First day and t-shirt’s tucked in, drawstring fastened tight, pants tucked into socks, collars up, all buttons fastened, gators on and coated with insect repellent. Leech proofing is an involved process!
We’re off into the jungle; the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre sits on the edge of the Kabili-Sepilok Forest reserve – 4856 hectares of primary rainforest.
We’re surveying for Orangutan nests. Orangutans make sleeping nests high in the branches of sturdy trees from the age of about 3 years old. Although, at that age the youngsters will just make a small on very close to their mother’s nest. They probably won’t venture further away until 6 or 7 years old.
We need to get at least 300 metres away from the outdoor nursery to ensure any nests we see are not made by the Orangutan’s that have been semi-rehabilitated and occasionally spend the night outside.
We note down the height of the tree, the height of the nest, how old it is (you can estimate by the colour of the dead leaves and how intact the nest is), distance from the trail and what type of tree the nest is in. This data will then be collated on computer to give the centre and overall picture of how many Orangutans are out there and more information on how they’re moving and their habits.
Our guide is one of the rangers, Gabili. He’s very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and constantly points out different trees and their medicinal uses, animal tracks and identifies the bird calls that echo around us. He learnt a lot of bush lore from his grandfather who used to take him into the bush as a kid.
Although the first couple of days are pretty short – 2 – 2.5 kms, its rough terrain. Climbing over fallen tree trunks (at least the others who’re all tall step over them while do the glamourous sit and swing the leg over) slippery mud, crossing rivers using logs as bridges – very unnerving especially if you think about it too long, 33 degree heat (my t-shirt is wet through in minutes) and lots and lots of leeches!
We’re constantly on the look out for leeches and plucking them off our feet, legs and each other. If you reach out to steady yourself on a branch or tree trunk – you get a leech on your hand or arm. Attempted numerous techniques… pulling (ineffective – they just stretch and stretch and stretch), flicking – works if they haven’t got a good suck on!
Mostly we sprayed them with dettol spray which makes them curl up and tranquillizes them for a few minutes so you can flick them off easily.
LAST DAY TREKKING went on a much longer trek – along a trail that hadn’t been walked for about 2 months. When I say trail… I mean very the path is very clear in some parts but in others, only someone familiar with the area would be able to find their way around.
Gabili points out other rangers and trail-walkers marks on the trees and in old logs.
We come across a wide open clearing – after walking for a couple of hours in trees so close only dappled sunlight makes it way through and it’s difficult to make out the trees above 4 metres…entering the clearing is like a hush or momentary pause in the constantly growing, curling, writhing, sucking of the jungle.
There is marshy ground and sand from a dried river bed. Huge ferns bask in their chance to grow towards the precious sunshine. It felt like a very untouched spot.
Gabili told me the clearing formed when a tree fell and has since rotted away. It must have been massive.
We have seen some pretty big trees and fallen logs though!
Our destination on this walk was the ‘pitcher plant area’ They only grow in the very middle of the jungle because it’s the only area that’s cool enough.
After 3 hours we got to the water hole. It was really, really hot but the thought of disrobing in the blood-sucking parasite ridden jungle was quite intimidating… but the opportunity to swim in freshwater pool in the middle of the Bornean jungle was just too good to miss.
The Road Ness Travelled 