We are both conscious of the ethics of animal viewing but both sites we visited rescue animals from captivity and human exploitation. They aim to rehabilitate the animals in order to release them into the wild. As many species in Borneo are endangered these centres are critical for their survival.

Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

I could spend the whole day admiring their curious and playful nature. You can easily notice their distinct characters and personalities. One orangutan stole a whole lettuce and another kept somersaulting. We watched them swing from the vines in the nursery from behind mirrored glass. It isn’t a concealed area and they are free to explore the forest reserve. They look like elegant trapeze artists with pointed toes and graceful swings. I wish I had the same grace when using the monkey bars in the playground.

Sun bear centre

It was a privilege to watch the sun bears through the telescope and unexpectedly I started to cry. It was a special moment watching them forage for food and eat bark. We learnt about three young bears – Joe, Logan and Romelina. It is fortunate that they didn’t spend as much of their life in captivity so they have a better chance of being released into the wild. We then met Dodop who was resting at the top of the tree. She was so content with life and didn’t even notice us.

Forest night walk

I underestimated how difficult it is to search for primates and nocturnal animals in the dark. We got stuck for a while because of the heavy rain and thunder which is quite scary in the middle of the forest. Unfortunately as it was raining we didn’t see much except the usual bugs, two spiny shelled tortoises and a flying squirrel(?!) I’ve never seen a squirrel that looks like it’s wearing a wing suit and leap from the trees.

I’m not sure why I thought I could wear my sundress and sandals on the night walk. Sometimes I surprise myself by my complete lack of common sense. It was definitely a good idea that I got changed. As you can imagine it’s not the most pleasant feeling wearing Lycra leggings in the heat. Although I was soon thankful as I was constantly checking for bugs and leeches. I went to bed paranoid that insects were crawling on me. Also it didn’t help that Wander Man was sleeping with a newt above his head.

Lots to love,

Wander Woman 👣🌍