Borneo 3

Camp Leakey  to  2nd Camp :

On the western side of the Sekonyer river the forest is largely inhabited by  "wild"  Orangutans. This is a protected area and the Orangutans here have had little or no contact with humans.  They are extremely shy and though we caught glimpses of one or two through the trees by the river they quickly moved away.

On our (eastern ) side of the river in Tajung Putang National Park most of the Orangutans are used to a human presence because of the research work that has been carried out here.

Also, over 300 Orangutans (many orphans) have been rehabilitated from the Care Centre at Pasir Pandang, set up in 1998 by the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI).

To assist the rehab. programme there are a number of feeding stations located around the three camps.

It is necessary to have these feeding stations at the camps simply because, with the depletion of the rainforest, there is not always enough natural food to sustain them.

Not all the Orangutans come back every day, usually only a handful. Some find enough natural food,  some don't.

Think of the feeding stations as being like "soup kitchens". 

The orphan crisis stemmed largely from illegal logging which destroyed large areas of Orangutan habitation. 

 Large or aggressive animals either fled or were slaughtered leaving many infants without parents.

Unbelievably, these infants were often sold as pets until that also was rendered illegal. 

If you're wondering about any interaction with the  "wild"  Orangutans on the other side of the river,  Orangutans don't swim !
In fact they will cover their heads with leaves when it rains,  like an umbrella.
Occasionally, suitable rehab. Orangutans are transported across the river to fend for themselves.

One of the great benefits of these feeding stations for tourists like me is that they attract species that we might otherwise not see.

Left : Wild Boar

Right : The elusive Gibbon

And now I'd like to introduce you to  Marco.

Birute Galdikas gives names to all the Orangutans at the research camps and to those from the Care Centre.
All the rangers and all the guides know all the Orangutans.

I met Marco on the way back to our boat and I asked Dian if I could spend some time alone just observing. Of course, for safety reasons he couldn't agree  ...  however, and I will be eternally grateful to him, he made himself invisible but was never more than 30 seconds away from me in case of problems !

He also returned occasionally to check I was still alive  !!
 and to take some photographs for me.

First, Marco and I just sat and watched each other,  then I offered friendship through a banana !  and then I thought he was leaving.

But what he did next was astonishing.  At night, Orangutans climb high into the trees and build a nest to sleep in by bending branches around and under them.

I didn't understand what was happening at first but then I realised that Marco was making a nest, right in front of me.

It was the middle of the day and he was making this nest no more that 2 metres off the ground. 

He was putting on a performance and showing me what he could do. !!

And when he'd finished he climbed out of his nest and came to me for a reward !

I was so absorbed in what was happening I hadn't realised that I had sat here for over 3 hours !!




We returned to the klotok and moved down river ready for the journey back to Kumai in the morning.

As the evening set in we were joined for the night by a troop of Proboscis monkeys.

And they were still there when we woke up the next morning.

Well we've all made jokes about people not looking their best first thing in the morning but this feller wins first prize !

He must have fallen out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.

And I had to eat breakfast looking at him !!

Proboscis monkeys are an endangered species and can only be found in Borneo.


They are hilarious to watch and make the weirdest honking noise if you upset them. A bit like the circus clowns' car horn.

Believe it or not the large nose is used to attract a mate, the bigger the nose the better your chances are  !

--------------------------------

A fantastic end to a fantastic 3 month tour.

I fly back to Jakarta, on to Kuala Lumpur and then Penang for a few days r & r  !!

This will be the last blog from the Old Geezer  (on this tour at least !)

With all due respect to Penangites, another blog now would be like serving up a gourmet meal and following it with spotted dick !!

---------------------------------