After our time in Kota Kinabalu, we had a 5 day jungle trip booked with River Junkie starting in Sepilok. After a peaceful night at the Sepilok Nature Lodge, our wonderful River Junkie guide Jeffery picked us up in the morning and we were on the way!
First stop was the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Opened in 1964, the centre aims to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned orangutans from logging, deforestation, the illegal wildlife trade, and other sources so that they can be reintroduced to the wild. The centre is located in the Sepilok-Kabili Forest Reserve and includes nurseries, a clinic, treatment wards, outdoor play areas, and viewing platforms. In 2014 the centre opened an area where visitors can view the younger orangutans learning to play on a large climbing frame in the outdoor nursery play area. We saw three juvenile orangutans playing, eating and snoozing in this area. It was so special to watch them play with each other and use their long limbs to climb, run, and chase each other. The ones we saw were approximately 6 to 8 years old but still seemed so small. Orangutans nurse until about 8 years old and only reach sexual maturity at around 15 years. Mothers give birth every 7 to 9 years resulting in only 4 to 5 babies in her lifetime. It’s easy to see why this species is so vulnerable. Coupled with deforestation, the situation is dire and every one is valuable.
The centre teaches orangutans to be wild again and when they are ready, they are released back into the reserve. The centre is open to the reserve though, and released orangutans are free to return to the centre whenever they want. At first they return frequently, but over time they stop coming which is a positive sign and means they can fend for themselves and survive in the wild. There is an outdoor viewing platform where food is provided daily at 10:00 and 15:00, this is where the released orangutans can come to supplement their diet. The provided food is kept basic and bland to encourage them to forage for themselves. We only saw one orangutan at this platform and he didn’t stay long. Disappointing for us visitors but good for the monkeys and rewarding for the centre that the program is working.
On our travels over the years we have visited many rescue and rehabilitation centres. Unfortunately not all such centres have the animal’s best interests at heart. However, we felt that this orangutan centre in Sepilok is doing their best and is successful in their aims. They have an adoption program and gifts for the orangutans available for purchase through their website. Please do remember and consider them for your Christmas and birthday gift ideas this and coming years.
Next to the Orangutan Rehabilitation centre is the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC). The sun bear is the smallest of all the bear species and are only found in South East Asia. They are threatened by deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and illegal captivity for bear parts particularly bile. Captive bears are held in appalling conditions and suffer mental effects for years if not forever after. The BSBCC aims to confiscate captive bears, rehabilitate ex-captive and orphaned bears, and release them into the wild. Some bears cannot be released however and remain at the centre as long-term and permanent residents. The centre started in 2008 and opened to visitors in 2014. Currently there are 43 bears at the centre. There is a raised boardwalk and viewing platforms through the conservancy area. There are several photo boards with photos and information on present and former residents. Each bear seems so welcome and loved here. Another worthwhile rehabilitation centre and we enjoyed a special visit here admiring the bears.
From Sepilok, it was a long and somewhat bumpy drive to River Junkie’s own Hornbill Lodge on the Kinabatangan River. A really lovely lodge and we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. We had our own private room with a balcony. We were right at the end of the line of rooms on the edge of the forest, it felt very private and secluded and we saw many squirrels in the trees around our room and monkeys visited several times too.
The days on the river were so relaxed, it was so lovely. We were well fed and watered and didn’t want for anything. There was a river cruise early each morning and late afternoon with the rest of the day free to relax and enjoy the area with an optional night walk after dinner. It rained almost everyday of our trip but for the most part didn’t interrupt our activities. It was a lovely forced two days of much needed rest.
Black squirrel sighting right outside our room door when we arrived
River cruising
One of the main reasons to come to Kinabatangan River is to see proboscis monkeys and we were not disappointed! Over the two days we saw a number of troops and it was so lovely and peaceful to watch them grooming each other, playing and relaxing in the trees, so many moms with babes in arms too. And alpha males with the long dangling proboscis nose. In the evenings it was obvious they were settling in for the night and in the morning it was fun to watch them waking up and the youngsters being boisterous.
Grooming time
We also saw several groups of long tail macaques, they are such cheeky monkeys! But a joy to watch nonetheless. One particular sighting looked like a group of moms had made a nursery with several babies clinging to them. Was really special observing the social interactions, so often very human-like.
On the second and last evening cruise, we were fortunate to have our first wild orangutan sighting! A mom with a small baby foraging before settling into a tree nest for the night.
On the first evening, our wonderful guide Jeffery took us on a night walk through the surrounding wooded areas. It was really fun and also harrowing with lots of unusual bugs and creepy crawlies! A special sighting was the slow loris at the start of the walk. We also saw stick insects and hairy caterpillars at various stages, the adult ones being much more creepy and sinister looking. Other sightings included several frogs, spiders, and a millipede.
