Sepilok is a small town located close to Sandakan (so many S-towns in Sabah) and on our way back to Kota Kinabalu in East Malaysia/Borneo.
Sepilok is home to a couple rehabilitation centers and sanctuaries.
The most popular is for orang utans, but there is also one for Proboscis monkeys and sun bears, as well as a rainforest center.
It is also surrounded by palm oil plantations, like most of Sabah.
Upon our arrival in Sepilok, we ate lunch at our B&B and then napped while we waited for the heat to dissipate.
That afternoon we headed to the Rainforest Discovery Center to do some short treks and a canopy walk.
We were a bit disappointed by the lack of wildlife, birds included, but maybe it was still too hot for anything to be out.
The center is really nice though – the canopy walkway has great views and the Pitta Path takes you up on a ridge so you can see the tops of the trees.
On our way out, we stopped at the garden and while admiring a strange red fruit with giant black seeds, we spotted a pygmy squirrel hiding in plain sight.
Otherwise, we spotted a few common brown birds and some ants.
The second day was for the orang utans.
The rehab center has two feeding times, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
We planned to do both, as we heard the morning can be crowded with groups and spottings can be sporadic at both times.
There is also an outdoor nursery for young orang utans, which can be viewed from inside an air-conditioned building.
We started here and watched the young ones eat fruit and play on the ropes and platforms.
It was very different than seeing them in the wild, but cool to see them interact so close.
Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Orang utan Rehab….Sepilok, Borneo, Malaysia
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