November isn’t just Movember, when men have an excuse not to shave for a month, but between 12-18 November it is also Orangutan Awareness Week. This is another great cause, which draws awareness to wild orangutans and their beautiful rainforest home. To support this, for every person that likes my Beck Wanderer Facebook page by the 18th November, I will donate £1 (approx $1.5 AUD) to the Orangutan Foundation UK* Also during Orangutan Awareness week my blog will turn bright orange :o)
Movember Orangutan
I fell in love with orangutans in 2006, when I volunteered with the Orangutan Foundation UK in Indonesian, Borneo. I spent a few days at Camp Leakey, which is a research and rehabilitation centre for orangutans. I got to hang around with these amazing creatures without them being behind bars – well the youngsters and the females, the alpha males I stayed a very safe distance from.
Clowning around!!!
My very first memory of meeting a wild orangutan was as our long boat landed at Camp Leakey, a cheeky, young, male jumped aboard and grabbed my crisps straight out of my hands.
All the safety talks about how to behave with the orangutans went overboard with the excitement – ooops!!!!
Feeding time at Camp Leakey
The Orangutan Foundation UK does some amazing work. They work closely with the local communities, educating and involving them in conservation rather than dictating to them. During my 6 weeks, my group repaired some guard posts, which are dotted along the rivers to prevent illegal logging. Also, we constructed a building to store food for the orangutans.
We built this!!!
I slept on the floor for six weeks; washed in the river; also poo’ed and wee’ed into the river whilst watching the fish have a good feed (eugh!!); spent long days building/painting, but it was one of the most amazing and rewarding experiences of my life.
This is my best side!!!
Hmmmmm…. thinking of cuddly, orange, creatures swinging through lushest forest. One day, I would love to volunteer again in Borneo, but until then I support the orangutans the best I can. So pretty, pretty please help by LIKING my facebook page – just 2 clicks:
1st click here and then one more click to like my page,
Thanks, Beck Wanderer {:(|)
Me and Sisu
*The small print :o) I will donate upto £250 (approx $380 AUD). Also, in liking my page you have to endure a few weekly travel blogs updates in Facebook.
I know what it’s like to volunteer somewhere and find a passion with animals. I have volunteered with elephants at a sanctuary in Thailand twice and it’s become such a huge passion of mine. I absolutely love them and miss them! Volunteering with chimps and orangutans is also on my list of must-do’s. Your story and photos are so inspiring!
Hi Michelle, it is a truly amazing experience to be so close to a wild animal, its certainly something that I will treasure in my heart forever. I saw a documentary awhile back on Lek, she seems an incredible woman with her efforts to save the Asian elephant. I would love to work at her sanctuary and also sooo I want to go back to Borneo. Thanks for your comments and I will check out your blog, Becks :o)