This is a list of the wildlife we saw on the Kinabatangan River:
Animals: orangutan, proboscis monkey, long tail macaque, short tail or pig tail macaque, bats, crocodiles.
Birds: oriental darter, oriental pied hornbill, rhinoceros hornbill, crested serpent eagle, kite or peregrine falcon, falconnet, egrets, blue roller, kingfisher, Bornean bristlehead.
It is also possible to see pygmy elephants on the river, and sometimes crossing the river. We were hopeful but unfortunately didn’t get to see any this time.
On the second morning, we transferred to Danum Valley via the town of Lahad Datu. Another very bumpy ride but the destination was so worthwhile. Sadly all the road transfers we experienced were just mile after mile of palm plantations. There are still some areas of primary forest and the government does seem to be taking some measures to rewild some areas, however so many millions of acres are still earmarked for the palm oil industry. A very sad reality of the tension of people and governments trying to balance human prosperity with wildlife protection and conservation.
Danum Valley Conservation Area is a 438 km2 area of 130 million year old ancient primary rainforest. Much of the area is for the Danum Valley Research Centre (DVRC) with visiting scientists from all over the world conducting research here. The research areas are off limits to visitors and we were to stick to guided walks in certain areas. Our accommodation was adjacent to and run by the RDVC, quite rustic with no electricity between 23:00 and 07:00, but at the same time comfortable and all we needed. It was not lost on us that we were very privileged to visit such a place and the cost and effort of getting there were very much worth it.
We had two nights and one full day at Danum Valley. Our guide Jeffery had been very quiet up to this point of the trip, but he came alive in Danum Valley, his favourite place and his passion for it showed clearly. Thank you for sharing this special place with us.
We arrived to a wet afternoon and enjoyed tea and biscuits on the deck watching the rain. Fortunately the rain lifted and we were able to enjoy a first walk. We didn’t have to go far as an orangutan mom and baby were in a tree nearby the DVRC foraging and getting ready to nest for the night. A very special sighting. Our second wild orangutan sighting.
That first night, Jeffery arranged for us to join a night drive. It was so dark! The guides were amazing at finding things though! Special mentions of sightings include binturongs, red flying squirrel, Thomas’s flying fox, flying fox, flying squirrel, a mouse deer, and a brown wood owl. We must have driven right past so many things, creatures are so quiet and good at hiding. We had never heard of a binturong, have you? So we had no idea what we were looking at lol. It’s a kind of bearcat and is a very unusual and rare sighting, we had no idea how lucky we were. There was a large fruiting tree and it was very active and busy in there! The second night Jeffery took us for a walk and highlights include a Malaysian civet and a buffy fish owl.
Pheasant
The days followed a similar pattern of early morning walks and evening walks but we didn’t have to go far as there was a large fruiting fig tree right at the accommodation. The first morning we enjoyed the antics of a family of gibbons in this fig tree chasing off the long tail macaques, with a black squirrel and a pygmy squirrel in the mix too. Oh my goodness, the pygmy squirrel was so sweet! So small but so active, shaking his little body and tail, so very precious.
The second morning a male orangutan had discovered the fig tree and taken up residence in a tree nearby, we saw him making his nest the evening before. Our third wild orangutan sighting, so lucky! He was so close to us. For the most part he was pretty chilled but he did get grumpy and started shaking the tree at one point.
Our third and final wild orangutan sighting, a male this time
On the one full day we had at Danum Valley, Jeffery took us for a long walk through the forest. We didn’t really see any animals but it was so quiet and peaceful and just so lovely being in the forest. We did see lots of small things such as the flat or tractor millipede, pill millipede, various butterflies, lots of cool different fungi, various spiders including golden orb, and a very special ebony tree.
A small on the river bank, the perfect spot for a refreshing swim
After a long walk in the forest, a family of red leaf monkeys joined us for lunch. We had prime seats on the deck and watched them for hours. They were also chasing the macaques away just as the gibbons had.
Lunch with red leaf monkeys
The list of what we saw at Danum Valley:
Animals: Orangutans, gibbons, red leaf monkey, deer, Malaysian civet, binturong, red flying squirrel, Thomas’s flying squirrel, flying fox, black squirrel, pygmy squirrel, mouse deer, chameleon, rock monitor lizard, tiger leech, adder.
Insects: flat or tractor millipede, pill millipede, various butterflies, various spiders including golder orb, a tarantula, and a huntsman.
Birds: Oriental pied hornbill, buffy fish owl, pheasant, white crowned fork-tail, Malaysian blue flycatcher, kingfisher.
After the last orangutan sighting, it was time to leave Danum Valley. It was another long and bumpy car journey to our next destination: Semporna and the islands of Mabul and Sipadan.
A big thank you to River Junkie and our wonderful guide Jeffery for a fantastic 5 days in the forest! Highly recommend!
More on our snorkelling and diving adventures in Mabul next time!
