Borneo - Sandakan Wildlife Search
Sandakan is situated on the East Coast of Sabah, Malaysian
Borneo. On its West is the interior mountain range and on the
East is the Sulu Sea. Sandakan is definitely a dream location
for travelers interested in wildlife and nature. Our Sandakan
Wildlife Expedition brings you closer to three of the worlds
most exciting conservation programmes: Turtle Conservation on
the Turtle Island Parks, Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center in
Sepilok and the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. In addition,
this expedition takes you to Gomantong Caves where the largest
collection of edible birds' nest is found.
Turtle Island Park The Turtle Island Park, lying some 40Km north
of Sandakan and close to the Philippines border, comprises of a
group of three beautiful tropical islands - Pulau Selingan,
Pulau Bakungan Kecil and Pulau Gulisan. The total park covers an
area of 1,740 hectares embracing not only the three islands but
also the surrounding coral reefs and the sea. Pulau Selingan and
Pulau Bakungan Kecil seem to attract the Green Turtles to come
and nest here while the Hawksbill Turtles prefer Pulau Gulisan.
No obvious reasons can be found for these turtles' choice of
nesting areas. The Green and Hawksbill Turtles come ashore to
nest all year round but the best time to visit is between July
to October because more turtles come to lay their eggs during
this period. However, at least a few turtles do come up to nest
every night of the year.
Turtles normally arrive on the islands after dusk. While waiting
for the sun to set and the arrival of these turtles, there are
many activities that you can explore. The tropical white sandy
beaches are ideal for relaxing and tanning whilst the crystal
clear water is fantastic if you fancy snorkeling or watching the
beautiful sea lives and corals. The park is also a great spot
for a BBQ picnic under the long hours of golden sunshine. You
can also wander around the island to witness how many turtles
have arrived in the island the previous few nights as these
turtles leave their marks on the sand.
The Park Rangers will inform you after the first sighting of
incoming turtles. You will be escorted to the nesting turtle by
the rangers to watch the eggs being laid. Clutches of freshly
laid eggs are then excavated and transplanted to the protected
turtle hatchery, with minimum delay, to ensure that other wild
predators, mainly monitor lizards, do not eat or destroy them.
After a period of incubation, the eggs will hatch and the
hatchlings will be released to the sea. The release of
hatchlings is normally done early morning or night and are
released at various locations on the islands again to avoid wild
predators. When the hatchlings are released on the shore, they
scatter in all directions and instinctively head for the sea.
Once they enter the water, they are washed ashore by the
incoming waves, but after a few attempts they swim strongly out
to the sea. The hope is for these hatchlings to survive the
rough sea and to one day return to the Turle Island Parks.
Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre The most popular native
of Borneo is the Orang Utan; one of nature's most endangered
animals. Located 25Km from Sandakan is the world-famous Sepilok
Rehabilitation Centre which has been around since 1964. Set in
43 square km of protected and beautiful rainforest at the edge
of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve, the sanctuary helps once
captive Orang Utans learn to fend for themselves in the wild.
This sanctuary also enables you to come in close contact with
these amazing animals and witness an exciting conservation
programme in action. However, you are restricted to walkways and
are not allowed to touch these animals in order to protect them
from any diseases. The centre also provides medical care for
orphaned and confiscated Orang Utans as well other wildlife such
as Gibbons, Sumatran Rhinos and Elephants.
In their natural settings, Orang Utan babies stay with their
mothers for a period of six years while they are taught the
skills needed to survive in the wild, with climbing as the most
important skill. At this centre, these babies are paired up with
older Orang Utans to learn these essential skills. Meal times
are the highlights to both the Orang Utans and visitors to the
centre. There are two feeding times each day. This is when about
60 semi-wild Orang Utans swing from their jungle habitat on to
the feeding platforms for their daily meals of milk and bananas.
Once there is no food left, these animals zip back into the
jungle but occasionally some will come back to pose for the last
remaining visitors.
There is an Information Nature Education Centre and a
mini-theatre within the sanctuary where you can watch a
documentary video on the work of the Sepilok Orang Utan
Rehabilitation Centre.
Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary The Kinabatangan Wildlife
Sanctuary lies within the massive floodplain of the lower
Kinabatangan River. The sanctuary covers an area of 27,000
hectares and is one of the richest eco-systems on earth. This
area is a must visit for any nature lover wanting a taste of an
incredible nature experience. These floodplain forests develop
as the river meets the lowland. Common features of the
floodplain forests are ox-bow lakes, freshwater swamp
rainforests and limestone hills.
These wetlands around the lower Kinabatangan link aquatic and
terrestrial habitats and help regulate water quality and
quantity, as well as maintain the ecosystem's ecological
functions, forming a sanctuary for a rich and diverse fauna and
flora. It has the highest density and diversity of wildlife in
Malaysia. It is also one of only two known places on Earth where
ten primate species, including the endangered proboscis monkeys
(endemic to Borneo Island), orang utans and Sumatran Rhino. In
addition, the rich sanctuary is also home to 200 species of bird
as well as 50 mammal species.
The best way for you to view the wildlife and tropical
wilderness of this area is by taking an early morning or an
evening river cruise along the Kinabatangan River and also a
cruise to the ox-bow lakes. See also the colourful local
villagers living along the river on stilt houses. You can stay
at the excellent Sukau River Lodge, which is erected from local
materials consisting of wooden huts built on stilts.
Gomantong Caves The Gomantong Caves, located in limestone hills
around the lower Kinabatangan River, have been popular for their
edible birds' nests for centuries. These nests are known for
their medicinal values amongst the local Chinese community and
are collected by using local materials of rattans and bamboo to
make ladders that hang over 100 feet above the cave floor.
Once these nests are collected, they are soaked in water where
all the mud and feathers are removed leaving clear birds nest
which can be sold to the local Chinese community or exported
around the world. The collectors of these nests can earn a very
high amount of money and consequently, the collecting of nests
is tightly controlled by a licensing system.