“Have a look at their noses wobbling Mum!” giggled my daughter, as we watched a troop of proboscis monkeys tucking into their meals – simply one of many excessive factors throughout per week recognizing some unforgettable Borneo wildlife with youngsters.
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Our go to to Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary was the ultimate cease of our improbable whistle-stop go to to Sabah in Malaysian Borneo with Intrepid Journey, however simply considered one of an countless string of memorable moments.
We’d anticipated to be wowed by the orangutans (and we have been) however that was solely a single spotlight from a visit which left my animal-loving daughter open-mouthed, grinning and decided to do her half to assist Borneo’s endangered wildlife.
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre & Bornean Solar Bear Conservation Centre
In a single nook, a one-year-old was practising ahead rolls, legs flying with every roly-poly, grin seen on the opposite facet of the play space. Elsewhere on the ropes, one other infant was hanging off an even bigger pal, the pair of them having large enjoyable dangling and climbing.
When you ignored the orange fur, you would have been in any playground world-wide. However this was the great Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, a should on any itinerary for Borneo with youngsters, the place you cannot solely see these nice apes however be taught extra about how they’re being protected.
The centre takes rescued and orphaned orangutans and helps them be taught the talents they should survive within the wild – for infants, which means getting them an older orangutan ‘buddy’ as they play within the nursery, watched by guests behind one-way glass in order that they’re unaware of any scrutiny.
As they become older, they’re progressively moved to completely different areas, which open onto the rainforest in order that they’re free to go away – an unchanging menu of meals each day encourages them to go out and forage for themselves.
Some by no means return to the sanctuary, whereas others head again each few days, so there aren’t any ensures you’ll see the adults. However you may get quite a bit nearer than you anticipate! Strolling alongside the picket walkways to the feeding platform, we noticed two full-grown orangutans making their very own method alongside the handrail.
And throughout the highway within the Solar Bear sanctuary, which helps defend the world’s smallest bear, a mom orangutan along with her child was resting on the junction of three paths – edging previous cautiously with my very own daughter, who’d been chattering away about which orangutan she wished to undertake, she was immediately silenced, eyes huge on the thrill of being so close to.
Briefly, at the very least. Since then, she’s requested for an orangutan and solar bear adoption on her birthday wishlist, and steered the orangutan rehabilitation centre as a charity for her college to assist – proof optimistic of simply how massive an influence journey can have for households.
Take a look at my video of a go to to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehibilitation Centre with youngsters
Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre
My daughter gasped because the squirrel leapt into the air, its ‘wings’ opening because it glided simply to the subsequent tree. Watching big flying squirrels excessive up within the tree cover, on a walkway 620m above floor degree, was a world away from spying their on a regular basis gray cousins in our native park.
Within the background, the soundtrack of giant Pomponia merula. Higher often known as the 6 o’clock cicada, because it begins its mixture of croaking and high-pitched chirrups round sundown, a few of the bugs make extra noise than the typical bike.
As evening fell and we wandered the paths to the sunshine of our torches, we felt miles from civilisation – having Intrepid Journey handle the sensible facet of this household journey, particularly as I used to be travelling alone with my daughter, was an enormous benefit once you’re heading off the overwhelmed observe.
Fortunately our information not solely saved us from getting fully misplaced, but in addition had a formidable capability to identify a few of the forest’s shyest and rarest nocturnal creatures.
The spotlight? Seeing a Western tarsier – one of many oldest mammals on the planet, tarsiers date again an astonishing 55 million years. With their large eyes and unusual elongated fingers, which wouldn’t look misplaced on ET (nice for gripping timber), they’re simply startled.
The primary two we encountered had clearly heard us coming, and leapt off into the undergrowth. However our persistence was rewarded, with the sight of 1 clinging to a department, its eyes gleaming at nighttime.
Rising from the knee-high bushes, we have been silently thrilled to have seen one for ourselves – and in my case, additionally happy that we hadn’t encountered one other native forest-dweller… the leech!
