Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary

The Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary is located in Sandakan, Sabah. It is also known as the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. It was set up in 1964 with the aim to rehabilitate orphaned baby orang utan.

The Orang Utan Sanctuary is set up in a large 4300-hectare of lush greenery in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. The centre is managed by the Wildlife Department of Sabah.

The sanctuary attracts myriads of tourists and researchers to the rehabilitation centre in order to seize the opportunity of watching these magnificent creatures up close in their natural habitat. In the centre, there is a boardwalk which leads you to a viewing gallery and a feeding platform where you can view the orang utans during feeding time.

They are fed twice a day at 10.00 am and 3.00 pm by the rangers. The orang utans are fed with a diet of milk and bananas. The rehabilitation centre's main goal is to help the orphaned orang utans but it also place importance in public education on research, conservation and assistance on other endangered species such as the rhinoceros. The centre helps the orphaned and confiscated orang utans by providing them with medical care. Other wildlife species are also rescued and treated in the centre.

Those include the sun bears, Sumatran Rhinos, gibbons and elephants. In the centre, visitors are limited to only using the walkways. Although some of the orang utans have become acquainted with human but touching them is never encouraged. There are also more adventures and sports related activities in the centre. For those who are more adventurous, there is jungle trekking through the mangrove forest. This activity is under the Forestry Department, thus you will need to get a permit to trek the 5 kilometer trail which runs through Sepilok Laut.

Getting There

The Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary is located in Sandakan, Sabah. It is also known as the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. You can get to the tea garden by bus from the Terminal Bas Bandaraya-Utara (City Bus Terminal-North). The bus will stop at Ranau.

Attractions in Sabah