Sandakan - Sepilok - Kinabatangan - Sepilok - Sandakan
On monday morning I got up early to catch the bus to Sandakan. I was told the first bus would pass around nine in the morning so I made sure I was there on time.
After a three hour wait the first bus finally showed up. From there it was a 5h journey to Sandakan.
My plan was to get there earlier so I could make arrangements to go to turtle island after I got back from the jungle but because we arrived so late, that plan did not happen.
The next day I travelled on to Sepilok. After checking in, I went to pay the Sun Bears a visit. The sun bear is the smallest of the bear species but also one of the most threatened.
They are named after the splotch of yellow fur that spreads like a bright V across their chests. These animals are endangered due to habitat loss and Chinese traditional medicine.
In China and Vietnam the bears are strapped in tiny cages and hooked to IV's to pump the bile from their gallbladders.
Also their claws and fur are sold on the black market within these countries.
Wednesday morning was Orang-Utan morning. I arrived early to the conservation centre to get a good spot at the feeding platform.
Unfortunately not one orang-utan showed up for some yummy fruit.
So after that disappointment it was of to the nursery to see the young ones play around and eat some fruit.
Orphaned, injured or displaced orang-utans are brought to Sepilok to be rehabilitated to return to forest life.
The centre covers about 40sq km of forest where the orang-utans can live.
The rehabilitation process starts as soon as the orang-utan is admitted to the centre with a thorough health examination, followed by a quarantine period to eliminate diseases being transmitted.
Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: My Wander Lust HQ: Sandakan Wildlife Adventure
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