Sabah, Borneo: orangutans at the plantation edge

Borneo is the world's third-largest island, shared between Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, and Sabah, at its northern tip, is the Malaysian state most visited for wildlife. Two places show the arc of orangutan conservation. One is a rehabilitation centre, the other is a river.

The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, run by the Sabah Wildlife Department, began in 1964 as a place to rehabilitate baby orangutans, with the aim of returning orphaned, injured or displaced animals to the wild. It lies about 25 km north of Sandakan. Opening and feeding times differ between sources, from a morning session starting at 9 am to afternoon sessions at 2 or 3 pm, and one source says the counters close earlier on Fridays, so check the department's page or call before you go. One listing gives MYR 30 for adults and MYR 15 for children, with camera fees extra; verify at the gate.

The Kinabatangan river, in eastern Sabah, tells a different story. Scientist Marc Ancrenaz, scientific director of the NGO HUTAN and co-director of the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project, has worked there for years. In a 2014 interview with Mongabay, he described the Kinabatangan floodplain as the last major river in Sabah that retains significant forest cover. A study he led, published in the journal Oryx in 2014, found that orangutans there nest in oil-palm plantations as they travel from one forest patch to another. The lesson he draws is that forest fragmentation is the main threat, and that the palm-oil industry has a role in the animals' survival.

For a visitor, that means the Kinabatangan is not a pristine jungle but a working landscape. A river cruise at dawn can show orangutans, proboscis monkeys and hornbills, and also the plantation edge. Choose lodges that employ local guides, use quiet electric or paddle boats if available, and ask what the operator does to support the forest.

Practical notes: Malaysia's immigration rules for foreign nationals, including any visa-free arrangement, are set by the Immigration Department of Malaysia; Sabah has its own checks at the state border, so carry your passport for domestic flights. We could not verify current visa rules for Indian citizens from the sources we read, so check the official site before travelling.