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Project Age Limit
Minimum 18 years, maximum will be decided depending on potential participants health.
The Volunteer Programme
The highlights of the programme include:
- Spend 15 days working in a Zoo in Taiping or Kuala Lumpur working closely with primates of which Orang-utans are the main focus. Activities include feeding, cleaning, and enrichment (enriching life of primates).
- 2 day visit to Matang Wildlife Centre with our expert staff - see Orang-utans in rehabilitation before being released to the wild. Learn about how the centre works and understand Orang-utan behaviour.
- Travel to Batang Ai and then upriver to the Iban longhouses on the edge of the Indonesian Malaysian border where Orang-utans roam free and pristine rainforest still survivies away from loggers and modern civilisation.
- Monitor the apes in the wild, deepest darkest Borneo jungle where Orang-utans roam free in the jungle, carry out nest counts, and collect and record insects
- Help local Ibans make Orang-utans an intergral part of the local economy through ecotourism projects.
Duties and activities that you will be involved with during the Zoo Section:
Working with Zoo keeper
You will assist the keeper in feeding, cleaning and maintaining animal areas. You will be on a rotation basis of primates but your main focus will be on Orang-utans.
Enrichment Work (for skilled only)
There is a small amount of enrichment work on condition that the keeper is comfortable to give you this task.
Working Hours
Your day will start at 8am and finish at 5pm.
Duties and activities that you will be involved with during the Jungle Section:
Remote trekking routes, in one of the few remaining Orang-utan habitats in Borneo, have been established in order to see these “Men of the Forest” and safeguard their future. It is this trail that you will be helping maintain. Your participation will help the Orang-utans and the local communities both economically and environmentally.
Ecotourism
Assist the local Iban tribes people and operators in repairing and creating jungle trails, and installing signage. Build a basic changing room near the Enseluai Waterfall and build a basic sitting arrangement for picnic lunch near Enseluai Waterfall. Help in general development of the Orang-utan trails.
Orang-utans
Carry out nest counts, record the results of research and the collection and recording of other insects.
Tribal Community
Maintenance and cleaning at Delok primary school. You will undertake some teaching of English to the longhouse adults during mid-week and school children during weekends. You will also need to give a helping hand with the daily activities in and around the longhouse.
You will work with the Bornean jungle tribe, the Iban, in the rainforest bordering Malaysia and Indonesia. Not many foreigners get to stay a long time here and people should be prepared to experience periods without Western faces.
Iban guides will also share with you many of their traditional jungle skills. Most importantly you will gain an insight into how modern Iban communities interact with the forest and its wildlife.
About the Iban Tribe
The Iban, the largest of the 22 tribal groups in Sarawak, are originally from Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). They began emigrating to present day Sarawak 3 to 4 centuries ago. The Ibans, whose name was synonymous with headhunting in the old days, were highly successful in their military prowess, dominating all the other tribes in Sarawak. Culturally, they are one of the most vibrant ethnic groups.
Project Support
You will have the support and guidance of our coordinator and team throughout your stay in Malaysia. You will be provided with competent assistance and help with and questions you may have, or advice you need during your stay.
Additionally you will have access to a 24 hour emergency contact number for one of our UK staff should you need to contact them at any time.
Accommodation
Zoo Section
You will be transferred to Zoo Negara in Kuala Lumpur or Taiping Zoo in Taiping to settle into your accommodation, meet the programme mentor and have your orientation at the zoo.
If you stay at Zoo Negara you will be based in a 3-bedroom house in the grounds of the zoo. If you stay at Zoo Taiping you will be based in a 3 bedroom house 1.5 km walk from the zoo.
Meals cannot be provided due to the nature of the work but a weekly allowance will be given. Everyone stops for a large breakfast at 10.30am, lunch is not usually taken though the Zoo restaurants can provide food or visit food stalls. Dinner is usually taken out at the many eateries and food stalls. Food is good and inexpensive. A full meal can be obtained for £1. 80% of food contains chilli though strength varies according to personal taste.
Kuching
In Kuching where you will stay in a boutique hostel and visit the animal wildlife Centre. Here you will see Orang-utans before they are rehabilitated into the wild. (Breakfast only).
Batang Ai (North West coast of Borneo)
A guide will be appointed to you and you will travel to Batang Ai, before heading upriver to the Iban longhouses on the edge of the Indonesian Malaysian border. Here Orang-utans roam free and pristine rainforest still survives away from loggers and modern civilisation. You will settle into your wooden lodge accommodation next to a traditional Iban village in an idyllic spot.
Your accommodation is a basic longhouse – your room will consist of a mattress, clean bedding and a mosquito net on rattan raised mats. You will have western-style toilets.
The meals are prepared in the lodge and feature fresh jungle vegetables and other local delicacies. Food will contain chilli, fresh jungle produce and will be rice-based. There are no alternatives, no restaurants out in the jungle - volunteers must eat what they are given. Vegetarian food can be provided though prior warning must be given. Many vegetarians take to fish or meat during their stay to avoid health deterioration, especially given the physical nature of the experience. Be warned! (All meals – except on travel days).
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