We planned to visit Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary ( 26 km from Sandakan) after overnighting on Selingan Island. The next morning our boat prepared to leave for the 2-3 hour ride back to Sandakan….View image…

The Sepilok Orangutan sanctuary was about a 15 minute drive. Orang utans (“wild man of Borneo”) that have been abandoned by their mothers or formerly in captivity are rehabilatated until fit enough to be returned to the wild. They are fed bananas and milk daily and are encouraged to forage for themselves. But even those in the wild come back for the free bananas. Babies stay with their mothers for up to six years in the wild while they learn survival skills. At Sepilok, a young ape is paired up with an older “buddy” to learn these skills. There are about 60-80 Orangs living in the sanctuary, an open forest reserve where the orangutans are free-roaming.

Sepilok Orang utan Sanctuary
You are only allowed to view them during the feeding times at 10:00 am, and 2:30pm at the feeding platform when the rangers bring the food to minimize disturbances. The trail to the plaform is a plank walkway through the rainforest and you never knew when you would come across an orang out on a stroll. Or a viper sitting in a tree right next to the trail. “Junior” said, “oh look…a baby viper…but he will not hurt you.” Swell, Junior.

green viper in Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, Borneo
Orangutans are the loners of the great ape family, living alone and spending most of their lives in trees. In the wild, young orangutans usually stay with their mothers until they’re about eight years old and have the longest childhood of the great apes because they don’t have a troop around to give them lessons. They have even been known to watch villagers use boats to cross rivers, and then untie a boat and use it themself. These highly intelligent red apes are extinct in most of the world which is why there were so many people at this santuary.

Crowds of people around the viewing platforms jockeyed for good views and a little before 10:00 am, the Orangutans started appearing…swinging through the trees…

Orangutan swinging across the rope at Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, Borneo

…heading for the feeding platform with the bananas…View image…sitting in trees, looking at us…

Orangutan watching from tree
on the fence and boardwalk right next to us gawkers…close enough to touch (under no circumstances were we to touch the animals),

 

“don’t look at me!” Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary
…walking on the boards…stuffing themselves with bananas…View image…

best buds at Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, Borneo
and with their babies…

Mother and child at Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, Borneo

We could have shots hundreds of photos, stood and watched all day. This was an unbelievably exciting, first-class experience…the turtles and the Orangs were definitely the highlights of Borneo. Still more to do today, heading to caves and Sukau…