Sun Bear Encounters
Project Objectives
- Improve conditions of sun bears in captivity and rehabilitation through creating environmental and food enrichment;
- Work alongside keepers to raise the quality of current enrichment standards at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre;
- Learn about sun bears in the rehabilitation stage and process of releasing them back into the wild;
- Understand and compare situations of captive/rehabilitated sun bears and those with threatened habitats;
- Raise awareness of responsible living and travelling among tourists, the local community and students;
- Plant trees and maintain planting sites important for orang-utans, sun bears and pygmy elephants;
- Understand the threats to habitat and wildlife and make a personal impact in conservation;
- Interact with students of local schools in an education programme focusing on conservation;
- Live in the same village as the Orang Sungai (Malay for “People of the River”) and collaborate through community projects;
- Trek through and learn about the mysterious rainforest of Sabah, Borneo.
Project Description and Project Site
This project will begin at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, better known as BSBCC, which is based approximately 19km from Sandakan town. It’s located next to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and is also linked to existing forest trails and boardwalks. The centre currently has 2 bear houses that house 43 bears as well as 1.14 hectares of natural forest enclosure, where the bears can roam free during the day (and night). There’s also an observation platform for visitors to spend time learning about the bears through personal observation and information shared by BSBCC’s staff.
After your stint at BSBCC, you’ll then move on to a little village within a beautiful Borneo wildlife sanctuary along the Kinabatangan River. You’ll live within the community of the village, dine with the gentle Orang Sungai (Malay for “People of the River”) and wake up to the sounds of the Borneo rainforest. You’ll help in the restoration of wildlife habitat and contribute towards the environmental education of the local schoolchildren while on this project.
Project Highlights
BSBCC: Animals in captivity and rehabilitation centres need to be stimulated. Besides assisting the centre in husbandry, you will be making enrichment for the sun bears. Examples of enrichment include hunting for termite mounds, making browse out of leaves and twigs, and constructing climbing structures.
Sepilok : During your off days, experience wildlife in the rainforest tree tops by walking on a 363-m Canopy Walkway at the Rainforest Discovery Centre. You can also visit the Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre where you will learn about the challenges of orang-utan rehabilitation and see semi-wild orangutans roaming the tree tops.
Sukau : The project involves wildlife observation to collect important wildlife population data. Habitat restoration work involves tree-planting and maintenance activities at high priority areas. These are crucial in connecting fragmented forest in the area to encourage healthy orang-utan and pygmy elephant populations. Community and Education programmes involve interaction with the villagers and the students of the village school.
Note: Programmes are subject to change depending on community and/or school calendar.