Mother orangutan hangs from a rope with her baby in the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre © BlueOrange Studio, Shutterstock
One of Borneo’s orangutan-viewing hotspots, entry prices have soared here in recent years. ‘SOURC’ was set up in 1964 to rehabilitate orphaned orangutans who had lost their parents and their habitat through logging. The apes were brought here to be taught the necessary survival skills before returning to the wild. Operated by Sabah’s Wildlife Department, it has now branched out into tourism and education, as well as conservation of other species. A boardwalk leads to the feeding platform, perched up in the trees about 25m from the viewing area. The number of orangutans to be viewed depends on luck – and whether the orangutan females’ favourite ‘Mr B’ is there. Once the huge apes are full of bananas and vitamin shakes, they set off to have a swing and a play. Macaques and gibbons also come for a bite to eat. This is a great way to get a close-up view of the ‘Man of the Jungle’ and his primate cohorts.