Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre

Last updated

The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre main gateway. Sandakan Sabah Sepilok-Orangutan-Rehabilitation-Centre-01a.jpg
The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre main gateway.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is located about 25 kilometres west of Sandakan in the state of Sabah, Malaysia.

Sandakan District Capital in Sabah, Malaysia

Sandakan formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest town in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the east coast of the state in the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo. The town has an estimated population of 157,330 while the surrounding municipal area has a total population of 396,290.

Sabah State of Malaysia

Sabah is a state of Malaysia located on the northern portion of Borneo Island. Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest, and Indonesia's Kalimantan region to the south. The Federal Territory of Labuan is an island just off the Sabah coast. Sabah shares maritime borders with Vietnam in the west and the Philippines to the north and east. Kota Kinabalu is the state capital city, the economic centre of the state and the seat of the Sabah state government. Other major towns in Sabah include Sandakan and Tawau. As of the 2015 census in Malaysia, the state's population is 3,543,500. Sabah has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests and abundant animal and plant species. The state has long mountain ranges on the west side which form part of the Crocker Range National Park. Kinabatangan River, second longest river in Malaysia runs through Sabah and Mount Kinabalu is the highest point of Sabah as well as of Malaysia.

Malaysia Federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of 13 states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions, Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with Thailand in the north and maritime borders with Singapore in the south, Vietnam in the northeast, and Indonesia in the west. East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with Brunei and Indonesia and a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital and largest city while Putrajaya is the seat of federal government. With a population of over 30 million, Malaysia is the world's 44th most populous country. The southernmost point of continental Eurasia, Tanjung Piai, is in Malaysia. In the tropics, Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries, with large numbers of endemic species.

Contents

The centre opened in 1964 as the first official orangutan rehabilitation project for rescued orphaned baby orangutans from logging sites, plantations, illegal hunting or kept as pets. [1] The orphaned orangutans are trained to survive again in the wild and are released as soon as they are ready. The sanctuary is located within the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve which covers an area of 4,294 ha (10,610 acres), much of which is virgin rainforest. [2] Today around 60 to 80 orangutans are living free in the reserve. [3] It has become one of Sabah's tourist attractions. [4]

Orangutan genus of mammals

The orangutans are three extant species of great apes native to Indonesia and Malaysia. Orangutans are currently only found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Classified in the genus Pongo, orangutans were originally considered to be one species. From 1996, they were divided into two species: the Bornean orangutan and the Sumatran orangutan. In November 2017 it was reported that a third species had been identified, the Tapanuli orangutan.

Rainforest type of forest with high rainfall

Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with annual rainfall in the case of tropical rainforests between 250 and 450 centimetres, and definitions varying by region for temperate rainforests. The monsoon trough, alternatively known as the intertropical convergence zone, plays a significant role in creating the climatic conditions necessary for the Earth's tropical rainforests.

In October 2014 the centre opened a new section where visitors can view the nursery area where the younger Orangutans first learn to be outside and play on a large climbing frame. This consists of 2 large indoor seating areas (one with air conditioning and one with fans only) with a large window that overlooks the play area. There is no additional charge to enter this part of the centre.

The Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is neighboured to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre and shares veterinary facilities, personnel, parking, access roads and ticket gates. [5]

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre is a wildlife conservation and research centre for improving animal welfare and rehabilitation of the Malayan sun bear. It also aims to raise public awareness about the plight of the sun bears and to raise conservation awareness about this species.

A walkout through the centre. Sandakan Sabah Sepilok-Orangutan-Rehabilitation-Centre-19.jpg
A walkout through the centre.

Entry Costs (Malaysian/ Non-Malaysian nationals):
Adult- RM5/ RM30

Child- RM2/ RM15

Ticket is valid for the day of purchase, so you can attend both feeding times on the same ticket.

Camera Cost: RM10

Opening hours: Saturday to Thursday- 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm. Fridays 9am-11am and 2pm to 4pm.

Orangutan feeding times: 10am and 3pm. It is recommended to arrive 30 minutes before feeding time.

Visitors in the centre. Sandakan Sabah Visitors-at-Sepilok-Orangutan-Rehabilitation-Centre-01.jpg
Visitors in the centre.

Facilities: Souvenir shop, information center showing a video 6 times a day, cafe and toilets.

Getting there: Many organised tours leave from around Sabah at varying prices. Public bus #14 departs from Sandakan taking approximately 45–60 minutes, costing RM5. The Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan bus can also drop you at junction Jalan Sepilok, around 2.5 km from the Center. Journey approximately 5 hours from KK.

Taxis are usually available outside the centre (RM40 to Sandakan).

See also

Related Research Articles

Kinabatangan River river in Malaysia

The Kinabatangan River is a river in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second longest river in Malaysia, with a length of 560 km (350 mi) from its headwaters in the mountains of southwest Sabah, to its outlet at the Sulu Sea, east of Sandakan.

Sandakan Division division of Malaysia

Sandakan Division is an administrative division of Sabah, Malaysia. It stretches diagonally from the northeastern coast of Sabah to the state's central region. With an area of 28,205 square kilometres, it occupies 38.3% of Sabah's territory, and is thus the largest of the five administrative divisions of Sabah. It also has approximately 19.4% of Sabah's total population, with the major inhabitants comprising the Chinese, Orang Sungai, Kadazan-Dusun, Suluk and Bajau Simunul.

