The Orang Utan (Malay term meaning Jungle Man) is an instant crush for anyone who sees it in its natural habitat. Cute, adorable and disturbingly human-like, it has to be nature's ultimate humor! Scientists have equally been charmed.

"It is one of the most appealing animals on earth", Dr. William V. Bleisch, China Programme Co-ordinator remarked, after a recent trip to Sabah.

What's left of this fascinating primate on planet earth are found only in Borneo and Sumatra these days. Not surprisingly, Sabah (formerly British North Borneo) is the best place in the world to see the Red Ape because of a conscious conservation programme going back to the 1930's. This refers particularly to the world famous Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation centre, which is a well preserved 10,000 hectares ( 43 sq. km ) tropical lowland rainforest sanctuary where scores of the primate roam and mate freely.

World figures like Prince Philip have been there, and so did former Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau.

The best zoo in the world can never match seeing them in their jungle context.

It is the only Asian primate which builds nests by characteristically bunching leaves and twigs together scores of meters above the ground and sleep there at night.

Sighting at close range at Sepilok is guaranteed.

The best chance to see them are from 10:00 am or 2:30 pm, when a dozen or two of the animals emerge for the twice daily feedings of milk and bananas.

Getting there is easy, since the Centre is only 25 km northeast of a throbbing, modern commercial town named Sandakan, which has good local transport and good air links with outside.

To get the most out of the experience, especially if you come a long way to see it, one American visitor advised : "Watch the documentary about the ape and the centre screened before feeding time. It greatly helped me appreciate what I saw", he said.

Facilities

There is an Information Nature Education Centre, and a mini-theatre where a documentary video on the work of the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary is shown.

Visitors are advised to arrive about one hour in advance to register and enjoy activities prior to the feeding.

How to get there

Frequent daily flights link Sandakan, with Sabah's capital, Kota Kinabalu, just 40 minutes away. Kota Kinabalu has direct air links with Brunei, Hong Kong. Kaohsiung, Cebu, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Davao, Cebu and Tokyo, as well as Kuala Lumpur and Kuching.

It is also possible to travel by bus or mini-bus from Kota Kinabalu; the trip takes around 8 hours.

Above information is refer to http://visitborneo.com/sab_wildlife.htm