I adopted Koyah a year ago at Christmas. This was possibly the seed planted for the trip. I may not have met him but I was so thrilled that Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre gave us the opportunity to meet many more.

https://www.orangutan-appeal.org.uk/about-us/sepilok-orangutan-rehabilitation-centre-

If you want you can all adopt one !

The centre’s primary mission is to rehabilitate and provide a safe haven for orphaned and injured orangutans, one of the world’s most endangered primates.We spent an unforgettable morning watching siblings play fighting, mothers cuddling their babies and dads bossing the juveniles. One young one took a durian fruit in his foot, climbed to the tallest point and ate it with relish. Another hung upside down while playing with a sibling. There were many moments to savour. Click on the links below to see some.

We were staying in a resort called Sepilok Forest Edge Resort and as we walked past one of the cottages we saw a male orangutan coming over the roof and settling into the rambutan tree (a fruit tree) for his tea. I watched him construct his bed for the night. They have different nests each night. He cut the branches, loaded them onto his back and then took them to where he wanted to settle down for the night. We woke early the next morning to see him getting up, feasting on some fruit before deciding it was far too early to be up and about and going back to bed for a nap. Seeing a male with his fully formed flanges was a real treat as they tend to be solitary and very good at hiding. Here he is framed by the fruit tree. These two photos were taken by Arup with his zoom lens.

And look at this little one who decided that perhaps the sun was getting too strong – he constructed his hat and carried on.

These gentle great apes are endangered through habitat loss. They live to about 35- 40 years but the females don’t sexually mature until they are in their teens and then the babes are learning with their mum for a few years so the gap is often 5-7 years before they have another baby. They are considered to be the most intelligent of the great apes. They use tools in their everyday life and display emotions and behaviour which we all recognise and share. They deserve our protection.