Borneo’s Rainforest

The rising morning sun slowly reveals the rainforest’s canopy draped in a sheet of clouds.

As you travel deeper into the rainforest, the constant buzzing sound of the wild is overwhelming.

Most travelers are bound to feel the gentle bite of the Tiger Leech, one of the most commonly encountered species.  

Few, if any, are fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the forest’s king - the Orangutan. They’ve become harder and harder to locate as human activity increasingly impacts their habitat.  

A gibbon stretches its arms. 

A Red Leaf Monkey, indigenous to the island of Borneo, prepares for a big leap from atop the canopy.

 The Orangutan won’t come out at night, but other species certainly will.

The iconic Western Tarsier. This one doesn’t seem to appreciate our torches.  Let’s move along.  

Towards the coast, you can clearly see the changes to the island. The development of palm oil plantations is accelerating and wiping out flora and fauna that had flourished for thousands of years. 

Proboscis monkeys, for instance, need mangrove trees to survive.

The Sun Bear can keep finding ways to adapt, especially if there are many trees to climb. But poachers have started to stream in, determined to capture them and sell them as pets. A Conservation Centre was recently created in Sepilok to care for and protect the bears. 

If not fortunate enough to spot an Orangutan, one can still visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and cheer on the little orphans as they prepare for survival in the threatened rainforest.