The Search for the Wild Men of Borneo

The search for the Wild Men of Borneo begins in Kota Kinabalu, in Sabah on the island of Borneo. There is also a subplot to find probiscos monkeys, crocodiles, sun bears and turtles. However, no visit could start without a view of Mount Kinabalu. 4095 metres high, standing on its own in the national park. It takes only 2 days to climb if anyone is interested.   

 Mount Kinabalu

The Rafflesia flower (or less romantically called “the stinking corpse lily”) is the largest flower in the world and by chance, there was one which had just started to flower en route to the next stop. This flower was 78 cm in diameter and was expected to last for another 6 days. It is the largest one that this local family has ever grown, however they were kind enough to allow foreigners to visit. The $5 entrance fee allows them time off from farming to grow and protect stinky flowers.

 Rafflesian flower with 78 cm diameter

 

 

The Rainforest Discovery Centre was close to the jungle lodge accommodation in Sandakan, so this is where the orangutan search began. After buying tickets, we were advised to take a large stick on our trail. No, not to beat off monkeys planning to steal food and sunglasses, rather to rattle the ground and make enough noise to discourage them from attacking you. Apparently, male Macaque monkeys consider eyeballing them to be a sign that you want a fight. 

Further into the jungle, on a canopy walkway, high amongst the treetops, a kindly ranger pointed out a deadly viper and a black squirrel. There were different exotic birds and the highlight was a huge monitor lizard (well, about 1 metre long) swimming across the lake below then striding out of the water in front of us. 

 

The Rainforest Discovery Centre

The search moved onto Turtle island, a 45 minute boat ride across the Sulu Sea. There are 3 islands that make up the park plus the coral reef. There are green and hawksbill turtles that return here to lay their eggs. Below is ‘Jennifer’ a green turtle who was a new visitor to the island. The rangers know this as she had no tags. She had crawled up the beach to lay her eggs and she was quietly intercepted by the rangers and a group of about 20 visitors. She dug a hole, below sand level, crawled into it and she thought she was laying her eggs. The sneaky ranger however, had slipped in a bucket underneath her nether regions and caught her 96 eggs. Jennifer then stepped forward and covered the hole back up with sand and disappeared back to the sea. In the meantime, the ranger (and fascinated visitors) took the bucket of eggs back to the hatchery where they were re buried and will remain undisturbed for two months until they hatch in conditions more likely to help their chances of survival. As she was a newbie, Jeniferwas measured and her vital statistics are 102 cms long x 86 cms wide, suggesting her age to be around 30 years old and tags clipped into her armpits.

 

Jennifer, one of 15 turtles who laid eggs on Selingan Island on 17th October 2024

Jennifer’s 96 eggs reburied under park rangers supervision 

Selingan island is surrounded by corals and snorkelling is allowed at high tide. Whilst waiting for the turtles to land at night, a walk round the island is a lovely way to pass time, although running into large, monitor lizards is a little disconcerting.

This boy was about one and a half metres long

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is on the edge of a forest reserve and serves to care for and release back into the wild, orphaned or injured orangutans. They have a day care centre where the little ones are taught to climb and interact with others and find food. The only areas that visitors can see are feeding times. A limited amount of food is provided in the centre for younger orangutans. However, adults are also aware that there is an ‘easy’ source of  food available. 

A few youngsters playing at the centre

In the forest itself is another feeding station for orangutans who have moved from the centre to the forest. The issue here is with Macaque monkeys who have also spotted an easy food source. As you can see, everyone gets stuck in together, although there are a few fists waved now and again

A scene from the jungle book?

Having found the orangutans, next stop is to call in and see the sun bears, identified to by the cream ‘V’ shape on their chest. These are the smallest bears in the world and very cute. Many of these bears have actually been pets and have been adopted by the centre so there is little chance of them being rehabilitated back to the jungle. 

This cute guy stood up for his photo.

The trip continued with a boat journey along the Kinabatangan river, which morphed from a fast flowing, wide river to swampy, narrow waterways through palm tree plantations. Rumour has it Pygmy elephants were in the neighbourhood. Apparently, they enjoy palm tree clippings and hang around excavators when the plantation owners cut down non producing, 25 year old palm trees and chop them up before replacing them with new ones. Sadly, no elephants ventured out to see us, however the area was full of other wildlife. 

Groups of Proboscis monkeys leaping through the trees

This guy was completely relaxed with being followed closely in the water. The calculation for judging his length is to estimate his head in inches and this is his length in feet, making him a fourteen foot croc. Apparently, they lose their teeth in old age and the main cause of death is starvation as a result. Not really sure I can sympathise.

With no predators, he can swim along quite unperturbed

Kinabatangan Lodge like their guests to be suitably embarrassed and wear sarongs for dinner. A group of lovely Dutch people kindly shared our embarrassment.

Summoned for dinner

The Borneo trip is paused here with a few days next in Brunei. To be continued ........