Take a look at my video of our go to to the Sepilok Rainforest Discovery Centre
Kinabatangan River
10 minutes after climbing into our boat and dashing off down the Kinabatangan River, we noticed them – a household of three pygmy elephants within the water.
Trunks entwined, the newborn was busily play-fighting with considered one of its mother and father, whereas the opposite splashed by way of the water in search of meals on the alternative financial institution. At round 8-10ft tall when totally grown, they may be small for elephants however nonetheless fairly sizeable.
How, we questioned, are you able to probably high that? However the wildlife alongside the river is so wealthy and different that every of our cruises to identify Borneo’s wildlife in its pure habitat had numerous moments to recollect.
Throughout two afternoon boat journeys, we noticed monkeys splashing about by the water’s edge earlier than settling down within the timber to sleep, their backs to the river as night-time predators would come from the forest – proboscis monkeys, silver leaf monkeys, long-tailed macaques, short-tailed macaques too, all leaping, climbing after which curling up collectively because the solar sank in the direction of the horizon.
Elsewhere crocodiles basked on the banks, whereas birds flew overhead – an iridescent flash of blue from a kingfisher, dramatic black and pink broadbills with their eye-catching inexperienced beaks, a number of species of hornbill, gleaming white herons, and extra.
Venturing down just a little tributary – and getting totally over-excited at a sighting of a ‘crocodile’ swimming close by, which turned out to be a floating log – we ducked beneath the branches of a fallen tree to achieve an oxbow lake, coated with purple water hyacinths, a peaceable stretch of water carved out by the river.
At daybreak, the river shrouded in mist, we noticed the rainforest slowly got here to life. And at evening, we glimpsed an owl ready to hunt, whereas a uncommon sluggish loris clung to a department throughout its nocturnal outing, all beneath extra stars than we’d ever seen, solely the splash of our wake disturbing the silence.
We acquired to play a small half in serving to defend the animals too, becoming a member of a neighborhood conservation challenge to plant elephant grass. Seeing the pygmy elephants within the river may need been a vacation spotlight for us, nevertheless it’s truly lack of meals which forces them to vary extra extensively.
Supported by the Intrepid Basis, which works with native communities in Intrepid Journey’s journey locations, it ensures tourism makes a optimistic influence – and provides households an opportunity to get fingers on. Whereas my city-dwelling daughter isn’t often eager on getting her fingers soiled, she jumped on the likelihood to assist the elephants, feeling a specific connection after seeing them first-hand.
Take a look at my video of our wildlife-spotting cruises on the Kinabatangan River
Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary
If the macaques received the title of cheekiest monkeys noticed throughout our Borneo household vacation, the proboscis monkeys received my daughter’s coronary heart for his or her distinctive appears to be like.
To make it within the proboscis monkey world, the larger your nostril and stomach, the higher. Having seen them clambering within the timber alongside the Kinabatangan River, harems in tow, or a few of the bachelor teams settling down at evening, we couldn’t wait to see them shut up on the sanctuary.
As soon as we’d acquired previous the Silver Leaf monkeys, that was, together with some brilliant orange infants with their silver-grey moms – and one being taken care of by a well-meaning however barely ineffectual massive sister, as its personal mum snacked close by.
However for leisure, you couldn’t beat the proboscis monkeys: lounging casually in a department as if it have been an armchair, paws on knees and noses very positively wobbling up and down with every chunk they took.
One enterprising mom was even giving her child a fast wash within the bowl of water unnoticed to drink from – and we discovered that proboscis monkeys can truly use these massive noses as snorkels after they swim.
No surprise they shortly grew to become my daughter’s agency favorite, a much-cuddled fluffy proboscis monkey toy now a everlasting reminder of our unforgettable Borneo household journey.
For extra particulars of Intrepid Journey’s Borneo household vacation, take a look at the completely different itineraries on their web site
Disclosure: My journey was courtesy of Intrepid Journey and this publish was written as a part of a paid collaboration – all opinions are mine (and my daughter’s) as attending to see this Borneo wildlife with youngsters genuinely was wonderful
Pictures copyright MummyTravels