Dipterocarpus acutangulus is a species of tree in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The species name acutangulus is derived from Latin and refers to the ribs of the fruit calyx tube. It is found in peninsular Malaysia and Borneo, where it is locally known as keruing merkah or keruing beludu. It is an emergent tree up to 60 m tall, The tree occurs in mixed dipterocarp forests found on sandy and sandy clay soils on coastal hills and inland ridges, up to 1000 m altitude. It occurs in at least one protected area.

Danum Valley Conservation Area protected area

Danum Valley Conservation Area is a 438 square kilometres tract of relatively undisturbed lowland dipterocarp forest in Sabah, Malaysia. It has an extensive diversity of tropical flora and fauna, including such species as the rare East Sumatran rhinoceros, Bornean orangutans, gibbons, mousedeer, clouded leopards and over 270 bird species. Activities offered are jungle treks, river swimming, bird watching, night jungle tours and excursions to nearby logging sites and timber mills.

National Zoo of Malaysia zoo

The National Zoo is a zoo in Malaysia located on 110 acres (45 ha) of land in Ulu Klang, Gombak District, Selangor, Malaysia. It was officially opened on 14 November 1963 by the country's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. The park is managed by a non-governmental organisation known as the Malaysian Zoological Society. For funding, Zoo Negara relies on gate collections and on support from donors and sponsors.

Wildlife rehabilitation is the treatment and care of injured, orphaned, or sick wild animals so that they can be released back to the wild.

Bornean orangutan species of orangutan

The Bornean orangutan is a species of orangutan native to the island of Borneo. Together with the Sumatran orangutan and Tapanuli orangutan, it belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia. Like the other great apes, orangutans are highly intelligent, displaying tool use and distinct cultural patterns in the wild. Orangutans share approximately 97% of their DNA with humans.

Francine Neago is a French campaigner for orangutan conservation, the founder of a wildlife sanctuary in Indonesia. Ester Kerr wrote a children's book based on Francine Neago manuscripts on her adventurous life with animals.

The Australian Orangutan Project t/a The Orangutan Project (TOP) is a non-profit registered Australian environmental organisation established in 1998, which raises funds to support the conservation and protection of orangutans and the preservation and rehabilitation of their forest habitats, which are primarily located in Indonesia. It undertakes this work by supporting a range of other organisations working in the field, such as the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS), the Orangutan Foundation International, founded by Dr Birute Galdikas and the Orangutan Foundation.

Borneo Orangutan Survival Indonesian non-profit NGO

The Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation is an Indonesian non-profit NGO founded by Dr Willie Smits in 1991 and dedicated to the conservation of the endangered Bornean orangutan and its habitat through the involvement of local people. It is audited by a multinational auditor company and operates under the formal agreement with the Indonesian Ministry of Forest to conserve and rehabilitate orangutans. BOS manages orangutan rescue, rehabilitation and re-introduction programmes in East and Central Kalimantan. With 804 orangutans in its care and employing between six hundred and a thousand people at a hundred sites BOS is the biggest primate conservation NGO worldwide.

Lone Drøscher Nielsen is a Danish wildlife conservationist who established the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project in Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia in 1998.

Orangutan Land Trust organization

The Orangutan Land Trust is a UK charity with the objective of providing sustainable solutions for the long-term survival of the orangutan in the wild by ensuring safe areas of forest for their continued existence. The organizations President and co-founder, Lone Drøscher Nielsen is a prominent wildlife conservationist.

Samboja Lestari area of restored tropical rainforest in Borneo, Indonesia

Samboja Lestari is an area of restored tropical rainforest near the city of Balikpapan in East Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia, created by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS) led by Dr Willie Smits, with the aim of providing a safe haven for rehabilitated orangutans while at the same time providing a source of income for local people. According to Smits' talks for Qi Global and TED, Samboja Lestari has evolved on the principles of People, Planet, Profit, linking community and empowerment and capacity-building with promoting economic development and conservation. Located about 38 kilometers from East Kalimantan's biggest city, Balikpapan, and 87 kilometer from its capital, Samarinda.

Among the Great Apes with Michelle Yeoh is a 2009 documentary film made by National Geographic in cooperation with FINAS. The film is notable for showing how the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Sabah is fighting for the survival and well-being of each ape. The film was broadcast internationally and presented at the Eco-Knights Film Festival 2011.

Tunku Abdul Jalil

Almarhum Tunku Abdul Jalil Iskandar ibni Sultan Ibrahim Ismail was the Tunku Laksamana of Johor. He was born to members of the Johor Royal Family and the Perak Royal Family.

Barbara Harrisson German archeologist and museum director

Barbara Harrisson was a German-British art historian who also contributed scientifically to nature conservation, primatology, anthropology, and archaeology.

References

  1. ↑ Thompson, Shawn (2010). The Intimate Ape: Orangutans and the Secret Life of a Vanishing Species. Citadel Press. p. 54. ISBN   978-0-8065-3133-5.
  2. ↑ "Conservation Areas Information & Monitoring System - Kabili-Sepilok FR". Sabah Forestry Department. Retrieved 12 November 2007.
  3. ↑ "Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre - Orangutan Appeal UK" . Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  4. ↑ "Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary". Tourism Malaysia. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  5. ↑ BSBCC Website: Location Archived 29 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine .; accessed 12 June 2014

Coordinates: 5°51′54″N117°56′58″E / 5.86501°N 117.94939°E / 5.86501; 117.94939

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.