“Take you to see proboscis monkey?” suggested the taxi drivers lined up at the entrance to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Frankly, I had no idea what they were talking about. My visit to the Malaysian State of Sabah on the island of Borneo had two goals: see the endangered orangutans and sun bears. I’d … Read more
I traveled to the Malaysian State of Sabah on the island of Borneo mainly to see orangutans in the wild and to learn about the endangered Sun Bears. An unexpected bonus was the astonishing birdlife. I spotted Rhinoceros hornbills, with their weird red and gold banana-shaped headdresses, as well as black and white Oriental Pied … Read more
At high noon, I stood on the viewing platform at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center in Sabah, Borneo. In the intense humidity, rivers of sweat streamed down my face and neck. Within minutes, my T-shirt was soaking wet. I peered down into the enclosures below expecting these smallest of all the bear species to … Read more
Humans have long been fascinated by all members of the ape family. Orangutans, second largest of the apes after gorillas, rank extremely high on our fascination meter. There’s no mystery about this. We look at orangutans and see ourselves. I felt the same way when I visited the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and watched the … Read more
“Say hello to the orange ones,” my friend said when he dropped me at the airport. He was referring to orangutans, known for their distinctive orange color and endangered status. For years I had dreamed of seeing them in their natural habitat and now, with a little luck, my dream would finally come true. I … Read more
