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ORANG-UTAN PROJECT AT SEPILOK
Orang-Utans are astonishingly gentle, highly intelligent and they gaze at you
with almost disconcerting frankness!
At Sepilok you will
have the opportunity to work with these gentle and highly intelligent
red apes in their natural environment. Interaction with these
remarkable
creatures, man's closest relative, will be an
unforgettable experience!
The Orang-Utan is one of the most
endangered of Malaysian wildlife species. Found only in Borneo and
Sumatra, the Orang-Utans’ survival is constantly threatened by forest
fires, felling of trees, poaching and illegal hunting.
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►SUMMARY
FACTFILE |
| Start Dates |
Every two months,
please ask us for dates |
|
Duration |
8 weeks.
This is a fixed-length project and you cannot do shorter or longer
periods on the project. |
| Requirements |
No qualifications needed, just
enthusiasm and a high fitness level |
|
Price |
£2,995
for 8 weeks. Shorter or longer durations are not available.
Full Price List |
| What's included |
►Accommodation
►Food
►Meeting you at the Airport
►Transfer to your accommodation
►Full pre-departure support
►Local in-country team support
and backup
►24-hr emergency support
►Two
free T-shirts.
►Plus Excursions,
Overnight Camping Trip, Tours (all subject to confirmation). |
|
What's not included |
Flights, Insurance,
Cost of Visas (if a visa is required, but we'll provide necessary documents and
assistance). |
|
Who can do this Project? |
All our projects are
open to all nationalities.
Unless otherwise stated, you need to be aged between 17 and 70+
Please note that this project is extremely popular, so very early booking is
strongly advised. |
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre is
located near Sandakan, in Malaysian Borneo. This centre was set
up as a means of housing injured or orphaned Orang-Utans, caring for
them and nursing them back to health before they can be released into
the forest. Many Orang-Utans that end up here have strayed into logging
camps or been rescued from captivity. Many are orphaned babies that
cannot survive in the forest alone.
"This
has been a life changing experience. One that
has allowed me to see some fantastic things -
the release of the 23 year old male who had
been at Sepilok for 8 years, taking 8 month
old orang utans to play at the lake, teaching
them to climb ropes, watching
the rehabilitated orang utans swing through
trees in the forest. It has been too amazing
to put into words."
We adopt an Orang Utan for each volunteer
through the Orangutan Appeal, a charity dedicated to the
rehabilitation and preservation of these wonderful animals. To read about the
amazing work they do, please visit
http://www.orangutan-appeal.org.uk/
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:
The enormous satisfaction of helping Orang-utans
knowing that you made a difference to them.
New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding
of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional
development.
An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head
and shoulders above most others in the job market
And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!
ABOUT THE SEPILOK ORANG-UTAN
REHABILITATION CENTRE:
Orang-Utans (in Malay
"man of the forest") are protected under the Fauna Conservation
Ordinance which, among other things, prohibits hunting, trading or keeping
them as pets.
The
Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre is situated on the east coast of
Sabah, 23 km from Sandakan. A twenty-minute drive from Sandakan brings
you to
Kabili-Sepilok Forest,
an
enormous area of virgin rainforest. The wealth of indigenous and rare
plants, animals and birds that have found sanctuary here must be seen to
be believed. The Wildlife Reserve contains the Orang-Utan rehabilitation centre.
This
project is based in two locations; At Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation
Centre and at the Nature Interpretation Centre of the Rasa Ria Resort.
You will be based at both locations during your placement but the
majority of your time will be spent at Sepilok Centre.
Sepilok
centre was established in 1964 to return orphaned apes back to the wild.
The objectives of the project have expanded in recent years and while
Orang-Utan rehabilitation is still the primary
goal at Sepilok, present aims include public education on conservation
and research with other endangered species such as captive breeding of
the rare and endangered rhinoceros. The centre
now has more than 37 staff looking after the welfare of the Orang-Utans.
The Nature
Interpretation Centre is based at Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort, situated
approximately one hours drive north of Sabah’s capital, Kota
Kinabalu. The nature reserve, encompassing 64 acres, was established in
1996 in collaboration with the Sabah Wildlife Department, aimed
primarily at nature conservation and orang-utan rehabilitation, with
research, study and education of secondary importance. The Nature
Interpretation Centre is set in the grounds of the Shangri La resort, a
5* hotel catering for luxury holidays in Sabah. During your two month
project in Malaysia you will spend around 9 days at the Nature
Interpretation Centre.
When the rescued Orang-Utans first arrive at
the centre, they are often in a sorry state and
riddled with diseases. They are put into cages while they're treated for
their ailments and nursed back to health. The wardens then teach them how
to forage for fruit, climb trees and generally fend for themselves. When
they are mid-way through the rehabilitation process they are released into
the surrounding forest reserve. The animals then spend most of their time
in the forest but often return to one of the centers five feeding
platforms for a “free” meal. When the wardens feel that that an Orang-Utan
is fully rehabilitated, it is caught and returned to the wild - usually
deep in the forest or to one of the National Parks or Wildlife
Sanctuaries.
Mangrove
Forest Trail
- This is the most famous trail in the Sepilok Centre and takes about 2-3 hours
walking one way. Interesting features include a scenic stream,
water-holes, transitional forest, pristine lowland rain forest, boardwalks
into the mangrove forest and wildlife tracks.
WORK CONTENT AT SEPILOK:
Specific
duties may vary depending on what is required at the time. During your
placement it is likely that you will;
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Learn about Orang-Utan Husbandry Management by working in
both the Indoor and Outdoor Nursery.
