Orangutans, Proboscis and Silver Leaf Monkey's

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Geo: 5.86667, 117.967



I only have a short time in Borneo because I've booked onward flights to the Philippines then back to KL to continue cycling, I had planned to climb Mt.Kinabalu and nothing else and thought I would have no chance of seeing the Orangutans and Proboscis Monkeys (which are only found in Borneo) but it turns out, that wasn't the case. After climbing down from Mt.Kinabalu, I decided to get a bus back down to KK so I could head to Sepilock in the morning to see the orangutans...'eejit' I know, I could hardly walk after the climb and should have been resting but I couldn't resist the chance of seeing them while I'm here.

The scenery on the long 6 hour journey was lovely with mountains and oil palm trees which fill every space, traveling through villages and seeing the local way of life, the transportation always fascinates me and I love the fancy jeeps I pass which are fab! The 'bus boy' told me when to get off the bus for Sepilock, and pointed me in the right direction and advises me to get a taxi down to the sanctuary. My plan was to see the orangutans then get back to KK, although once I've started my journey it seems foolish not to stay over somewhere and visit the proboscis monkey's too which are only found here in Borneo, it's well seen I'm tired and not really thinking straight and I didn't even bring any luggage with me!

Sepilock is the main orangutan sanctuary in Sabah and I arrive in plenty of time for the feeding session which gives me the opportunity to see them up close and personal. It's a walk through the jungle to the platform for tourists and I'm delighted to see a couple of orangutans are there when I arrive! This is a first for me... there's a couple chilling out on one of the platforms and I'm fascinated watching them with their big long arms hanging from ropes, swinging around and taking some of the food that has been provided for them. Watching their antics and expressions and general mannerisms is brilliant, they pull some fantastic faces, I sit and watch them for around half an hour while chatting to some of the other tourists and staff from the sanctuary and it turns out this is a 'courting' couple and the male hadn't been seen for 15 previously until he started seeing his new girl!

Next minute there's some rusting in the trees and I'm excited that it's a mother and baby that swing down one of the ropes and join the couple on the platform, the baby is the cutest ever with fine hair sticking straight up and pulling the funniest of faces. He tries to escape mum's grip a few times but she keeps a hold of him and I love when he stands holding onto mum for support and reaching himself for some of the food... cute.

Unfortunately as I lost my camera on the way to KL my only pictures are on my phone which has next to no zoom so are pretty useless, so I was delighted by the offer of 3 different people I met to email some pictures to me and I quickly passed over my details. It's was great to see the orangutans and witness part of their routine, watch their antics and movements and be enthralled by them however, it just makes me want to see more so decision made, I decide to find accommodation instead and visit the proboscis and silver leaf monkey's in the morning and let the hostel make the arrangements for me. l only have half a day available because I fly out to Manila in the morning and need to get back across country to KK so they organise my trip including getting dropped off for the lunchtime bus.

I'm tired on check in... it's been a long few days and I'm glad to get to my bed, I get a great sleep in a 20 bed dorm which I have all to myself and although there's another dorm across the landing which 15 people are squeezed into, I'm glad no-one ventures into mine! I grab a quick breakfast in the morning and set off with my driver/guide and it's around 20km out to Labuk Bay so it doesn't take us too long. My guide is a nice young guy and is full of information, we drive through many oil palm tree plantations on the way and I get to witness some workers farming the fruit from the trees which is interesting stuff. They use huge spikes to lift the heavy large fruit into waiting wagons, the fruit is used for a number of things the main one being palm oil which is used for cooking, it's also used to produce soap, wax, cosmetics, toothpaste and lubricants etc. and is a huge industry here in Borneo and Southeast Asia.

The building of many of the oil palm plantations destroyed much the habitat of the proboscis monkey which are now an endangered species. Their whole habitat was being chopped down to make way for these plantations, forcing the monkeys out and resulted in their near extinction, actually many of them died of starvation with the combination of their destruction of their habitat and a terrible drought and no-one was even aware. The monkey's eventually stumbled on one of the plantation workers huts and started stealing food as they were so desperately hungry... the worker informed his boss and thankfully work was stopped and instead they went about setting up Labuk Bay and providing food and support for them instead which is a lovely story.

Now these monkey's are bizarre looking fellas, they're so unique with their long noses and pot bellies and I've never seen anything like it! On entry to Labuk Bay I'm taken round to the feeding platform, the monkey's are wild and only come for food if they want to so I'm excited that they're already here with a group of 5 or 6 sitting munching away on one of the platforms, some are even running along the walkway which I'm on which is fun to see, they're not shy at all! There's one dominant male who has all the wives and family and there are groups of bachelor males around, the family group is protected by the male who often fends off those who come too close and I witness several 'warning offs'!

There's lots of monkey's around today which is good to see, they come running over the platforms and along the banisters beside us and it's great just watching them. After feeding we go to another area to see more proboscis but also silver leaf monkey's which the locals call 'Beckham monkey's' due to their hairdo! These are funky wee guys and we're falling over the amount of them which includes so many young ones which are hilarious. One wouldn't let go of my hand and had a firm grip on my finger which was cute while others around were busy munching away on green beans. The monkey's are joined by egrets, horn bills and water monitors to name but a few, there's all sorts of creatures hanging out here and I've had the most enjoyable day.

So I'm glad I made a detour and came to see them, I thinking I would have been kicking myself if I didn't. My guide dropped me off for the lunchtime bus back to KK which gave me a last evening in the city before my flight in the morning and although it's been a quick visit to Borneo, I think I did it justice.

Climbing Mt.Kinabalu, orangutans, proboscis, silver leaf monkey's, horn bills, egrets and water monitors, it's been a fantastic and memorable experience and another few ticks off my bucket list!

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