The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is located in North Borneo in the Malaysian Sabah district.

It was first set up in 1964 and since then it has been rehabilitating orang-utans that have been orphaned.

The land that the centre is on is protected and stands at the edge of the Kabili Sepilok Forest. Right now there are between 60 and 80 orphaned orang-utans that are living in the centre.

The centre was founded when Sabah became an independent state and a Game Branch was devised in order to conserve the wild animals in the area. This was created in the Forest Department and since then the rehabilitation centre has cared for orphaned orang-utans and apes that need help.

There are approximately 25 young orang-utans in the centre nurseries in addition to those living free in the wild in and around the reserve.

As well as caring for young and old orang-utans the centre also provides vital medical care for many types of animals.

In fact it is not strange to see rhinos, sun bears and even elephants receiving medical treatment within the facility.

The food that the orang-utans are fed while they are being nursed back to health is as nutritional as possible, however when they are well again their diet is purposely boring, which encourages them to find their own food in the wild.

Prior to the reserve being built most of the orphaned orang-utans faced a bleak future. Most will stay with their mothers until they are around six so they can learn the skills needed to live as an adult.

Without this teaching the young will not know how to forage and can become very ill and die. Some will also become targets for the illegal pet trade and many will be mistreated as a result.

As you can see the work that is done at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is certainly worthwhile.