6 Sanctuaries And National Parks

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The island of Borneo is a mystic land known for its untamed rainforest and unique jungle wildlife – the most famous of all are the Bornean orangutans, a threatened species exclusively native to this part of the world.

For any visitor to Borneo, a chance to glimpse these magnificent animals, especially in the world, will be a bucket list item you’d want to tick off. But you may be shocked to what you see before you.

Where the rainforest once stood, more than 50% of it has been cut down, making way for palm oil plantations, mainly.

This deforestation has put many of these animals in critical danger of being extinct, and makes viewing them in the wild a rare occurence.

Now the best way to see orangutans in Borneo, and sometimes the only way, is at an Orangutan sanctuary.

Fortunately, there are a few Orangutan rehabilitation centers in Borneo where orphaned babies can be cared for before they return to the wild, as well as national parks set up to protect their natural home.

If you’re wondering where to see orangutans in Borneo, here are the best sanctuaries and protected areas where you can spot them.

Where do Orangutans live in Borneo?

Borneo is an island made up of three countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. The best places to see orangutans in Borneo are on the Malaysian side of Borneo in the north, in the provinces of Sabah and Sarawak.

This is where most of the orangutan sanctuaries in Borneo are placed since they have connections to the rainforests.

Most of Borneo belongs to Indonesia, and you can find a few sanctuaries in the Central and West Kalimantan provinces.

However, most of the orangutan population of Indonesia lies on the island of Sumatra, to the southwest of Borneo.

You won’t find orangutans in the wild other than in Sumatra and Borneo, which are where orangutans are exclusively native to.

Orangutan Santuaries in Borneo

1. Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (Pusat Pemuliharaan), Sandakan

Perhaps the most well-known orangutan sanctuary in Borneo is the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary located just 25km outside Sandakan, to the west of the Sabah region of Borneo.

The world-renowned conservation facility has been open since 1964 and was the first…