Engage in conservation volunteer activities to help monitor the rare Pygmy (Bornean) Elephant, orangutans and other wildlife numbers. By increasing our knowledge of species numbers and the potential conflicts brought about through movement and feeding patterns, we can help the local authorities better manage the situation.

Immerse yourself in a 12-day adventure on the longest river in Sabah. As a team you cruise the river and tributaries of Lower Kinabatangan into the ancient rainforests of Sabah in a rare opportunity to explore and monitor the wildlife found there.

You may come across eight species of hornbills and 100s of other birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and plant life. The largest mammal in the area is the pygmy elephant while the largest of the 10 primate species found here is the orangutan. However, there is no guarantee that you will see all these animals as they are in the wild. But our expert field guides will certainly do their best to track these great animals and by doing more than one river trip increases your chances of spotting the elusive elephant herds.

You will be transferred to the project site on the second day of the programme and for the main part of the stay in Sukau village.  All conservation volunteering activities will be carried out in and around the village or along the Kinabatangan River.

Monitoring activities are conducted from a boat as you cruise along the river.  This involves boat cruises along the river to sight and record orangutans, pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, birdlife and other wildlife along the river bank.  Elephants travel in herds and you may see groups of them along the river. There will be great opportunities to take photos and observe their natural behaviour up close.

Additionally you will participate in tree­ planting and maintenance, which will have the effect of creating corridors of greenery for orangutans, elephants and other wildlife to move between the remaining fragments of forests.  These not only offset your carbon footprint but also create natural by ­passes around the human settlements, decreasing the conflict. The programme ends with a visit to the world famous Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

You will also get the chance to work with the local community, particularly schools and young children. A chance to inspire the future generation of the area to take up a sense of stewardship over their natural heritage.

Direct contact with the apes is not allowed because humanization is counter-productive to rehabilitation.  Released orangutans that are used to humans may approach human habitations, risking injury or death, and are more likely to attack humans as they search for food and water. There is also the risk that due to the huge amount of shared genetic material between humans and orangutans diseases are transferred easily.

The volunteer projects have not been initiated solely for the benefit of travellers wishing to be close to wildlife – they are run as a means of generating both interest and vital funds for all the project sites they work on throughout Malaysia. The programmes developed are supported by volunteers or participants whose money, 25% of your fee, funds ongoing conservation projects and indigenous community development. At the same time volunteers get the opportunity to personally contribute to project implementation through a variety of activities.

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Sandakan International Airport (SDK) and transfer to dormitory. Welcome dinner & introduction.

Day 2

Enjoy a little lie in before heading over to Sukau. Accommodation at Sukau is room-sharing with other participants in the village B&B which is run by members of the local village. Please note bathrooms have cold water showers and western toilets.

Day 3 - Day 11 Volunteer Activities

• Wildlife Population Density Data Collection: cruising on the river to observe and record the endangered wildlife that roam the forest along the river banks, taking photographs, if possible, of the wildlife (focusing on pygmy elephants and orang-utans) for record and research purposes.
• Habitat Restoration: tree planting, nursery care and seedling generation, sapling maintenance, mulching & composting, water hyacinth clearing, tree growth data recording.
• Education Programme: spend half a day with school children of the community to work on conservation issues that the children deal with on a daily basis and emphasize their immediate and personal impact on conservation.
• School Project / Community Development: development of a continuous project with the community of the local village.  This project directly benefits the community and volunteers will interact with the community on various levels.
• NGO talk on elephants: There will be a presentation by the Elephant Conservation Unit and local NGO, HUTAN, on the conservation efforts being made in the area around elephants. This is a chance to gain local insight into elephants in Borneo. It hopes to inspire volunteers to return home and fundraise or spread the word to helping elephants in Borneo and other parts of Asia. This initiative is in partnership with a UK charity.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner on all days at Sukau will be included.

Please note: changes to the activities will occur.  Some or all of the above activities may be included on your itinerary.  Other activities not mentioned above may also be included on your itinerary subject to weather conditions, community and project requirements

Day 11

Depart Sukau and transfer to Sandakan.  First stop Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre to view the morning feeding session. After lunch visit the Rainforest Discover Centre before heading back to Sepilok for the afternoon feeding session. Check into accommodation in Sandakan (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner)

Day 12

Check out and transfer to Sandakan airport (Breakfast).