25th – Turtle Island -> Selingan

Breakfast was at 0630 with departure off the island half an hour later. I got up earlier like most of the group to take a short walk on the beach before breakfast in the hopes of seeing a late turtle on her way back into the sea. Curse my slow mornings; I met most of the rest of the group who could inform me that I missed a turtle by 5 minutes.

The boat ride back to the mainland was uneventful and we were soon on our way towards the orangutan rehabilitation center. Arriving we walked around on the board walks and saw the “kindergarten”, where they had the youngest running around among each other – behind glass, though, so camera visibility was so-so.

Orangutan keeping an eye out.

Young one that refused to lift up the food when eating so every bit was taken by bending down and eating from the floor.

A black squirrel appeared at one point.

At 1000 the main attraction started; feeding time. The feeding platforms were out in the open with no glass so visibility was great. A lot of people, though, and while we were there only 3 orangutans appeared (2 adults, one with a 1-year old). But the area they are in is where they live free and do what they want so it is very different from time to time how many you get to see. After they had all left again we went back to the main buildings and went through their info center/museum where we also got to see a short documentary about the animals and story behind the rehabilitation center.

Lunch and afterwards we crossed the street (well, road) and entered another rehabilitation center, this one for sun bears. It’s the smallest bear species in the world and very little is known about it on a scientific level which in turn means that it is also very little known among the public. It was just a short walk around with a platform where several enclosures could be seen. The bears were seemingly struggling with the heat and as we were above them it was near impossible to get a good view of the markings on their chest.

Sun bear.

You can see the marking on the chest, present on all the sun bears.

While looking I suddenly saw a large red thing come falling through the air to the bottom of a tree close to the platform. It wasn’t until it started running up the trunk I realized it was a flying squirrel. I managed to get a quick shot of it on its way up the tree before it disappeared. The ranger on location was surprised as I – especially considering they are nocturnal – so she called her boss over the radio, who was also the founder and CEO of the center. He came running after a moment still wiping his mouth from lunch, confirmed and named it (Thomas’s flying squirrel), and impressed from the fact that I actually managed to get a shot of it he made me promise to send them a copy of the photo when I got home. It had a very young one in its mouth so he suspected that it might have been escaping from a possible python attack, hence the movement during the day.

Thomas' flying squirrel.

Most wild life places we have been at there has been a small 10 MYR (2-3 USD) fee if you wanted to take photos which I have been fine with. But here that wasn’t the case. Unless you had a 500+mm lens, which in that case you were to pay 1000 MYR (yes, that’s a thousand ringgit). Needless to say I left my 50-500mm back in the bus and only brought my walk-around lens. I should thank them, though, as if I had been using my big lens I doubt I would have been able to move the camera fast enough to get the flying squirrel as I did. A perfect example of a blessing in disguise.

1000MYR to bring my large lens? No, not really...

All this was followed up by checking in at tonight’s resort only a couple of minutes’ drive away before some of used returned to see the afternoon feeding of the orangutans. This time there were fewer tourists but a few more orangutans showing up so things were a bit more interesting. It only got better after they left when a group of short-tailed macaques showed up on the feeding platform and ate some of the leftover fruit. Apparently the alpha male almost attacked someone somewhere else in the park as it had felt threatened; showing teeth or making eye contact were two massive triggers so the rangers and our guide reminded us several times to be as discreet as possible when they were nearby.

Northern bushy-tailed jird appeared on the feeding platform after the orangutans had left.

Here the bushy tail is obvious.

The macaques appeared for the fruit after the orangutans disappeared.

When done we were kicked out as they closed around 1600 and the rest of the afternoon and evening was spent relaxing at the resort. We will be leaving at 0900 tomorrow where we’ll get to see the Sunday market, a war memorial and temple before catching a 45 minute flight back to KK.

The housing on Turtle Island was acceptable; we would walk past the resort’s various buildings and they looked really nice until we ended up in the far back at a similar house but obviously much older and a bit run down. But shower and AC worked without a hitch so there were no issues. Here I am placed in a room, albeit with a double bed, with a working shower but NO AC! And the building seems even worse for wear than the one yesterday. They did bring me a mobile AC unit, but it was horribly noisy and it wasn’t possible to lower the temperature. It annoys me a little considering the rest of the group has been placed in new tip-top conditions. I know G needs to maybe cut a few corners if possible when someone needs their own room when not paying for it (it’s possible to pay extra to be guaranteed your own room as opposed to here where I am getting my own room as I am the only male in the group travelling alone) but damn I feel a bit disappointed. It’s only one night, but still. And it’s my own room, but still…