Borneo

Borneo Where all the senses are touched, particularly the sixth sense, the spiritual one.

Paradise— a place that hasn’t been interfered with by man

Paradise. For me this word conjures up a land where nature is untouched, a place that hasn’t been interfered with by man. There aren’t too many places on earth where my definition of this word still applies. Recently I had the privilege of visiting Borneo, and more specifically Kalimantan, with the sole purpose to see the orangutan.

Orangutan is an Indonesian word meaning person of the forest. Orang is the Indonesian word for person, and utan is forest. And the orangutan lives up to this name, as the majority of their time is spent in the trees. The trip was organised by Kobe Steele and Stephen van Mil, who both now sit on the board of the newly founded Australian arm of the Orangutan Foundation International.

The trip was organised to inspire, to educate, and to share a glimpse of these wonderful animals.

I think when we go about our normal lives—the daily routine of work and play, you can forget about stuff that is happening outside of that.

You may see it on the news, or read it in the paper, but when you see first hand the destruction of a beautiful land, and to hear the penetrating sound of a chain saw, and then witness what affect this has on the creatures who once called that home, it is eye opening.

All the senses are touched, particularly the sixth sense, the spiritual one.

We travelled on traditional boats called klotoks up and down the Sekonyer River as we visited various feeding stations and Camp Leakey, situated within the Tanjung Puting National Park.

Camp Leakey was established in 1971 by Dr Birute Galdikas who was mentored and inspired by Louis Leakey, the same man who mentored and inspired Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall.

Originally set up as a research station and orangutan refuge, it still remains as this, but now allows day visitors. Orangutan and human can literally walk side by side. Being part of the foundation’s group we were allowed to be up close and personal with those orangutan who choose to remain close to the camps entrance area, and who initiate contact. They may come and take your hand, or grab a leg. The orangutan here are wild and semi-wild—the latter because they were orphaned and then cared for by humans, or because they are descendants of orangutan who had been cared for. They may choose to remain close or venture into the forest perhaps not to be seen again.

side by side

We came here over two days to watch these wonderful animals. You can’t help but be drawn in by their behaviour. For me it is seeing an animal that so closely resembles our behaviour and looks.

When you look into their eyes it is like looking into ours. When you touch the palm of their hand it is soft as ours, and when you watch them play, or just stare and think, you have seen people with the same look. However they don’t intrude on what is not theirs.

they don’t intrude

Another day was spent at the care centre, where orphaned orangutan are brought for medical treatment, for rehabilitation, and a place to grow up safely. The orangutan have lost their mother, a bond that is as strong as human and child, and have lost their home, the rainforest. This loss of home is through either logging or palm oil plantation or poaching.

a bond that’s strong

Each of the orphaned orangutan is assigned a human mother, usually a person from the local village who cares for them until they are able to be released back to the forest—if indeed they can be. Some orangutan are too traumatised or have been physically hurt, that to release them would mean death.

to release them would mean death

They learn climbing skills at the jungle gym, and then when old enough are taken into the forest through the day where they learn more of the skills that will help them to survive.

glimpses of paradise Travelling down the river, glimpses of paradise could be seen. The brown murky water created by the gold mining run-off abruptly changes to the still, achingly clear black water, but there is always a hint that human intervention is not far away. I learnt that land needs to be bought in order to secure a release place for the orangutan currently in care, and then this release place has to be monitored.

And perhaps using the word secure is not appropriate because the government, at a whim, could change the land title. As always money and power remain present. Doing what we can for the environment is for future generations to be inspired, but I also want to enjoy what paradise should be. A place where all who inhabit are rightfully allowed to do so without any interference—the monkeys who we saw negotiating a flying leap across the river, the butterflies with vivid blue wings who follow you along a rainforest track that is bathed in gentle light, to the towering tree that reaches for the sun and has done so for thousands of years, and of course to the orange-haired people who call those trees home.

bathed in gentle light

e y b d o o g

Dedicated to the orangutan—person of the forest.

Shelley Kirkwood April 2013