Orang means man in local language. So I, the orang went today to see orang – utangs – men of the forest.
Sepilok rehabilitation station is one of very few places you can see orangutans – the only big apes of Asia in their natural habitat.
Sepilok lies 2,5 kms off the main Sandakan – Kota Kinabalu road – some 14 miles from Sandakan. Now you know that if you are in rush it could be just bus stopover on your route…
I stay in Sandakan so I took city bus 14 or 16 (very slow ride – allow an hour plus 20 min for waiting, ticket -3 r) and then I walked 2,5 kms in the heat…
How it is organized: orangutans are coming voluntarily twice a day (10 am and 3 pm) to the special platform in the jungle to get their desert (after the main meal taken in the wilderness) Tourist pay 30 r entry fee (plus 10 for the camera) and are allowed to enjoy the view from the distance of 15 m or so…
Great spectacle! Well, not as good as visiting gorillas in Rwanda (I did write about this for you) but also very exciting. 4 orangutans arrived (including one baby) and at the end also the family of macaques came to clear-up the rest. Great and very hot day!
