In 1964, a rehabilitation centre was set up to rehabilitate orphaned baby orang utan. The centre is now known as Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilition Centre, a 4,300 hectare Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. It has become one of the main attractions inSabahthat gives the opportunity to watch orang utans in up close in its natural habitat.

A century ago, there were over 315,000 wild orang utans. It has now been reduced to approximately 50,000. While Bornean orang utan is classified as endangered, Sumatran orangutans suffer the worst fate of both two – only 7,000 orang utans live inSumatra. It is an alarming to see these semi-solitary animals suffer from extinction.

At the rehabilitation centre, you may opt to either do the public gallery viewing first or explore the exhibition centre. The public viewing is best done during the feeding time at feeding platform twice a day at 10.00am and 3pm by rangers. One has to take the walkways leading to the gallery and it will lead the viewers back to the exhibition centre being the starting point.

This board at the entrance of Sepilok Rehab Centre shows the feeding time and video showing time.

Meet Rossa and Naru – They are for adoption. Adoption here means you can sponsor them by given money to the rehab centre.

Another shot of the walkway taken from Nikon D70s.

The first orang utan appearance that very morning. Look there’s a baby orang utan.

Orang utan was annoyed by the noise the tourists were making; thus the fierce face.

Loving mother-daughter orang utan.

How adorable…

Getting to Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre

The easiest is to take the flight toSandakanand taxi to Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre. Hiring a taxi for a return trip may cost RM100.00 negotiable for a distance of 23km one-way. Budget travelers might opt for Labuk Road Bus Company Vehicles which may depart from the front of Sandakan Town Council from 6a.m onwards.

Another way of doing the tour at Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre from Kota Kinabalu is to get the bus heading toSandakan. Do an overnight stay at one of the lodgings near Sepilok and head to Sepilok first thing in the morning before you head to Kinabatangan River.

Opening Hours

Security Gate: Daily from 8 a.m. till 5.00p.m.

Reception & Ticketing Counter: Daily from 9.00am till 11.0am and 2.00p.m. until 3.30p.m.

Exhibition Hall: Daily (except Fridays) from 9.00a.m. until 4.30p.m.

 Admission Rate

My Kad Holders : Adult – RM5 / Below 18 y/o – RM2

Use of Cameras, Camcorders, Camera phone – RM10.00 each