Sabah's great ape
The orangutan in Sabah
Pongo pygmaeus morio
An honest guide to the Bornean orangutan in Sabah. Discover how many remain, where they live and how to see a wild ape in the rainforest.
Species background
The eastern subspecies
The Bornean orangutan diverged from the Sumatran species following complex Pleistocene geological events. Gene flow between the two populations stopped when rising sea levels flooded the Sunda Shelf land bridges. Today the species is classified into 3 distinct subspecies, with Pongo pygmaeus morio endemic to Sabah and easternmost Kalimantan.
This eastern subspecies exhibits distinct physical traits reflecting deep evolutionary adaptation to the local climate. To process a demanding fallback diet of tree bark and fibrous vines during severe droughts, the apes evolved thicker dental enamel and a stronger jaw structure.
Where to see them in Danum
Danum Valley offers a primary forest experience where completely wild apes forage naturally in the high canopy. Because the canopy routinely exceeds 50 metres in height and the animals are dispersed over vast areas at low natural densities, finding them takes time on the trails and patience.
When and how to look
Sightings happen all year, with April and May being the least wet months. Tracking them through the primary rainforest requires a good guide who knows where the massive strangler figs are currently fruiting.
Other sighting locations
Further exploration
Keep planning
Danum Valley
2.5 hours by road from Lahad Datu, Danum Valley is 438 square kilometres of lowland rainforest that was never logged with three very different places to stay inside it.
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.
Sepilok
25 kilometres west of Sandakan, the Sepilok complex holds Sabah's principal orangutan and sun bear rehabilitation centres, set on the edge of a protected dipterocarp forest reserve.
Species background
Plan your Sabah wildlife itinerary
Contact the team to start planning a custom itinerary focused on searching for wild orangutans across the primary forests and river systems of Sabah.