Imanuel drove us in the mini bus the thirty minutes to the airport at 'Kota Kinabalu'. This brand new airport had only been opened two weeks ago and was very modern. KK is the main receiving airport in Malaysian Borneo and all flights then radiate from here, as the roads are difficult at times and impossible during bad weather over the high forest roads. Here they scan bags before check-in and then load them. An efficient check-in and security and then a wait in the departure lounge for our midday flight.
We took off from KK and soon turned east away from the coast, the bays where large stilt houses were built over the sea shore and its islands. Half the flight was over the jungle but there were track roads criss-crossing most of it. By the second half we were passing over miles and miles of geometrically laid out palm oil plantations, which were a stark contrast to the natural jungle.
The forty minute flight, after a little turbulence, ended at 'Sandakan' on the east coast of Malaysian Borneo. We were collected by a friendly guide, Gilbert and driven inland. We had originally booked to go to Turtle Island but for some reason this had not been possible and a 'colonial' tour had been substituted. My main reason for coming here was to visit the 'Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre' and it seemed we were to get just an hour's visit tomorrow. We explained to Gilbert that Sepilok was our main interest and was it possible to go there this afternoon as well as tomorrow? He had to phone his office, who had to phone the main agents to see if our plan could be changed.
In the meantime we stopped at the 'Sandakan Memorial Park', the site of a WW2 prisoner of war camp, where allied prisoners were held by the Japanese, mistreated and subsequently forced on 'death marches' to other areas. Out of the original 2400 prisoners, only 6 survived by escaping. The Park is a memorial to the men who died there.
Whilst we were looking round the Park, our guide came to say that we could go to Sepilok that afternoon, if we paid an extra entrance fee. We readily agreed and set off for the centre which was in the jungle near to town.
The Orang Utan Centre was set up by British volunteers to rescue, care for and ultimately release back to the wild, injured and orphaned Orang Utans, who were being forced from their habitat by the constant logging of the forest and the planting of the palm oil estates, which the Orang Utan cannot live in. Consequently they are now an endangered species. I had wanted to see them in the wild for many years, instigated by a very sad experience at Chester zoo (which also similarly prompted a polar bear visit) and one of the main reasons why we do not favour zoos.
We were briefed on the safety rules, more for the Orang Utan's sakes than ours and set of along the jungle walkway. The temperature was initially in the high 30's and extremely humid amongst the trees but the close rumble of thunder brought cloud cover and a slight breeze to reduce the heat, if only slightly.
There are 6 feeding areas in the Park and only one of them is accessible for viewing by the public. No contact is allowed, due to the Oran Utans being susceptible to human illnesses as they have 96% of our genes. Feeding takes place twice a day and rangers monitor the Orang Utans (and the public). We arrived early and the area was surrounded by long and short tailed macaque monkeys, looking for a free meal. Like the macaques at Batu Caves on Saturday, they were aggressively curious and needed no encouragement to steal a bag or a coat.
At 3pm two keepers brought a small Orang Utan (Orang Utan is Malaysian for 'Old man of the Forest') onto the feeding platform, built twenty feet off the ground around a forest tree. There was another platform forty feet away and the area had several ropes slung across it to give the Orang Utans access.
As the sugar cane and bananas were placed on the feeding platform, five more small Orang Utans slowly came in to feed, swinging along the rope and eating on the feeding platform or carrying the food away to the other platform. They were amazingly agile, their feet being as dexterously strong as their hands and after the feed they played on the ropes and in the trees, leaving the macaques to grab what was left.
It was a personally satisfying moment for me to see these incredible animals in the wild and we stayed as long as we could, before continuing along the walkway, where the deafening sound of cicadas erupted from the thick jungle around us, back to the centre.
It was a two minute drive to the 'Sepilok Jungle resort' where we were staying in a chalet, you reached by walkway next to a narrow, muddy lake, surrounded by the jungle. The chalet was basic but comfortable and a lot of work had gone into laying out the resort. In the background we could hear musical bird sound in the trees and noisy macaques away in the distance. In the lake were large carp and a giant, one metre long, eel type fish, who continuously rose to the surface to feed on insects that had fallen into the water. From a perch under a nearby walkway bridge, a kingfisher was darting into the water for his supper.
We (just about) managed a shower and then, fully bug sprayed up, went to the verandah area for a very good four course meal, which cost us twelve pounds each, washed down by Singapore 'Tiger' beer. We walked back to the chalet, making a reasonable noise to scare any jungle creatures in their nightly wanderings. As we went to sleep, the aircon and fan just making the room comfortably cool, we could hear macaques 'barking' in the trees nearby.
Tuesday 2nd September
Breakfast on the verandah, where the fish had congregated to be fed. It had rained overnight and was cooler, low 30's but still humid. A bus back to the Sepilok Centre and out onto the walkway, where there was no sign of the throng of macaques but several Orang Utans were already gathering, swinging around on the ropes, tussling with each other or just showing off to these assembled humans.
At 10.00 and feed time, up to ten Orang Utans descended onto the feeding platform. It was a fabulous sight as they carefully stripped the sugar cane, played tag with each other or acrobatically swung on the ropes. The macaques didn't appear and the Orang Utans slowly dispersed, just a couple of youngsters staying to play.
Norah had walked away from the platform and suddenly waved to me to come over. A couple of larger Orang Utans were swinging in the trees next to the walkway and they then decided that it was easier to go along the walkway rail, passing us less than two metres away as their expressions said "Make way - coming through" - an absolutely magical moment.
This was a real highlight for me and although you could never get really close to these great creatures (apart from a serious jungle expedition), I had fulfilled a long held desire to see them in their own habitat. A wonderfull experience.
A coach took us to a hotel in Sandakan for a quick lunch and then it was through the city streets, with its varying assortment of businesses and houses, to the airport for our forty minute flight back to Kota Kinabalu.
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