Another Busy Day in Malaysia

June 22, 2010

After spending a final comfortable night at the Borneo Rain Forest Lodge, we arose early to another incredible sunrise over the magnificent Danum Valley. Our guides were ready to drive us to the Malaysian Meteorological Department's Global Atmosphere Watch Station, where we were to meet a helicopter, which would take us on our next adventure. Because we had become so used to heights, a brief climb on the tower, before our flight, seemed only natural. Our destination was the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center, located in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. This is where injured and sick orang-utan are brought to be cared for so that they can, hopefully, be returned to their natural habitat. Volunteers from all over the world come to the rehab center for a two-month stay, assisting in the rehabilitation process. You can find out more here. After Sepilok, we visited the Rainforest Discovery Centre, where we had an informative presentation on current programs to help control and reduce deforestation in Sabah. We toured the incredible gardens and, of course, ate lunch!

: Waving goodbye to our wonderful guides and friends from the Rainforest Lodge

: With the clouds just lifting, the views were spectacular.

: After leaving the conservation area, we soon encountered palm oil plantations. The patch of red is the processing plant.

: Vast stretches of palm trees

: We had clearance to fly right over this river, allowing us to be very close to the canopy tops.

: This barge is evidence of the closely regulated forest clearing which is going on.

: This is the Malaysian Meteorological Department’s Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Station. Sophie and Denny got a head start before I started the climb up.

: We felt so lucky to spot a child orang-utan with her mother.

: The mother became very protective of her child.

: After descending the weather tower, we made our way to the research center. I spied these elegant pinnate staghorn ferns.

: And beautiful orchids thriving high in the treetops

: The reason the river is so muddy is from all the silt run-off from irrigating the palm tree plantations.

: There’s our shadow upon the river!

: Sandakan is located near the coast. The geography changed quickly from forests to marshes.

: Along the way, we flew over many villages built upon stilts over the sea.

: Productive farm land and the beautiful Celebes Sea

: That is the city of Sandakan, the second largest city in the state of Sabah, located on the northeast coast. It’s a rather busy port.

: Another view – Sandakan is a major hub for eco-tourism.

: More waterside homes

: A better view – there are currently 60-80 orang-utans living at the center.

: Here are two volunteers putting this little fellow in the group playpen.

: This orang-utan is about 3 years-old.

: The director of Forestry, Datuk Sam Mannan, gave us a wonderful and educational presentation about Sabah and forestry.

: A view from the canopy walkway – we were quite high-up!

: There are a few tall observation towers, like this one.

: This is the research center – http://www.searrp.org/danum.cfm – where we met the helicopter, which took us to Sandakan, to see the Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Center.

: Our helicopter

: The clouds were just clearing as we left the research center.

: A beautiful view

: Palm oil being processed

: The big ‘muddy’

: We loved how the river snaked around.

: Very marshy, indeed!

: This framework is actually a large fish net.

: We arrived at the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center. This is the feeding platform for orang-utans old enough to roam freely through the large center.

: Another has come to eat.

: A look of satisfaction

: Like all orang-utans we saw, this one was very flexible! While hanging, he was eating a carrot held with his foot.

: The rope ‘vines’ create a path for the orang-utan to travel on throughout the reserve.

: Another way to eat a carrot.

: Perhaps he’ll share it with me?

: Their acrobatic skills are astounding!

: After visiting the feeding area, we went to see the younger orang-utan – mostly under 7-years of age. This female is actually a teen-ager, who remains with the youngsters because she is partially paralyzed from a past case of cerebral malaria.

: This one was so playful on the ropes!

: We were concerned for a moment!

: More acrobatics – Part of the test for when the youngsters are released into the rest of the reserve or into the wild is their climbing proficiency. This fellow is doing quite well!

: These volunteer were in their final week of a two-month stay at the center and were sad to soon be leaving.

: More playing and learning

: The volunteers form a very close bond with the young orang-utan.

: Very, very close!

: The Sepilok center also protects and rehabilitates other endangered species, such as this Borneo sun bear.

: Memrie made quite a connection with this small baby.

: Here we are with Noredah Othman and a group of volunteers.

: At the Rainforest Discovery Centre, we toured the incredible gardens and found these vibrant birds of paradise flowers.

: Figs grow everywhere.

: The lush gardens have many lovely, colorful bromeliads – their flowers are extraordinary.

: A beautiful open lotus bloom revealing its distinctive yellow seed head. When dried, the seed heads are sold for dried flower arrangements.

: Licuala Peltata var Sumawongii – Ultimately, the leaves of this plant grow to be 5 – 6 feet across

: Every section of the garden was wonderfully labeled for identification purposes.

: They had a section devoted solely to the some of the many orchids of Borneo. This is a beautifully patterned slipper orchid.

: And the pretty flat faces of phalaenopsis orchids

: We spotted a bright green fence lizard.

: He was just basking in the sunlight.

: The Rainforest Discovery Centre recently completed construction of this beautiful canopy walk.

: We took the canopy walk to one of the observation towers, where they served us a delicious lunch – it was spicy! This dish is local fern shoots.