Fascinating
Culture, Flora & Fauna Wealth
of
Borneo
Indonesia
Borneo Island is a intriguing history of
Sultan Kingdoms and traditional Dayak Tribes, with a wealth of
ecological and cultural treasures that
survive deep within the rainforest jungle of Indonesia ’s
largest island. With its legacy of Chinese, Malay, Hindu, Muslim, and
Dutch influences, we discover a virtual mosaic of traditions
flourishing in the bustling seaports and riverside cities
of Borneo. Kalimantan ’s dense jungle and wide
terrain of wetlands have traditionally kept the region isolated from
all but the adventurous travelers, and along the upper reaches of
the rivers, you can discover the rich Dayak Culture. The
indigenous
Dayak settlements along the Rivers of Kalimantan is an ideal
way
to
experience the incredible culture, where village elders practice
traditional medicine and mark their status with intricate body tattoos
and remarkably heavy ear adornments, we will be warmly
welcomed guests in their traditional longhouses. At Borneo you can
enjoy a sightful experience of traditional culture and grand
diversity of exotic flora and wildlife from black orchids to fresh
water dolphins and orangutans, and venture ashore for captivating
jungle explorations and unforgettable encounters in our village visits.
Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime exploration of the Kalimantan Island!
The Kalimantan Orangutan Tour Expeditions are a collection of
exploratories
and Indonesia dream
destination journeys
that reflect the particular passions and favorite places. We created
the Borneo adventure tours for those who search a indigenous Dayak
Culture in the deep dense jungle with it's exotic flora and fauna.
Borneo travelers will have an unforgettable
experience trip in Indonesia, however, it is designed
for those who are adventurous in body and spirit.
ORANGUTAN
Orangutans are large apes that live in southeast Asia (on the islands
of Borneo and Sumatra). These apes mostly live in trees (they are
arboreal) and swing from branch to branch using their arms. The
word orangutan means "human of the forest" in the Malay language. As
its habitats are being usurped by humans, the orangutan's population is
decreasing and it is in grave danger of extinction. Some information
says the population is less then 20.000 in the world.
ANATOMY
Orangutans have a large, bulky body, a thick neck, very long,
strong arms, short, bowed legs, and no tail. Orangutans are about 2/3
the size of the gorilla. They are mostly covered with long
reddish-brown hair, a large head with a prominent mouth area. Adult
males have large cheek flaps (which get larger at ages). Orangutans
have senses very similar to humans, including hearing, sight, smell,
taste, and touch. Their hands and feet are the same as humans, they
have four long fingers plus an opposable thumb. Their feet have four
long toes plus an opposable big toe. Orangutans can grasp things with
both their hands and their feet. The largest males have an arm span of
about 7.5 feet (2.3 m). The body weight is between the 50 and 90 kg and
they are omnivores (they eat both plants/fruit and animals) but are
mostly herbivorous (plants comprise most of their diet). They eat fruit
(their favorite food), leaves, seeds, tree bark, plant bulbs, tender
plant shoots, and flowers. They also eat insects and small animals
(like birds and small mammals). Orangutans don't even have to leave
their tree branches to drink, they drink water that has collected in
the holes between tree branches. Orangutans usually move by swinging
from one branch to another; this is called brachiating. Orangutans can
also walk using their legs (but rarely do). Orangutans do not swim.
They can have a age up to about 50 years, And live in Tropical
Rainforest Areas. Actually there is a small difference between the
Orangutans from Borneo and Sumatra and some say they can be separate in
two subspecies of Orang Utans, the Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus (From
Borneo, with a round face and dark red hair;) and the Pongo pygmaeus
abelii (From Sumatra, with a narrow face and paler hair), but they are
genetically similar enough to interbreed.
INTELLIGENCE AND LANGUAGE
Orangutans are very intelligent. They have been known to use
found objects as tools; for example, they use leaves as umbrellas to
keep the rain from getting them wet. They also use leaves as cups to
help them drink water.
BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL HABITS
Orangutans are shy, solitary animals that are active during the day
(they are diurnal). They live alone in large territories. This is
probably due to their eating habits; they need a large area in order to
get enough food and too many orangutans in one area might lead to
starvation. The only long-lasting orangutan social group is the mother
and offspring, who live together for about 7 years. When mating, the
male and female orangutan stay together for only a few days.
Sleeping Platforms:
Each day, orangutans construct a new "nest" in the tree branches for
the night in which they will curl up and sleep. These nests are made
out of leaves and branches. Nests are shared by a mother and her
nursing offspring. Sometimes, the orangutan will use a leaf as a "roof"
to protect itself from the rain. Orangutans often nap in the afternoon
after a morning spent obtaining food.
COMMUNICATION AND VOCALIZATION
Male orangutans are capable of very long, loud calls (called "long
calls") that carry through forests for up to 0.6 mile (1 km). The "long
call" is made up of a series of sounds followed by a bellow. These
calls help the male claim his territory, call to females, and keep out
intruding male orangutans. Males have a large throat sac that lets them
make these loud calls.
REPRODUCTION AND BABY ORANGUTANS
Orangutans are mature and capable of reproducing beginning when they
are 7 to 10 years old. Females are pregnant for 8.5 to 9 months and
give birth to a single baby. Young orangutans are weaned from their
mothers at about 6-7 years of age.
NATURAL ENEMIES
The animal that poses the biggest threat to the orangutan is man (who
uses its habitat and sells young orangutans as pets).
POPULATION
Orangutans are an endangered species. They are decreasing in numbers
quickly as they lose habitat to people. Further aggravating the
problem, baby orangutans are caught and sold around the world as pets.
TOURISM AREAS TO SPOT
At Kalimantan there are several National Parks where Orangutans can be
spot “easily”. Tanjung Putting National Park, at
Central Kalimantan,
here you can find them around Camp Leakey Rehabilitation Centre, Here
they are the most easily to spot, as they are common with humans,
feeding could be done. This is different with Kutai National Park at
East Kalimantan, where they live much more wild in their habitat, but
with some assistance of rangers and guides, mostly the Orangutan can be
seen. Tangiling Reserve at Central Kalimantan is an other good spotting
place for Wild Orangutans, a bit north of Palangkaraya City, cruising
up the Kahayan River.
Sungai Wain Reserve at East Kalimantan is a new National Park with
about 200 wild Orangutans from the Wanariset Rehabilitation Center,
easily to reach from Balikpapan in less then a hour.
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