BATIKAP: A NATURALIST'S PARADISE 

Here at the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation, we simply love orangutans! We adore everything about these strong, intelligent, graceful, and unique creatures – from their endearing bouts of social play to their mischievous antics. Orangutans are vital to the forests they occupy, as they help maintain the health of their tropical ecosystems. 

There is no doubt that the orangutan is an important part of the Bornean landscape, but there are thousands of other species of fauna and flora that also fill specific roles in the forest. At the BOS Foundation’s Bukit Batikap Protection Forest release site, there is much more to experience than just orangutan sightings! 

Our Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) team at Totat Jalu Camp recently recorded data on the diversity of fauna and flora found in the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest. The team began documenting soon after heading out for the day, at 5:00 a.m. The Bornean White-bearded Gibbon and their offspring, who live in the trees next to camp, begin their morning duet songs around this time. Waking up to gibbon song is an unforgettable experience indeed – we dare say that they are better than any alarm clock!! These extraordinary apes are often heard but rarely seen, as they move quickly through the canopy, taking huge leaps with relative ease using their extraordinarily long arms. 

The daily routine usually starts with a glass of tea and plate of rice, while waiting for the monkeys to arrive. Almost every day, long-tailed macaques or red leaf monkeys leap through the trees in front of camp. If we are lucky, the red leaf monkeys will stop to snack on their favourite leaves, immediately to the left of our camp. This breakfast with a free show is the perfect way to kick off a day jam-packed with tracking and observing our released orangutans. 

We set off in search of orangutans in small boats down the river from camp. On the way, we kept our eyes peeled for all sorts of exciting animals. The river is filled with many fish, most notably a species of catfish that can grow to be larger than a fully-grown man! We happened to come across a huge catfish in the Joloi River on that particular day, not long after we had set off on the routine patrol. 

The river banks are a great place to find reptiles basking on sunny days. Normally, the team can spot water monitors; but with a little luck, even snakes can be seen on the ground! Personally, I prefer to view the king cobras from the comfort and relative safety of a boat, rather than stumble across one while trekking on the forest floor! 

The animals seen on the day of data collection represent only of a handful of what we regularly run into around the camp and along the river. There are still countless others to be discovered in the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest!