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Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre

The world's largest and oldest Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre is located at Sepilok, which is a 20-minute drive from Sandakan. An area of 11,000 acres of virgin equatorial rainforest has been set aside as forest reserve and orang utan rehabilitation centre. Here, you can experience a close encounter with the "Wild Man of Borneo."
When a young orang utan is orphaned or kept as a pet, it is unable to live in its natural habitat on its own; much of its survival depends on accquired skills, which the young orang utan gets from its mother in its first five to six years of life. At the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre orphaned or pet orang utans are trained to live an independent life in their natural habitat. This process can be quite long, and includes a "kindergarten," enclosed and controlled areas, and in its last stage the open forest reserve in Sepilok, where the orang utans are free-roaming. It is in this forest reserve where visitors get a chance to see the orang utans. The best time to view them is during feeding times at 10 a.m, and at 2.30 p.m, at the feeding plat-form. At other times access to the reserve is restricted to minimise disturbance of the apes. The trail to the feeding plat-form is a plank-walkway suitable for all visitors, and on the way you can marvel at huge and rare rainforest trees. If you observe the canopy closely, you will find orang utan nests, and with some luck a curious ape will meet you on the way to the platform. Please do under no circumstances touch the animals, and be aware of the naughty pig and long-tail macaques. Leave your bag, inclusive handphone, cigarettes and mosquito repellent at the reception, where you have to pay entrance and camera / video fees.
After the feeding of the orang utan it is recommended that you head for the video presentation at the visitor centre. The short film explains in detail the philosophy of the rehabilitation, and the importance of the work of the rangers of Sepilok.