Rescue and rehabilitation
Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
Situated in Sepilok roughly 25 kilometres west of Sandakan, this sanctuary is the only dedicated rescue and rehabilitation facility for the Bornean sun bear. It suits anyone interested in rainforest conservation and fits easily into a morning.
The facility
The Sepilok rehabilitation site
The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre operates as a joint venture between the Sabah Wildlife Department , Sabah Forestry Department, Land Empowerment Animals People and Dr Wong Siew Te. It occupies a former Sumatran rhinoceros breeding site on land provided by Sabah Forestry Department in 2008.
Dr Wong Siew Te founded the centre to provide a specialised rehabilitation environment designed entirely around the welfare of the species. The operation focuses on intensive care and retraining.
Sanctuary highlights
What to expect
- A 2.5-hectare sanctuary located directly opposite the Sepilok orangutan facility
- Home to 42 rescued sun bears in a protected dipterocarp forest setting
- Elevated wooden boardwalks and observation platforms for safe viewing
- Combines easily with the orangutan feedings and the Rainforest Discovery Centre
- Open daily from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM, including lunchtime
Bornean Sun Bear
The Bornean sun bear is the smallest of the world's 8 bear species. Isolation on Borneo resulted in insular dwarfism, helping them scale emergent trees. These opportunistic omnivores act as forest engineers, excavating termite mounds and dispersing fruit seeds.
The Sepilok circuit
Combining Sepilok's 3 centres
The sanctuary is ideally placed for a full wildlife day. The entrance sits directly across a pedestrian path from the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre , which holds supplementary feedings at 10am and 3pm.
Routes to the centre
Sepilok is located just off the main highway leading into Sandakan. The drive from the airport takes roughly 40 minutes. The team can coordinate your route and handle the local transfers.
Further exploration
Other Sabah wildlife destinations
The orangutan in Sabah
Pongo pygmaeus morio
Rainforest Discovery Centre
Run by the Sabah Forestry Department, the Rainforest Discovery Centre is a 106-hectare gateway into the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve with a vast steel canopy walkway.
Kinabatangan River
The Kinabatangan floodplain holds the highest concentration of wildlife in Borneo. This is where you go to track orangutans and proboscis monkeys from a boat.
Tabin Wildlife Reserve
A 122,500-hectare lowland reserve bordered by oil palm, Tabin is Sabah’s premier destination for night drives. The sharp forest edge concentrates small cats and civets along the boundary roads.
The facility
Plan your Sepilok visit
To visit Sepilok's rescued sun bears, tell the team your travel dates so they can coordinate your morning with the neighbouring orangutan sanctuary.