Orangutan volunteering in Borneo

Volunteer for 2 or 4 weeks at our Matang wildlife centre to help save the orangutan. Join our expert team in bringing rehabilitation and release of orangutans back to this part of Malaysian Borneo. We have teamed up with the state authorities to run a volunteer program at the centre and to re-establish rehabilitation and release. Build, wash, feed, paint, laugh and cry during your time at our wildlife centre, located at the base of the rainforest and National Park around Mount Kubah.

You'll help and experience local life, working and visiting the local tribal community, and contribute to their education and economy, at the same time, minimising your impact through recycling and carbon dioxide mitigation, and making a positive contribution.

In addition to the work you will carry out, your money helps us to carry out research, education programs, and knowledge transfer, whilst at the same time keeping your money in the local area and encouraging ecotourism.

Wake up, have breakfast, go down to the kitchen and prepare the food for the orangutans and other animals, clean out cages, have a cup of tea then build structures, toys, help with rehabilitation and maintain the orangutan building and quarantine area for the rest of the day. Tasks vary according to the month, and you will also get to experience tribal culture and visit the old rehabilitation centre at Semenggoh.

You live in stilted houses and in groups of 3. Volunteers cook themselves and often eat together, recounting the day's events. Night time is free and people often sit around chatting, playing games, or writing their diaries. Then fall asleep to the sound of the nightime rainforest chorus.

We would like to make it clear that volunteers are not allowed direct contact with the orangutans as human habituation and disease transmission interfere with the rehabilitation and release process.