Borneo Safari By Jayne Francis and Michael Parker
Borneo is not only the third largest island in the world, but it is also one of the most unique places on Earth. Its nearly 750,000 square kilometres are home to an incredible variety of habitats, from dense tropical rainforest to the complex coral reef systems found along the coasts. The island is known as one of the world’s biodiversity hot spots as it is home to some of the rarest and unique animals on Earth. Iconic species such as orangutans, pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys coexist in the rich jungles, but there is also an incredible abundance of birdlife. More than 400 species of birds are found in Borneo, including eight different species of hornbill. Our 14 day, small group photographic safari with National Geographic took us to Sepilok, the Kinabatangan River, Tabin Wildlife Resort and Danum Valley. Our first encounter with the orangutan was at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, founded in 1964 to rehabilitate orphan orangutans. The site is 43 sq km of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve. Today around 60-80 orangutans are living free in the reserve. When we encountered a mother and baby in the tree canopy, it was breathtaking. They are gentle and inquisitive and make eye contact with you as they munch on their leaves and go about their business. They generally lope through the canopy with ease for such big animals, making them easy to track and follow. The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre is a sun bear rescue and rehabilitation facility in Sabah. The Malayan sun bears are the smallest bears in the world and are only found in Southeast Asia. These bears continue to be threatened by forest degradation, illegal hunting for bear parts and poaching to obtain young cubs for pets. The facility represents one man’s passion and dedication to these very cute bears. Between 40 and 50 bears reside at the facility and they have excellent success in rehabilitating the bears back into the wild. 26
