and gentle, the more mischievous ones may try to grab your camera or hat, in which case you should call for a ranger as trying to wrestle the 200 pound apes may not be a good idea.

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

The mission of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sabah, Malaysia, is to promote sun bear conservation in Borneo through animal welfare, conservation, rehabilitation, education and research - giving captured sun bears a better home and restoring their right to live in the wild, by:

• Creating the capacity to confiscate, rehabilitate and release suitable orphaned and ex-captive bears back into the wild.
• Providing an improved long-term living environment for captive bears that cannot be released.
• Educating the public and raising awareness about this species.
• Achieving increased protection for sun bears and their habitat through ongoing research, increased knowledge and awareness, and further protection of habitat.

Tanjung Aru Island

It takes 15 mins by speedboat from Sandakan to reach Tanjung Aru Island. Tourists are able to see stilt houses while cruising along river. This fishing village is a part of a eco tourism plan for the area. During the cruise, a chance to spot wild animals like Proboscis Monkeys, Otters and Kingfishers. When getting dark, fireflies will light up the trees which allows you intoxicated.