Only found in the rainforests of Sarawak, Sabah and the Indonesian Kalimantan, the Bornean orangutan is a highly endangered species, but, with the highest orangutan population density in the whole of central Borneo, the Batang Ai National Park is an unsurpassed destination in which to see them. Factors such as deforestation, a rampant logging industry and indiscriminate hunting, have all contributed to a decline in wild orangutan numbers worldwide, but at Batang Ai they are a highly prized and protected asset. Only to be found in the rainforests of Sarawak and Western Kalimantan, the Borneo orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) is an endangered species, and the Batang Ai area is a good place to view them. Travel company Borneo Adventure and local Iban communities, working in conjunction with the Sarawak Forest Department and the Wildlife Conservation Society, conducted orangutan nest surveys; the outcome resulted in the State declaring an additional 150 sq km as a “high value conservation area,” which will not only provide shelter from deforestation and logging, the main cause of loss of habitat for wildlife, but also ensure a continual supply of food and nutrition to the local people.

At a time in the world’s history, and certainly in the history of tourism, where ‘artificial’ encounters and experiences are an increasing problem, regarded solely as profitmaking for travel agencies and government bodies alike, Batang Ai National Park is as ‘real’ as it gets. The rainforest sounds you hear, some like the clumsy clatter of a cutlery draw, might mean an orangutan has underestimated the height of a trellis of palm leaves; rustles and snuffles through dark, dense foliage can reveal mammals most of us never knew existed; and solid black lines of ants marching purposefully are sure to cross your path. It is another world entirely, and it is captivating.