Semenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre is undoubtedly one of the best attractions in the Kuching area. It is also a sister centre to Matang Wildlife Centre in so much as they are up to full capacity with Orangutan and other primates, over the last two months since January 08 we have taken several of their animals, the plan is only Orangutan will stay at Semenggogh and even some of them will come to Matang to make way for the youngsters that are being born there. They have at present 23 Orangutan and the centre offers the opportunity of getting close to some highly mischievous Orangutan.
The Semi-wild Orang utans are good timekeepers and as feeding time
approaches they start to make an appearance. They descend from the trees of the surrounding forest reserve to offer visitors a unique wildlife experience and some excellent photo opportunities. They often make their way to the lower branches and small trees, which surround the various Orang Utan enclosures, the very same cages, where they used to stay before graduating to the forest. Here, they play with each other, swing about in the hanging vines and occasionally descend to ground level to ‘charge’ groups of tourits
The Orangutan appear at the feeding platform where they are called over by the keepers it is quite a sight to see a large male Orangutan perhaps weighng 150kgs swing through the trees, and also to see the females and youngsters waiting their turn. They also come down to the visitors centre especially Richie a large dominant male who is often seem around the centre aiting for his food.
Semenngoggh has been very succesful in its rehabilitation programme and when it is the fruiting season the Orangutans will often not appear, as long as they have additional food when it is scarce they remain unseen unless you to see one whilst on a trek around the centre which is very likely. it also proves that they are not dependant on human contact as the only time they appear is when food is scarce.
