Sepilok, where orangutans learn to be wild again
A government-run centre in Sabah has rehabilitated orphaned orangutans since 1964. A place profile.
The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre was started in 1964 by what is now the Sabah Wildlife Department, according to the department's own page. Its purpose is to rehabilitate orphaned, injured or displaced orangutans and return them to the wild. One conservation charity describes it as the first centre in the world dedicated to the rehabilitation of orangutans.
Today the centre also receives visitors, who watch from platforms and walkways as animals are fed in the forest. It sits about 25 km north of Sandakan. Visiting times differ across sources: a morning session from 9 am and an afternoon session from 2 pm are commonly reported, and one source says the centre closes earlier on Fridays. The department's page and its phone number are the places to confirm.
The Bornean orangutan is listed as critically endangered, so every visit is also a lesson in the species' status. Do not take food into the area, keep your voice down, and follow the rangers' instructions. Money from tickets supports the work, but the best contribution is to behave.
Prices, dates, permits and rules change — approximate, verify before you travel. Researched from public sources; field verification pending.
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