-
Learn about Orang-Utan Paediatric and Veterinary Care.
-
Conduct a
Field Survey on the Orang-Utan population in
Sepilok reserve.
-
Conduct a Nocturnal Animal survey.
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Conduct an Extended Orang-Utan and Nocturnal Animal Survey in
areas deeper into the forest reserve.
Work will be
done on a rotational basis, with different groups of volunteers working
within each of the different departments outlined above. You will spend
about 50% of your time working in direct hands on contact with the
Orang-Utans and about 50% of your time will involve helping support the
conservation efforts of the centre (e.g conducting surveys, trekking in
the jungle etc). The tasks that you are asked to
do, no matter how small, will help to improve the day to day life for
these Orang-Utans - you will gain great satisfaction knowing that you have
contributed to this. This is a serious placement where you are doing
meaningful conservation work. You will be required to work very hard and
should have a high level of fitness in order to take part.
At times you
will be supervised by staff at the centre, at other times you will be
required to work independently.
"We worked so hard
there and tried to make such a difference and have an impact on all their
lives, which we obviously achieved. We bought towels to
make hammocks for the Orang-Utans in their cages as they had nothing. Just to
go in each morning and see them curled up in them was rewarding!" Orang Utan Husbandry:
The Indoor Nursery: This area looks after the
infants, from just a few months to around four years old. It consists of
three outdoor cages, one for each age group. The babies stay in the
sleeping area. About five staff work in the Indoor nursery.
Possible duties include;
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Transfer of the Infant Orang-Utan from the Sleeping
cages to the playing cages.
-
Cleaning the Sleeping area
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Preparation of food for the infants (peeling bananas,
making formula milk)
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Feeding the babies bottled formula drink
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Distributing bananas to the infant Orang-Utans
-
Caring for the sick infants (One
Orang-Utan, Amoi, suffers from chronic
depression and requires special attention)
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Transferring Orang-Utans back to the Sleeping cages
-
Cleaning the Indoor nursery area
The Outdoor Nursery:
This area is home to the Juveniles, generally aged between five and eight
years old. During the evening the Orang-Utans spend the night in the
cages, but during the daytime they are left outdoors to fend for
themselves. These Orang-Utans are fed twice daily, at five different
platforms. Platform one is for new graduates, whilst platforms 2-5 are for
the seniors of the class. The feeding platform varies daily, at the
Rangers discretion, to teach the Orang-Utan to search for its food. This
ensures the Orang-Utan do not become reliant on food being at a particular
platform each day. There are two members of staff in the Outdoor nursery.
Possible
duties include:
-
Preparation of milk
-
Assisting the rangers by carrying the
milk and bananas to the platform (done twice daily)
-
Cleaning out the cages once every two
days.
-
Observation of the Juvenile
Orang-Utans.
Orang-Utan
Paediatric and Veterinary care:
Here you will be required to assist the veterinarian in the treatment of
sick Orang-Utans. You will help assess the daily health status of any sick
Orang-Utans as well as recording data on the treatments given.
Field Survey
within Sepilok Reserve:
With the assistance of a ranger, you will be required to undertake an
observation of the Orang-Utan population within the 4500 Hectare reserve.
You will receive a lecture on the methodology of observation and data
recording prior to the commencement of the task. You will be required to
count and record the number of individual Orang-Utan sightings as well as
the number of nests throughout the Sepilok forest area. Similar duties
will also be carried out for individual platforms where you will be
required to note the number of Orang-Utans, sex ratios, and where
possible, identify individual Orang-Utans from their ID number or name.
This survey may also cover identification of small mammals in the reserve.
Nocturnal
Animal Survey:
Volunteers will take part in a Nocturnal Animal Survey along
pre-determined transects within the reserve. This survey will be
supervised, and volunteers will be required to observe and collect data on
nocturnal animals within the reserve through direct sightings.
Extended
Orang-Utan and Nocturnal Survey:
Volunteers will also undertake an extended Orang-Utan survey (in the
daylight hours) and a Nocturnal Orang-Utan survey in areas further into
the Sepilok forest reserve. Rangers will conduct basic jungle survival
skills.
WORK CONTENT AT RASA RIA:
The
Nature Reserve at the Rasa Ria has its very own Orang-Utan Rehabilitation
Programme. This is the only one of its kind on the west coast of the state
of Sabah, with Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre in Sandakan on the East Coast
of the state being the main Orang-Utan rehabilitation centre in the
country. The
Nature Reserve offers a tantalising glimpse into Borneo's secondary
forests, enriched with environmental treasures and nature at its' best.
This concept, the first of it's kind in Sabah, is definitive of the
resort's commitment and contribution towards a sustainable environmental
conservation amidst expansive tourism development in the state and
country. It gives visitors the opportunity to learn about Orang-Utan’s and
the issues affecting their survival.
The Nature
Interpretation Centre is split into 4 main areas:
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Nature Co-ordinator: The Nature Co-ordinators are responsible for taking
bookings, greeting guests, selling tickets and souvenirs and conducting
briefings.
-
Animal Curators: The Animal Curators are responsible for the care of all the animals
in the reserve.
-
Field
Rangers: The Field Rangers escort tourists on the numerous trails in the
forest. This is a chance for the guests to learn about the various
flora and fauna in the nature reserve.
-
Gardeners:
The gardeners are responsible for the care and upkeep of the forest
garden.
You will work within different areas, and
will also have the opportunity to assist with some orang-utan enrichment
activities. You will spend a total of 9 days working at the Nature Interpretation Centre
within your two month stay. Transport to and from the centre will be
provided from Sepilok and from your accommodation in Tauran daily. |