Whether it was on the Kinabatangan river or in the depths of Tabin Wildlife Resort and Sepilok we were able to observe some of the animals closely.

We had the expert guidance of local guides such as Lee who was not only extremely knowledgeable but also had a wicked sense of humour.

Some of the remarkable animals we encountered on this journey are living their life in the forests performing feats which frankly we would struggle with. We watched the flying squirrels in the Rainforest of Sepilok take huge leaps, the proboscis monkeys jumping from branch to branch on the river, flying high, babies fearful of the distances, but carefully coaxed by loving mums.

They are endemic to Borneo but their populations have decreased in recent years. These monkeys take their name from the males’ huge noses, which begin to enlarge after they reach maturity. The nose serves to add resonance to the monkeys’ calls, and it straightens out as they emit a loud “honk”. The female’s noses are smaller.

We watched the Gibbons as a family. Mum and a few juveniles feeding in the fruit trees and then moving on. Mum called loudly to dad to let him know that he needed to catch up. Then we watched open mouthed as they gave us the most amazing display of dexterity on the wires literally in the road leading up to the resort. Here it is for you to enjoy.

The most remarkable part of this video is the way the Gibbon climbs onto the wire and walks it – just like us, though most of us would fall off.

We share 98 % of our DNA with Chimps. These great apes, chimps, gorillas orangutans, bonobos and the lesser apes which include gibbons seem so intelligent and capable of complex emotions and are definitely more flexible than us! Can you do any part of this ? Answers in the comment box below.

They were a joy to watch.