Primates

We are now at Sakau Rainforest Inn. We were just relaxing in our room in an after lunch stupor when a good size troop of long tailed macaques started running over our roof and around our villa - so that brought us to life 😂

Internet has been slow (and I think we are a little slow as well due to the heat.)  The first two photos are from our visit to the orangutan rehabilitation center. It is well done! Our driver Irwan and guide Kazree picked us up early from Sandakan Hotel and our journey began by stopping at the center. There are no fences keeping the orangutans inside and they roam freely. They do get fed but they keep the diet routine and boring so the animals begin to go forage by themselves. You get to view one of the feeding platforms from inside a little air conditioned room and Kazree told us to sit on the floor right up by the glass. It was a blast to watch! There were three adult orangutans that came in and many many macaques. You are instructed by the staff to be as quiet as possible since the animals can hear us - imagine the difficulty not laughing out loud hysterically at their antics or constantly saying to each other look at that one - we were very well behaved. And the orangutans are well behaved as well, but the macaques are naughty so the keeper stays out there along enough for the orangutans to feed as much as they want before the macaques run rampant.

We left there and went to the outside feeding platform and on the way two mothers with babies came right along the boardwalk. There are several security employees walking along to protect both animals and people. After leaving the center we crossed the street to see the sun bears. Really boring compared to the primates 😂 but cute just the same, and that’s where we saw the first crimson sunbird.

Then it was onward to lunch, a quick grocery stop for snacks and then a 2 and 1/2 hour boat ride to Sakau. It was rather a tedious journey after the fun morning. We thought based on the way it was described that there would be many birds and animals to see - fortunately we at least ran into our first proboscis monkey. We made it to the lodge and then went out on our first boat safari with Kazree - and we went straight to the elephants, as they can be more difficult to find, and postponed more in depth birding for our first morning.

Here is a video of one of the orangutans from the center. Why walk if you can somersault 😂