Borneo OrangUtan 11 Days and 10 Nights Tours
Borneo's forests are highly biodiverse. According to WWF, the island is estimated have at least 222 species of mammals (44 of which are endemic), 420 resident birds (37 endemic), 100 amphibians, 394 fish (19 endemic), and 15,000 plants (6,000 endemic) -- more than 400 of which have been discovered in surveys since 1994.
What You Might See
Birds
Borneo is perhaps best known for its hornbills -- eight species are found on
the island. Large and noisy but also colorful and charismatic,
hornbills have remarkable nesting behavior where the female is sealed
on a tree hollow during the nesting period.
Mammals
As
in most tropical rainforests, the vast majority of mammals on Borneo
consist of bats and rodents, which play important ecological roles --
including seed dispersal and insect population control -- in the forest
ecosystem.
There are 13 species of primates on the island, the best-known of which are the orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus), gibbon (Hylobates muelleri), and long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis). Borneo is also home to the banteng (Bos javanicus), a species of wild ox; the highly endangered Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis); the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), which is smaller in stature than mainland elephants; the Sambar deer (Cervus unicolor), the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus).
Orangutan
The
Orangutan is a great ape with long arms and reddish brown fur.
Orangutans are presently found only in rainforests on Borneo and
Sumatra, though they were once widely distributed in southeast Asia (as
far as southern China). Today orangutans are highly endangered in the
wild due to habitat loss (the destruction of rainforests for logging
and agriculture) and the illegal trapping of baby orangutans for the
pet trade. WWF estimates there were around 55,000 Bornean orangutans in
2004, but the number has since dropped largely as a result of
widespread forest fires and increased clearing for oil palm
plantations.
In August 2006, the Wildlife Conservation Society-Indonesia Program said that Indonesia's population of orangutans stands at 20,000, down from 35,000 in 1996. Due to its slow rate of reproduction, environmental groups have warned that red ape could go extinct in the wild without urgent conservation measures. Genetic analysis has recently concluded that there are three subspecies of orangutan in Borneo: Pongo pygmaeus morio, the Northeastern Borneo orang-utan, Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii, the Central Borneo orang-utan and Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus, the Northwest Borneo orang-utan. For more on the orangutan, take a look at orangutan articles and orangutan pictures
Proboscis monkey
The proboscis monkey lives only in
the swampy lowland rainforests of coastal areas of Borneo and the
Mentawai Islands. These large monkeys are best known for the male's
large protruding nose. Proboscis monkeys are social animals, living in
groups of 10 to 32 individuals led by a single dominant male. The local
name for the proboscis monkeys is 'orang belanda', meaning 'Dutchman'.
Indonesians say the with their big noses and red faces, they resemble
the Dutch who used to have colonial control over Indonesia. The
proboscis monkey is highly endangered -- less than 7000 are thought to
exist in the wild
Müller's Bornean Gibbon
Müller's
Bornean Gibbon (Hylobates muelleri) is endemic to the island of Borneo,
inhabiting the northern and eastern part of the island. In the
southwest of the island it is replaced by the Agile Gibbon. Gibbon are
a type of ape that live in monogamous pairs. A couple's territory is
usually defended by song. Like all gibbon, Müller's Bornean Gibbon is
characterized by the long arms which are used to brachiate through the
rainforest canopy. Müller's Bornean Gibbon eats fruit. There are three
subspecies: Müller's Gray Gibbon (Hylobates muelleri muelleri),
Abbott's Gray Gibbon (Hylobates muelleri abbotti), and the Northern
Gray Gibbon (Hylobates muelleri funereus).
Sun bear
The
Sun Bear is the world's smallest bear at approximately 4 ft (1.2 m) in
length. It lives primarily in the tropical rainforests of southeast
Asia. Primarily nocturnal, the sun bear is omnivorous feeding on a
variety of plants and animals. Borneo has an endemic subspecies,
Helarctos malayanus. Sun bears are today threatened by habitat loss and
poaching, both for meat and medicinal purposes -- many Chinese believe
sun bear parts have special healing powers. Sun bear are listed by the
IUCN as endangered and protected by CITES.
Clouded leopard
The
clouded leopard is a medium-sized cat found throughout southeast Asia.
Recently (2002) added to the IUCN Red List, the clouded leopard is
considered "vulnerable" due to habitat desctruction and poaching for
its coat. The clouded leopard is also sometimes available as a delicacy
on menus in southeast Asia. Borneo has an endemic subspecies known as
Neofelis nebulosa diardi.
Borneo Elephant
The
Bornean Pygmy Elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis) is an elusive
elephant limited to only a small part of northeastern Borneo. WWF says
that there are five main concentrations of the elephant which is
thought to have a total population of 1,000 - 1,500. The Bornean Pygmy
Elephant is an endemic subspecies of the Asian elephant.
Borneo Rhinoceros
The
Borneo Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni), an endemic
subspecies of the Sumatran rhino, is the world's smallest rhino. It is
also one of the most endangered with a population of less than 100
individuals. Poaching for its horn -- believed by the Chinese to have
medicinal qualities even more potent than African rhino horn -- is the
greatest threat to the species.
TOUR ITINERARY
DAY 01 : Pangkalan Bun - Orangutan
Upon
arrival at Pangkalan Bun Airport, you will be picked up and meet by our
korindo-network local staff and transfer to the small town of Kumai,...
DAY 02 : Park - Camp Leakey - Boat
After
breakfast board the klotok to travel up river for about 2½ hours
boating and then up a side creek to Camp Leakey where the older
orangutans are reintroduced into the rain forest,...
DAY 03 : Park - Pondok Tangguy - Pesalat - Pangkalan Bun
After
breakfast board the klotok to travel up the river for Pondok Tanguy,
the rehabilitation center for the new ex-captive orangutans, see
feeding time at 09.00 am.
DAY 04 : Park - Kumai - Pangkalan Bun - Bayat Dayak Village
After
breakfast, straight to the speed boat harbor about 5 - 10 minutes away.
Please covered your valuable things with dry bags and put suntan lotion
for sun protection.
DAY 05 : Bayat Village - Kahingai Village
After Breakfast, then boat up the river by motorized canoe for almost one day ride.
DAY 06 : Kahingai - Moving Plantation
After
breakfast, one day exploring the surrounding area of Kahingai,
following the trails up of the hill accompanied with our local expert
to learn their live such as hunting,
DAY 07 : Moving Plantation - Kahingai Village
Take
morning opportunity to surrounding the forest then proceed to get back
to Kahingai village overnight at village house. (B,L,D)
DAY 08 : Kahingai - Bayat - Bakonsu Village
Morning
breakfast then boat down the river to Bayat village and proceed by
speed boat to take other different river to Bakonsu village.
DAY 09 : Bakonsu - Pangkalan Bun
Morning breakfast sightseeing around the village observe of the remain of head hunting expedition age.
DAY 10 : Pangkalan Bun - Next Destination
We are sorry, we miss the text here ;-P.
