Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Where Orphans Learn to Live Wild Again
Tucked into the verdant forests of Sabah, near the city of Sandakan, the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre offers one of the most moving and meaningful wildlife experiences in Borneo. This sanctuary, founded in 1964, rescues orphaned and injured orangutans—many victims of deforestation or the illegal pet trade—and gives them the chance to relearn the survival skills their mothers would have taught them in the wild. Watching these great apes navigate their jungle playground is a rare privilege: it’s wildlife tourism at its most hopeful and humane.
Visitors to Sepilok are invited into a world of quiet triumphs and gentle persistence. From viewing platforms deep in the forest, you might witness a young orangutan testing its balance on a vine or lazily munching on fruit offered during a supplemental feeding. But make no mistake—these are not zoo animals. These are wild creatures, free to come and go as they please, with their care teams acting more like mentors than keepers. Every sighting is earned, every moment steeped in the emotion of a story still being written.
The center’s “nursery forest” is especially poignant, where the youngest orangutans—often traumatized—learn to climb, forage, and trust again. Behind the scenes, an expert team of caregivers, vets, and conservationists works tirelessly to ensure these intelligent primates have the best possible shot at independence. Many are eventually released into protected rainforests like the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, their journeys closely monitored to ensure a safe return to the wild.
For Rewild travelers, a visit to Sepilok is more than a wildlife encounter—it’s a chance to witness conservation in action. It is a living testament to resilience, both human and animal, and a reminder that travel can do more than just open eyes; it can help heal what’s been broken.
