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
remarkablecreatures, 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.
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. Onethat
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
oldorang utans to play at the lake, teaching
them toclimb ropes, watching
the rehabilitated orangutans swing through
trees in the forest. It hasbeen 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/
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.
Specific
duties may vary depending on what is required at the time. During your
placement it is likely that you will;
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 Surveyon the Orang-Utan population in
Sepilok reserve.
Conduct a Nocturnal Animal survey.
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;
Transfer of the Infant Orang-Utan from the Sleeping
cages to the playing cages.
Cleaning the Sleeping area
Preparation of food for the infants (peeling bananas,
making formula milk)
Feeding the babies bottled formula drink
Distributing bananas to the infant Orang-Utans
Caring for the sick infants (One
Orang-Utan, Amoi, suffers from chronic
depression and requires special attention)
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.
YOUR
WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES AT THE 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:
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.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation
at Sepilok
will be in the nearby Sepilok Rest House. This is a privately
run Bed and Breakfast which comprises basic but clean facilities. The Sepilok Rest House
islocated at the entrance to the Orang-Utan
centre and just a few minutes walk from here takes you to the edge of the
tropical virgin rainforest
and a wide expanse of lush
jungle.
Volunteers are required to share rooms (usually two or three to a room)
and food will be provided at the rest house. The owner (Mr Chong) and his staff are very friendly and will ensure that you are made
to feel at home!
During your time spent at the
Nature Interpretation Centre you will stay in accommodation in the nearby
town of Tuaran, around 15 minutes away from the centre.
Malaysia has lovely
weather all year round with lots of sunshine and you will have
some time during your free days to explore the local region and visit some of
the tourist attractions.
The Sepilok Rest House
ARRIVAL: YOUR INTRODUCTION TO THE COUNTRY
When you
arrive you will be welcomed at the airport by Albert our Malaysia Manager.
He will take you to your accommodation in Kota Kinabalu where you will
spend the first few days of your trip.
Albert will give you an induction
during this time, so that you can learn about the country and its culture,
as well as useful information like how to use the phones, transport system
etc.
During the first few days of your stay you will also receive an
induction with the Sabah Wildlife Department, who run the Sepilok
Orang-Utan centre. This induction will include a briefing on the project and an official welcome dinner hosted by
the department.
Our projects
in Malaysia (particularly the Orang-Utan centre) are very popular and you
are sure to have a wonderful time during your stay in Sabah.
Travellers' Malaysia Manager Albert
and friends!
NOTES ABOUT THE ORANG-UTAN
PROJECT:
This projects is for a fixed period of two months and
group departures leave every two months or thereabouts. Placements of
shorter duration are not available.
There are a
maximum of twelve places per two month expedition.
All volunteers must arrive in time for the Induction
with Travellers Organiser (dates will be specified by Travellers).
Unfortunately late arrivals cannot be accepted onto the project.
WHO CAN APPLY?
In order to apply for a place on this project you should be able to meet
the following criteria:
Have a high level of fitness and
be able to work as part of a team conducting physical work in hot and
humid conditions.
Be able to cope in a tropical
environment where there are large insects, snakes, bugs and leeches. If
you are squeamish about insects then this is NOT the placement for you.
Have a genuine interest in
Wildlife and the rehabilitation process and respect that Orang-Utans are
an endangered species whose eventual release into the wild is the
ultimate goal of the programme.
The following are planned to take place during your
placement at Sepilok, but are subject to confirmation and individual
elements may change:
An Excursion to Guamatong
Cave and Sukau river including guided tour and overnight stay
Sepilok Laut Excursion including overnight camping trip
Sandakan Tour around places of local interest.
2 Travellers T - Shirts to be worn as a work
uniform
Adoption of one of the baby Orang-Utan's at Sepilok for one year,
including photos and a certificate. Details of the Orang-Utan that has
been adopted for you will be sent to you prior to your departure.
PLACES
TO SEE:
The nearest
town to Sepilok is Sandakan where you can find
internet cafes, banks, shops and markets. There are also many historical
sights in Sandakan, some of which you will have the opportunity to visit
during the first week of your placement. One of these is the Australian War Memorial, built in memory of those who
sacrificed their lives during World War II.
Sukau and the region
of the Lower Kinabatangan River is unrivalled in terms of wildlife. It
stretches for 560 km and is estimated to have the highest concentration of
wildlife in all of Malaysia. Taking a river cruise gives you the
opportunity to see a variety of animals in their natural environment;
birds, reptiles and monkeys of which the most unusual is the proboscis
monkey - famous for its long nose and round belly, the proboscis monkey is
sociable and active, which means that you are sure to see many of them
swinging through the trees along the river bank.
If you are lucky, you
many even see wild boar crossing the river. This unique environment is a
fascinating place to visit and is not far away from Sandakan.
Other attractions are the Puh Jih Syh
Temple, the biggest and most expensive temple in Sabah that overlooks Sandakan Bay, the
Sim Sim Water Village and the Rotary Observation Pavilion which contains
a birds-eye view of Sandakan town.
From the harbour
area boat trips to Selingan (turtle) island and Langakayan can be
arranged, although most trips are not possible in a day and instead
visitors usually stay overnight.
"Just reporting in after a full week of work and
it is absolutely fantastic! I was working in the
outdoor nursery last week and fell in love with all of the orang-utans,
especially Angkong! It was wonderful seeing them climbing.
The highlight of my week was when a mum and baby
came into the nursery and she took a bunch of bananas out of my hand -
amazing."
Karen Herring on her placement at Sepilok.
TRAVEL:
You have the option to arrange your
own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would
like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights
and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will
be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL No. 6856. (Read more about Murray Rogers Travel Ltd.)
Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the
same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other
volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up
before leaving for your placement.
You will fly into
Kota Kinabalu International Airport where you will be welcomed by
Albert, our Travellers Organiser
and Malaysia Manager. Albert will settle you
into your accommodation in KK for the first few nights of your stay. You
will then have an induction with the Sabah Wildlife Department, before
commencing your project at Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre.
As there is so much to do in Sabah and the surrounding
region, we recommend that you do some travelling around the country
once your placement has finished. If this is the case, we can arrange your
flights accordingly.
"Nothing
comes close to the feeling you get when anorang-utan
looks you in the eye. They are wonderful, warm,
endearing and very inquisitivecreatures. Nala
here was practicing how to conjugate her verbs". David Youldon, during his placement at
Sepilok.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you
have changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend
their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets
enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air
ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour
to get a changeable ticket. We meet you at the airport regardless of whether you
make your own travel arrangements or not.
VISAS:. Visas are not
required for stay of up to 90 days if you are a British Passport Holder.
If you want to stay longer in Malaysia, or if you are not a British
Passport Holder, please speak to us about specific visa requirements, if
any. We will make the Visa process very easy for you!
To see what support we provide in our countries,
please click onSupport
and Backup
PRICES:
To see the Prices of this project and all
our other projects in Malaysia, please
click here
Prices
include
Food & accommodation while on your project,
2 T-shirts, if required
for your project
All support and backup
during your programme
Meeting you at the
nearest airport, where appropriate, but exclude international travel.
.
+44 01903 502595
