Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre

We drove out to Kota Padawan from Kuching to go to the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Our objective was to see semi-wild Orang Utans which feed daily at 9.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m..

We reached there at 2.00 p.m. To drive into the Centre, we had to purchase entrance tickets at the booth beside the main gate. We asked how much the entrance fee was and were informed that it was RM3.00.

"How about Senior Citizens," Fourth Aunt asked.

"All of you?" asked the man inside the booth.

Pffft. I'm so insulted. Me? Senior Citizen? I still have a looooooooong way to go k. ;p Anyway, these are the rates : Senior Citizens - RM1.50; Students - RM2.00; Adults - RM3.00.

It was a 1 km drive to the parking area inside the Centre. Since we were an hour early, we wandered around.

There was a souvenir shop, but the souvenirs were rather limited. Aunt A****** bought a book entitled "Sweethearts of Sarawak". It features the Orang Utans at the Centre and their distinctive characteristics. Brochures were on sale for RM1.50. Other souvenirs include soft toys, eco bags, and postcards.

There were information boards about the resident Orang Utans at the Centre. They had interesting names such as Saddam, Anaku, Analisa, and so on. "Why Saddam?" I asked one of the wardens. "She was born at the time when the Iraq crisis was rife," the warden said. How convenient, I thought.

According to the warden, there were currently 25 semi-wild Orang Utans at the Centre. However, there was no guarantee that they would appear for feeding as it was the fruit season. They could easily feed on the abundant fruits in the forest. The best time to visit the Centre would be in May or June when fruits were scarce.

At the Centre, we met a Taiwanese tourist who was at the Centre for the second time that day. She was there in the morning but the Orang Utans did not come out for feeding. We kept our fingers crossed.

Feeding Platform No. 1

While waiting, we visited a gallery which displayed information about Orang Utan Rehabilitation. Not only that, the birth certificates of the Orang Utans were displayed. So interesting!

Further down, there were 3 cages. In each cage was a crocodile.

Concrete Cages

Croc in Cage 3

Before 3.00 p.m., the rangers would "call" the Orang Utans. "Bunyi Tarzan," one warden said, "and they would know that it's time to eat". So we hanged around the feeding platform till about 2.50 p.m. when the rangers alerted us that the Orang Utans were coming for feeding. He quickly held a safety briefing. We were told not to get too close, not to make noise, and not to eat and drink.

Before he even finished, an Orang Utan appeared high above on a tree. He swung towards the feeding platform and helped himself to the fruits there. There were fresh coconuts, bananas and sweet potatoes. According to the warden, the Orang Utans here consumed about RM6000 worth of fruits per month!




Soon, he was joined by another Orang Utan. For about 40 minutes, we watched as the two ate and frollicked in the trees.

Selina & Murray

Speaking to a warden, we found out that one of the Orang Utans was Murray and the other was Selina. Murray was 9 years old. Selina was 6 years old. Each of the Orang Utan had nicknames. Murray a.k.a The Rascal was famous for his mischievous behaviour, was hot-tempered and known to throw things when moody. He had even urinated on visitors! Lol. Selina, on the other hand, a.k.a. The Drama Queen was stylish and quite demanding, often getting angry when she did not get what she wanted.

Soon, we were told that another Orang Utan was coming to eat and it was Seduku, the grand dame of the Centre. She was 40 years old and was already a grandmother. Seduku chose to feed further away. She did not go to the feeding platform because she was afraid of Murray, who was known to bully her. Naughty, naughty.

Seduku was the Grand Old Lady, described as the friendliest Orang Utan at Semenggoh. She enjoyed the presence of visitors, often entertaining them with her playful acts.

I got awfully excited when I saw a baby climb out from her back. It was her child, her third-born son, Ganya. Ganya was 3 years old. The warden said that the Orang Utans normally took care of their babies till they were about 6 years old.

We watched the entire process as Seduku peeled the husk of a coconut, cracked it open, drank the juice and consumed the flesh inside. She helped her son as he too wanted his share of the coconut. There was a sweet potato given to her too but she did not eat it. She took it with her when she clambered up the tree.

Seduku & Ganya

Awww. Seduku had put on a great show. For me, it was a very enriching and endearing experience. It gave me a lot of joy. I returned home in high spirits.

I'll be back!!