Borneo Bound - Settling in, Sepilok

For my third Earth Expeditions class, as part of my graduate program at Miami University of Ohio, I traveled to Borneo, Malaysia with about 20 other biology students and 2 instructors.  There is no possible way that I can do justice to the sights and experiences of this trip in a simple blog post. So, if we should cross paths, please ask me about it. I would love to share with you stories of the amazing people who hosted us, the beauty of Borneo's biodiversity and the endless possibilities of Project Dragonfly.

In mid-June, we all converged at the Sepilok Bed and Breakfast, to meet for the first time. It was not easy getting there. But, after spending half a day at the Istanbul Airport and sleeping in a capsule at the Kuala Lumpur Airport, I arrived in Sepilok five minutes before meeting time. This is me after 47 hours of travel with some of my classmates (and new friends) milling about behind me.


After introductions and orientation, we set out on foot to see the sites.

Our first stop was the Borneon Sunbear Conservation Center.  The Center floored me with its thoughtfulness and design. The elevated walkways were designed so that you could comfortably walk barefoot.

There were a number of Sun Bears sauntering around, some relaxing in trees, others scratching at the ground looking for tasty morsels.

This picture shows some Sun Bear claw marks on a tree.

 After the Sun Bear Center, we stopped at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center.  There are regular feedings at the center, which give great opportunities to see Orangutans in a semi-natural setting.

Our last stop was the Rainforest Discovery Center. This beautifully designed center is replete with elevated walkways that offer unique views into the treetops.

It was hot and humid. We all sweat. A lot. And some of us (me being one of them), had just finished a long journey to get here. We soon crashed, trying to rest up before we set for Sandakan to meet our host families.