Indonesia forum

Chimpanzee and other primates

trevadea

newbie
Posts: 4

We are going to be traveling around Nov. To May and my daughter is studying up on primates. Anyone have suggestions of places that are a must see? Thanks, treva

#1 Posted: 13/8/2011 - 03:45
SBE

mahout
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You can see orang outangs at Bukit Lawang on the island of Sumatra. I saw both orang outangs and leaf monkeys there.

#2 Posted: 13/8/2011 - 04:39
KirstyB

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I know you've posted in Indonesia but if monkeys are what you're after maybe consider Borneo - Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo has some possibilities but not easily accessible. However Malaysian Borneo has good opportunities for orang utangs and probiscus monkeys both in Sabah and Sarawak. I'm not a monkey expert by any stretch and I stand to be corrected but I thought chimpanzees were only in Africa??

#3 Posted: 13/8/2011 - 05:55
trevadea

newbie
Posts: 4

Excellent! I will look into both places, thank you! Treva

#4 Posted: 13/8/2011 - 09:10
MADMAC

mahout
Posts: 3999

Kirsty I think you are correct.

#5 Posted: 13/8/2011 - 11:11

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Victory in Pattani
eastwest

som tam seller
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Entirely correct.
There are only 4 primate species and only 1 of them can be found in Asia and that is the orang utang.
The others, chimpanzee, gorilla and bonobo can only be found in Africa.
But who am I educating? OP has a daughter that studies the subject.

Monkeys are plenty and everywhere. Cambodia does have some beautiful Gibbons near Koh Kong.

#6 Posted: 13/8/2011 - 11:58
trevadea

newbie
Posts: 4

Obviously it is my daughter, not I who is studying! Looking around about Borneo it seems there are many different parks to visit and a lot of discussion about the logging. Any suggestions for a more rustic camp like experience? Uncle Tans looks great, anyone recommend this or another camp? thank you! Treva

#7 Posted: 13/8/2011 - 12:20
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mahout
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Vast areas of jungle in Borneo and Sumatra have been cut down and replanted with rubber and palm oil trees and smoke coming from illegal forest burning in Sumatra and Kalimantan affects the whole the region. It's a problem every year and the Indonesian authorities seem to do little to stop it, in spite of loud protests from neighboring countries.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/haze-from-sumatra-fires-blankets-kl/440866

Bukit Lawang has some rustic accommodation (well it did when I visited in 2005) not camps but the guesthouses are along a river in the jungle. You'll see miles and miles of rubber trees and oil palms on the way there! The amount of land covered in jungle is much smaller than it once was, which is one of the reasons it's so easy to see orangutans nowadays...their natural habitat is confined to a fairly small area.

#8 Posted: 13/8/2011 - 15:06
MADMAC

mahout
Posts: 3999

This would be a chimpanzee:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO5TNU3fiJo

#9 Posted: 14/8/2011 - 00:57

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Victory in Pattani