Orang Bandar
Orang Utan
MIRA enjoying the attraction ....
MAX .... relax ...and dreaming
ESAH ..... in cage "Meroyan"
Sampan V Dragon Boat
Waterfront Kuching
Kuching oh Kuching
Kuching was cloudy and rainy when we gathered to start off our teambuilding trip to Matang Wild life Centre. There were three bus loads of nature lovers rearing to go despite the threatening weather. We are going to the Orang Utan rehabilitation and conservation centre at Matang Wild Life Centre in the Kubah National Park about 1.5 hour bus ride from Kuching. The 2,230 hectors National Park is part of the Sarawak State government initiative in the conservation of wild life and nature.
By joining the trip I improved my basic knowledge on the endangered species orang utan. In fact orang utan can only be found in two parts of the world i.e. Borneo and Northern Sumatra (Acheh). Its populations was 8,000 in 1989 but now reduced to 2,000 only. Its lifespan is about 40 yrs in nature and 60 yrs in captivity. Its DNA is 97% same with human, making it our closest relatives. Very slow in breeding with 8 to 9 yrs between each pregnancy. The pregnancy period is 8 – 9 months and the baby will stick to its mother between 2 – 3 years before roaming free. They feed on plants shoot with durian as one of the favorite diet. The orang utan nest is made of tree branches & twigs and is 40 – 50 ft above the ground. They change their nest every night????
At the Matang Wild Life Centre we were taken for a short jungle tracking before reaching the orang utan sanctuary. We were first introduced to “Mira” – a three years old orphan that looks very much at home at the sanctuary. She was free to play around and enjoyed the attention given to her. Next was “Esah” with her two years old baby clinging and playing around with her in the cage. She was not allowed to roam freely because of her depression that caused her to act aggressively to female visitors. We were told she was ok with male visitors though!!! Maybe she was having “ sakit meroyan “ like some unfortunate women did after delivery. There was another 19 yrs old male orang utan named “ Max “. They could not set him free because he is very aggressive and unable to survive in the jungle. So used to captivity life – food and lodging provided !!!. Actually the centre acts as an orphanage, training and treatment centre for the orang utan.
Looks like even orang utan have their problems either because of their own doing or caused by human reducing their roaming territories. Despite the close DNA between orang utan and human, they were never close to us in term of intelligence and capability. Capability to do good deeds or destroying the world we are living in. It make me realized the truth reminder given to us by God Almighty that human is a very special creation that can be like an Angel when following the humanly nature but worst then the animal when overcome by animal desires.
By joining the trip I improved my basic knowledge on the endangered species orang utan. In fact orang utan can only be found in two parts of the world i.e. Borneo and Northern Sumatra (Acheh). Its populations was 8,000 in 1989 but now reduced to 2,000 only. Its lifespan is about 40 yrs in nature and 60 yrs in captivity. Its DNA is 97% same with human, making it our closest relatives. Very slow in breeding with 8 to 9 yrs between each pregnancy. The pregnancy period is 8 – 9 months and the baby will stick to its mother between 2 – 3 years before roaming free. They feed on plants shoot with durian as one of the favorite diet. The orang utan nest is made of tree branches & twigs and is 40 – 50 ft above the ground. They change their nest every night????
At the Matang Wild Life Centre we were taken for a short jungle tracking before reaching the orang utan sanctuary. We were first introduced to “Mira” – a three years old orphan that looks very much at home at the sanctuary. She was free to play around and enjoyed the attention given to her. Next was “Esah” with her two years old baby clinging and playing around with her in the cage. She was not allowed to roam freely because of her depression that caused her to act aggressively to female visitors. We were told she was ok with male visitors though!!! Maybe she was having “ sakit meroyan “ like some unfortunate women did after delivery. There was another 19 yrs old male orang utan named “ Max “. They could not set him free because he is very aggressive and unable to survive in the jungle. So used to captivity life – food and lodging provided !!!. Actually the centre acts as an orphanage, training and treatment centre for the orang utan.
Looks like even orang utan have their problems either because of their own doing or caused by human reducing their roaming territories. Despite the close DNA between orang utan and human, they were never close to us in term of intelligence and capability. Capability to do good deeds or destroying the world we are living in. It make me realized the truth reminder given to us by God Almighty that human is a very special creation that can be like an Angel when following the humanly nature but worst then the animal when overcome by animal desires.
1 comment:
'Bang Jaflam,
Kuching, I think I said in an earlier comment, is a wonderful place. I visited Kuching a few times when I lived in Miri from early to mid-90's. My eldest boy, who was born there but has not been back ever since we moved back to KL in '96. That's over 10 years! Maybe next school holidays is a good time to bring him back and be re-aquainted with Sarawak. Thanks for writing about Matang, will need to go there and a few other places that I missed...
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