My Orangutan Adventure
Hi I'm Fiona and I am 18 currently in my final year at secondary school in Scotland. As part of a gap year and also to fufill an ambition of mine I will be travelling to malaysia to assist in the rehabilitation process of orphaned and injured orangutans at the Sepilok Orangutan Sancturary, Sabah.
About a million years ago, orangutans lived throughout much of Asia, from Java in the south, right up into Laos and southern China. Today they are found only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Asia's only great ape, the orangutan has recently been re-classified as belonging to two distinct species, reflecting their geographical distribution: Pongo pygmaeus (on Borneo) and Pongo abelii (on Sumatra).
Orang-Utans (in Malay "man of the forest") are protected under the Fauna Conservation Ordinance which, among other things, prohibits hunting, trading or keeping them as pets.
When the rescued Orang-Utans first arrive at the centre, in Sepilock, they are often in a sorry state and riddled with diseases. They are put into cages while they're treated for their ailments and nursed back to health. The wardens then teach them how to forage for fruit, climb trees and generally fend for themselves. When they are mid-way through the rehabilitation process they are released into the surrounding forest reserve. The animals then spend most of their time in the forest but often return to one of the centers five feeding platforms for a “free” meal. When the wardens feel that an Orang-Utan is fully rehabilitated, it is caught and returned to the wild - usually deep in the forest or to one of the National Parks or Wildlife Sanctuaries. All the above duties are made possible due to the help of Travellers World Wide volunteers.
Travellers Worldwide, a volunteer organisation, has established programmes that place participants in countries such as China, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka for a variety of humanitarian projects. The ultimate goal of Travellers Worldwide is to empower and promote international understanding through both direct people-to-people and environmental interaction. With my interest in Biology, i will be taking part in a placement which will focus on Orang-utan rehabilitation, which will aid local pioneers achieve their goals and missions. I will have the opportunity to assist in the rehabilitation process of orphaned and injured Orang-utans in Malaysian Borneo and provide help with the everyday tasks of The Sepilok Orang-utan Sanctuary such as Orang-utan husbandry (both indoor and outdoor nursery care), paediatric and veterinary care, field surveys and both nocturnal and extended animal surveys. All of which could not happen without the help from Travellers Worldwide volunteers.
The fees for the 2 month programme, which include food, lodging and in-country transportation total £2,675, and do not include airfare to Sandakan, Malaysia.
My exciting experience lies ahead!!
About a million years ago, orangutans lived throughout much of Asia, from Java in the south, right up into Laos and southern China. Today they are found only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Asia's only great ape, the orangutan has recently been re-classified as belonging to two distinct species, reflecting their geographical distribution: Pongo pygmaeus (on Borneo) and Pongo abelii (on Sumatra).
Orang-Utans (in Malay "man of the forest") are protected under the Fauna Conservation Ordinance which, among other things, prohibits hunting, trading or keeping them as pets.
When the rescued Orang-Utans first arrive at the centre, in Sepilock, they are often in a sorry state and riddled with diseases. They are put into cages while they're treated for their ailments and nursed back to health. The wardens then teach them how to forage for fruit, climb trees and generally fend for themselves. When they are mid-way through the rehabilitation process they are released into the surrounding forest reserve. The animals then spend most of their time in the forest but often return to one of the centers five feeding platforms for a “free” meal. When the wardens feel that an Orang-Utan is fully rehabilitated, it is caught and returned to the wild - usually deep in the forest or to one of the National Parks or Wildlife Sanctuaries. All the above duties are made possible due to the help of Travellers World Wide volunteers.
Travellers Worldwide, a volunteer organisation, has established programmes that place participants in countries such as China, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka for a variety of humanitarian projects. The ultimate goal of Travellers Worldwide is to empower and promote international understanding through both direct people-to-people and environmental interaction. With my interest in Biology, i will be taking part in a placement which will focus on Orang-utan rehabilitation, which will aid local pioneers achieve their goals and missions. I will have the opportunity to assist in the rehabilitation process of orphaned and injured Orang-utans in Malaysian Borneo and provide help with the everyday tasks of The Sepilok Orang-utan Sanctuary such as Orang-utan husbandry (both indoor and outdoor nursery care), paediatric and veterinary care, field surveys and both nocturnal and extended animal surveys. All of which could not happen without the help from Travellers Worldwide volunteers.
The fees for the 2 month programme, which include food, lodging and in-country transportation total £2,675, and do not include airfare to Sandakan, Malaysia.
My exciting experience lies ahead!!