Tanjung Puting National Park is a large area of forest on the island of Borneo and is a major stronghold for primates in Indonesia and the world. Five species are commonly seen and orangutans are a major focus here as this is the home to Camp Leakey. Dr. Birute Galdikas has been working here since 1971, and since she is traveling with us onboard we are given amazing access to this great place.
We left the ship bright and early this morning to begin our journey to Camp Leakey. We started in Zodiacs and quickly were surrounded by beautiful lowland tropical forest. A Storm’s Stork was one of our first sightings and then a group of proboscis monkeys. This woke everyone up and got the cameras clicking. Soon, we arrived at our first stop, the feeding station of Pondok Tanggui. Here, after a short walk we reached a platform in the forest, where our first orangutan was waiting. As the morning progressed, more and more orangutans came to feed on the platform as we sat and were mesmerized by their interactions. A large male displaced the original male, and then a procession of females and babies arrived. I cannot describe how incredible it was to be able to witness the interactions at such a close proximity. It was truly a magnificent experience.
We made our way back out to the river and here we boarded local boats called klotoks. We had lunch onboard in comfort and made our way father up the Sekonyer River. The river got more and more narrow and the forest more spectacular. We arrived at Camp Leakey and here we got to learn about Dr. Galdikas’ work. It was wonderful to have a guided tour by THE expert on this place and the orangutans. We made our way to another feeding station and were again treated to phenomenal encounters. I could have stayed here for days as new and different behaviors and interactions were continually observed. These orangutans are so close to us genetically and have so many mannerisms and interactions similar to us.
Late in the afternoon, we again boarded the local klotoks and retraced our route back “home.” Now monkeys were everywhere as many return to the riverside to sleep in the trees. Literally, hundreds of proboscis monkeys and long-tailed macaques were gathering, along with two different species of leaf monkeys. Our marvelous hotel team brought us drinks and appetizers, the sun went down and the lightning bugs came out, and all too soon this once in a lifetime day was over.
For me, today was a perfect day of incredible wildlife in gorgeous forest, all with the firsthand knowledge of Dr. Birute Galdikas to lead us here.
