Malaysia > Orangutans in the rain

At half past four the phone rings. The wake-up call. Downstairs in the restaurant a large breakfast buffet is ready. Despite the early hour, I enjoy it thoroughly. For the first time there is cheese at breakfast, croissants, yogurt, everything. This morning I have a different flight with three other travel companions. My flight to Sandakan departs 35 minutes later. Together with the whole group I drive to the airport. Just after half past seven I take off for the domestic flight to Sandakan. By then, the other travel companions are already descending. The flight departs exactly on time.

Malaysia - An orangutan with a baby in Sepilok

These short flights are starting to feel almost routine. From the window I have a view of Kota Kinabalu. I can see the boulevard where I ate yesterday. With a wide arc over the sea the plane flies over the mountains towards the northeast. Not even forty-five minutes later I land in Sandakan. It’s raining. At the aircraft stairs I’m handed an umbrella to walk to the arrivals hall. Outside the airport building Omar is waiting for me. The other companions have already left by bus for Sepilok. I step into a minibus and head there as well. In Sepilok lies the largest rehabilitation center for orangutans in Malaysian Borneo. Here too, rescued animals are taught to fend for themselves. Twice a day they are given supplementary food. Around half past nine I drive onto the grounds of the Sepilok Jungle Lodge. Quickly I drop my luggage in my room, grab my umbrella and camera, and walk to the Sepilok reserve. At ten o’clock, feeding time, I buy a ticket and store my backpack in a locker. It is still raining. Looking at the sky, I don’t think it will clear up soon. The water between the trees is high. Other tourists tell me that it has been raining for four days in this region. So far, I haven’t really suffered from long-lasting rain. I hadn’t expected it anymore. Hopefully the orangutans won’t be put off by the weather. When I arrive at the platform, about a hundred people are standing under their umbrellas looking at the trees. A female orangutan is waiting in a tree for the food. When the ranger places the fruit on the platform, she climbs down via a long rope. Only then do I notice that she is carrying a young one with her.

Malaysia - A mother with her baby in the Sepilok Orangutan rehabilitation center

She dives into the bananas. I grab my camera and try to take a photo under my umbrella. The camera immediately fogs up in the humid weather. I estimate the humidity at nearly 100%. I try to carefully clean the lens, but the image remains misty. I put the camera away again and just enjoy what I see. The rope on the left begins to move. A little later a male appears on the platform. Wonderful! Back at the entrance building I watch a film about the rehabilitation of orangutans and their release back into the wild. It is still raining as I walk back to the lodge. A pity, really, because the Sepilok Jungle Lodge has a beautiful park and a large swimming pool. In the rain the pool looks rather desolate. In the afternoon I visit the feeding again. With umbrella and poncho I walk once more to the Sepilok reserve. If I look at it positively, I’ve only had one shower today – but a very long one. At the platform food is laid out again. For a long time nothing happens. It looks as if nothing is going to happen at all. Suddenly the rope moves. The female with her little one comes again to fetch some food from the platform. After a few bites she moves back under the leaves to take shelter. I also call it a day and walk back to the resort. In the restaurant I order a beer. In the muddy-colored water behind me a monitor lizard swims past. Two hornbills land in the trees next to the restaurant. The colorful curve on their beaks is clearly visible. After dinner I go to bed early. It has been a long day. Outside it is still raining.