Spelling correction: Corregidor is the island we took over hoping to protect the way to Manila. The Japanese did not come from that direction but from behind the big guns and the Philippines fell.
Maylaysia is primarily an Islamic country through two northern states of Borneo are primarily Christian. One is Sabah where we travelled. We were impressed by the variety of wildlife that exists on Borneo and the effort in Sabah to protect that wildlife and conserve the forests. For our excursion, not surprisingly, we choose to see animals. People come to Borneo primarily with an interest in orangutans. We went to the Spilok Rehabilitation Center which is a sanctuary know world wide for its work with orphan, ill or illegally captured orangutans for reintroduction into the wild. The center has 10,600 acres of rain forest. These animal numbers are dwindling as development brings deforestation. The females only give birth to 2-3 offspring in a lifetime, caring for them for 6-8 years. The males stand 5 feet tall with an arm span of 8 feet and can live for 35-40 years.
Our visit took place at feeding time. Orangutans are free to roam as they please but food is available twice a day if they care to partake. These mammals share 97% of the DNA with humans and contract many of the same diseases, including malaria, cancer and TB. The feeding area is a platform surrounded by runways of rope leading from the forest to the area. Before 10:00 a few showed up to entertain us by swinging through the area and interacting with each other before settling in a tree to wait. The center workers brought food to the platform and one hangs out up there while they eat. As he came in one orangutan was stealing food from the basket—clever boy. Six showed up, two males, two females, one young and one sick who had TB but was out and about and apparently getting stronger again. One of the things that amazed us was how long it takes them to raise and introduce the young to climb and live in the forest. They stay in the center for years and go through several different areas of the center before being released to the middle of a larger Borneo rainforest by helicopter to be releases. There they are tracked for several years and the success rate is well documented. While waiting for the feeding Sue was enthralled by a six inch, tail included little creature running up and down the tree. Closer observation showed it to look exactly like a baby gray squirrel, though smaller. Turns out it was a pygmy squirrel. Fun.
Factoid: Borneo has more flying species then any other country in the world, including flying snakes, frogs, squirrels and lizards.
Next stop was to see the Proboscis monkey at the Labuk Bay sanctuary. This is an extremely odd looking character with a pot belly and long bulbous nose. Nancy could not help but be reminded of the muppets. They are also endangered with only about 5,000 remaining. Again we arrived for feeding time, during which about 30+ individuals of all ages gathered to eat, socialize, fight a little, have a little romp, swim and head out. These monkeys have a complex digestive process which is why they have the large bellies. When born, their noses are quite small and continue to grow and grow even after reaching adulthood. We were both fascinated by them and Sue fell in love with them. Sue also appreciated the basketball murals painted to depict March madness which is sorely missing.
On the way back we drove through town including the water villages, one Chinese and one Islamic with houses built on stilts over the water. As we drove by the Navy yard our guide said the large vessels typically docked there were out looking for the flight 370…Unfortunately one of the reasons people know of Sandakan is that this is where the Japanese forced the relocation of 2,700 British and Australian POW’s. Their march became know as the Sandakan to Ranau death marches of 1945 in which only 6 escaped and survived. There is a memorial park here to honor the POW’s.
We are embarking on two sea days doing exciting things like laundry, eating, eating, sitting on the verandah, eating and going to one of Patrick’s lectures. It is the mid eighties and we are near to crossing the equator, currently at 1.34 N and 119.3 E. We have a new sea—Celebes on our way to the Makassar Strait. We left the South China yesterday passing through the Sulu Sea, and later will pick up the Java Sea. Our Captain just announced we are a bit northwest of nowhere and we cross the equator at 2:00 pm our time, 1:00 am in MN. Next stop Palopo, (Sulawesi), Indonesia.
No comments:
Post a Comment