Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Malaysia

Seeing orangutans in the wild, swinging through the jungle, has always been a dream of mine. However, as it is very difficult to enter the Indonesian Borneo, where the majority of wild Bornean orangutans live, I decided to do the next best thing.

The Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre, in Northern Sabah, has been helping in-need orangutans since it opened in 1964. The Centre encompasses 43square kilometers of protected land and provides medical services and rehabilitation for orphaned orangutans. It's nursery is out of bounds for visitors, but the orangutans can be seen during the designated feeding times.

After hearing and reading different reviews regarding the amount of orangutans that can be seen during the two feeding times, we decided to take our chances and attend both the morning and afternoon feeding sessions.

I am so glad we did!

We were fortunate enough to see a young female orangutan during the morning feeding session, along with the rambunctious macaques.

Then, during the afternoon feeding session, we stayed at the viewing area while everyone else left. Secretly, I was hoping the young female took a liking to me and would come close to me, maybe for a hug, for a touch. Of course I knew that would not be in her best interests, but one can always wish. Whilst waiting, an older female with developing check pads came up to the feeding platform for a late lunch. However, the young female stole her spotlight by swinging on the ropes, slyly making her way over to the viewing platform. She walked along the railing and came quite close. The staff however, weren't as thrilled as the half-dozen or so tourists staying around. The staff work hard to ensure the orangutans are rehabilitated, with hopes of them one day being released and becoming self-sufficient. Needless to say, unnecessary contact with humans won't help achieve this. So the staff tried to get the female back into the jungle, eventually leading her into the dense forest.

Totally amazing. 

Read more about the center and rehabilitation process here.

Koala Spotting at Kennett Creek, Great Ocean Road

I had heard and read about the 'wild' koalas along the Great Ocean Road and I wanted in. I can't ever remember seeing koala's in nature, sans fence, wire or zoo handler. 

Precariously balancing on thin branches

So we followed the instructions on our brochure from the Lorne information centre. We went past the caravan park and up the dirt road for four kilometres or so. We thought we must have gone too far, so turned around and pulled over.

Very hungry!

Jeff spotted him/her first. High up in the eucalyptus tree. Moving quite quickly. Devouring gum leaves one after the other. Balancing carefully on branches which looked too thin.

A sight not often seen

The koala was huge! Clinging on to the high branches, it just didn't seem natural. But with no one around, no fences, no rangers, no board walks, what could be more natural?

 We then made our way back down to the caravan park where we had to weave amongst the throngs of tourists getting in close and personal with some more marsupials.

Getting in close. Too close. 

 This is what you generally expect when thinking of koalas. Sleepy, sitting in a fork in a thick tree, gripping on for dear life.

Sleepy.

Looking very cuddly

Snooze time

We were both glad to have ventured up the unsealed road and spotted a swift, acrobatic, wild koala for ourselves, away from too close paparazzi and tour buses.

For even more koala's, you can make your way to Cape Otway where dozens of koalas line the road, perched high in their gum trees.

Animals of the Outback

I kept missing them. 

I wasn't camera ready.

We were driving too fast.

It wasn't until we slowed down that we could really look. 

And be looked at. 

The brumby was magnificent. We kept seeing the signs. The silhouette of a strong, burly brumby on a reflective yellow roadside sign. Would we be so lucky? He stood strong in the middle of the dirt Mereenie Loop road in the Northern Territory. By the time I was ready he had moved to the brush. Keeping a watchful eye on us as we slowed to a stop, taken by its presence. My favorite.