Critically endangered, with a population thought to have dropped from 30,000 in 2000 to as low as 15,000 today, Orang-utan are now found on only two islands in the world: Borneo and Sumatra. For all visitors planning a trip here the first question is which country to choose?
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Southeast Asia
Male orang-utan, Sepilok.
Once widely distributed in Southeast Asia the largest of the tree dwelling primates is now confined to parts of Sabah, Kalimantan and northern Sumatra.
Sumatran and Bornean orang-utans are different species but a trained eye can easily tell them apart: Sumatran orang-utans have lighter coats with longer, finer hair. They are taller and thinner with longer faces, whilst the male Bornean orang-utans have broader cheek flanges.
The threat to orang-utans comes from many angles: illegal hunting and trading, habitat destruction for farm land and plantations, and the encroachment of humans on their forests.
Steps are being taken to protect these magnificent creatures and the Semengok and Sepilok rehabilitation centres in Malaysian Borneo, Sumatra, and Camp Leakey in Kalimantan are superb places to learn about the natural history and conservation of orang-utans.
We can recommend rainforest stays in these areas where sightings of wild orang-utans are common.
While seeing orang-utan in the wild is an amazing sight, sanctuaries offer the chance to see these endangered animals while learning more about rehabilitation initiatives.
Such projects can be found at Shangri La’s Rasa Ria hotel, near Kota Kinabulu; Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre near Sandakan and Semenggok Orang-utan Centre near Kuching. All of these centres offer close encounters with younger orang-utan and it is great to combine a trip here with time in the rainforest.
If you are planning to visit Sepilok Orang-utan Centre, you can choose to ‘adopt’ an orang-utan before you travel, with a chance to see it when you visit. The cost is £30 and provides much needed financial help in maintaining and improving Sepilok, so it can continue its great work. We are pleased to have adopted a recently rescued orang-utan called Michelle.
If you would like to learn more about the project, visit www.orangutan-appeal.org.uk