Recently, Matang has become home for a female rhinoceros hornbill, which is the state animal of Sarawak. These are magnificent birds, very large and listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

This bird was temporarily housed in the quarantine area while the large aviary opposite the orang-utan dens was re-worked by our July volunteers and a preliminary disease screen was carried out. The large aviary has been divided into two large spaces, one half intended for this new arrival and a pair of pied hornbills destined for the

other half.

It was great to see the rhinoceros hornbill literally spread her wings and take advantage of the larger space on the afternoon she was transferred.

Labels: hornbill, orangutan volunteer, sarawak orangutan volunteer

Now, the arrival of kittens at the centre is not actually a rare event, as many past volunteers will be aware. However this particular kitten is, no offense to regular cats, a bit more special than the average.



It's a very young leopard cat, estimated to be around 3-4 weeks of age. He needs to be syringe-fed, which he was not very keen on originally but is now a bit more accepting of the strange instrument. He has recently started trying small pieces of meat, and shows a great appetite for it, guarding the food with an aggression that is a bit hard to take seriously, considering his size.



These cats are offically listed by IUCN as Least Concern, though precious little academic research exists with regards to them, particularly the Bornean subspecies. They are solitary, as with most wild cats, though we hope with a careful integration process this kitten will be able to join the existing pair at Matang in time.

With thanks to Kuno and Lauren Schiffermuller for the images, volunteers in September 10.

Labels: great orangutan project, leopard cat, orangutan volunteer, sarawak orangutan volunteer

Boboy, the long tail macaque with a big personality, was released from Matang Wildlife Centre last year. He was chosen as a monkey to test a possible release site for all long tail macaques because he was not coping well with the stress of captivity. He was released onto an island in Kuching Wetlands Park, a site away from human habitation which is key for macaque release.



Though we visited the site regularly, we were not lucky enough to spot Boboy for a long time. However, recently has was seen enjoying the natural habitat on the island, and looking in excellent health. This is incredibly good news, both for the welfare of this one individual, and for the potential of the area to accept more of his species.



Boboy was a favourite character of many volunteers that met him, and to those with fond memories of him, please enjoy the images of him enjoying his new lease of life.

Labels: great orangutan project, Long tail macaque, matang wildlife centre, orangutan volunteer, sarawak orangutan volunteer

After spending 3 months in quarantine, Katherine (estimated to be around 16 years of age) and Peter (perhaps as old as 25) were transferred into the orangutan dens. The move itself went incredibly smoothly, both orangutan had to be sedated to be moved, and although neither of them are keen on the blowpipe being pointed at them, the move was as stress-free as possible for humans and animals alike.



Peter's current location means he is often in view of George, one of the dominant males at Matang. Though they have seen each other before, this is the first time they have been in close proximity, and neither of them are very happy with the presence of the other. Wisely, when separated by just the bars of a cage, Peter keeps well clear of George, though he was recently seen being quite bold and pulling George's hair! Follow the link for a short video of Peter vocalising at George; this appears to be part aggression and part fear.



Though it is not clear from the video, Peter is very different in appearance to both Aman and George, though it is suspected he is older. This is because Peter is not yet a dominant male, therefore has not developed the prominent secondary sexual characteristics of such. Peter was malnourished on arrival, with no small amount of digestive worms, and it is thought that these factors inhibited his development into a dominant male. With the worms cleared and his nutrition vastly improved, we are waiting to see if he will now grow the characteristic flanges and throat pouch to mark his dominance, or whether this development will be inhibited by the presence of George. These changes are hormonally controlled, and the presence of another dominant male can delay or halt entirely another male's development.



After a couple of days alone to settle in, Katherine was mixed in the large outdoor enclosure with Doris and Ting San. Ting San spends most of her days in the jungle, so Katherine has spent the majority of her time with just Doris for company. Here is a link to a short video of one of their first interactions - Doris did not take kindly to her new housemate, and was witnessed on numerous occasions throwing various objects at Katherine, or hitting her and then bidding a hasty retreat.

Katherine has been completely un-phased by this unfriendly greeting. She has enjoyed herself exploring the new enclosure and has enjoyed interacting with Doris, seemingly unaware that her presence is resented. Doris was initially a little afraid of Katherine and has been forced to give up enrichment on occasion, which is a great change as she has for a long time had her own way entirely over Ting San.

These two orangutan now seem at peace with each other and both seem to like each others company. They still fight over enrichment, but competition can be healthy!



Katherine already has a good relationship with the orangutan keepers here at Matang. She is a very friendly orangutan and seems relatively easy to handle. The keepers are determined to include Katherine in the rehabilitation process and see no reason why she should spend the rest of her life in captivity. We will of course keep you updated on her progress, and her first jungle experience as and when it happens.

Labels: aman, orangutan, orangutan rescue, orangutan volunteer, Orangutans and Rehabilitation, sarawak orangutan volunteer