August, 2007 - Zoo travelers support communities and conservation in Borneo
Our Malaysian guide spotted activity in the treetops and signaled our boat driver to cut the engine. We nestled in against the bank of a tea-colored tributary and quietly witnessed one hour of the best wildlife-watching to be found in all of Southeast Asia. It is dusk on the Kinabatangan River, and our family of proboscis monkeys is cutting loose with a final burst of activity before settling in for the night. Found only on the island of Borneo, proboscis monkeys are among the most bizarre creatures of the tropical forest. The male has a comically huge and fleshy nose, a large pot belly (to digest his diet of leaves), body fur graduating from pale red through beige and gray to white – and a ginger-colored flat-top hairdo. He is surrounded by a harem of females (much smaller with dainty upturned noses), several wiry juveniles and a few wispy babies that never ventured far from their mothers. We locked eyes, cameras and binoculars on the group and were treated to a field guide full of behaviors – feeding, playing, fighting, grooming, nursing, aerial acrobatics – and even rarely observed mating. Proboscis monkeys share the forest along the Kinabatangan with seven other species of primates – including the only great ape found outside of Africa – the endangered orangutan.
Our group of 10 travelers ventured into the rainforest for two weeks in August on the first Columbus Zoo sponsored trip to Borneo – the world’s third largest island. Traveling throughout the state of Sabah, we were immersed in the culture, climate, and charm of Malaysia – guided by two dedicated naturalists with Red Ape Encounters (RAE). RAE is a community-based orangutan tourism company and is an off-shoot of the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project – a group the Zoo has supported for the past 10 years through our conservation grants.
The goal of the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project (KOCP) is to achieve long-term viability of orangutan populations in Sabah. The guides now involved with Red Ape Encounters are all experienced research assistants who have worked with KOCP studying orangutans, Bornean pygmy elephants, and other wildlife for several years. Proceeds from Red Ape Encounters tours directly benefit the local communities – creating a positive and on-going relationship between tourism, conservation and community.
Thanks to the first Borneo group – including Zoo employees Sheila Campbell and Brenda O’Brien, docents Susan Fromkes and Diane Lipp, and board member Vanessa Arnold – and to Jerry Borin and Linda Shinafelt for supporting the mission of Red Ape Encounters…a Win-Win for wildlife and people!