Skip to main content

News

Sepilok Celebrates its 50th Birthday

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in the Malaysian Sabah District of North Borneo was founded in 1964.

31/01/2014

Sepilok

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in the Malaysian Sabah District of North Borneo was founded in 1964 by Barbara Harrisson, to rehabilitate orphan orangutans. The site is 43 sq km of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve. Today around 60 to 80 orangutans are living free in the reserve.

Sepilok sign

When Sabah became an independent state in Malaysia in 1963, a Game Branch was created in the Forest Department for the conservation of wild animals in the region.

Consequently, 43 sq km of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve was turned into a rehabilitation site for orangutans, and a centre built to care for the apes. Today around 25 young orphaned orangutans are housed in the nurseries, in addition to those free in the reserve.

We want to celebrate Sepilok's birthday and all that they have achieved.

Look out for presentations, special merchandise and a limited edition 50th aniversary adoption pack which will be available from 1st April until the end of the year.

Lets make Sepilok's 50th year one to remember.

Explore more articles