Matang has recently become resident to an adult male Bornean gibbon, named Kiko. A long standing resident at the centre, Teresa, is a female Bornean gibbon, and she has been housed alone for a number of years due to lack of a suitable mate - only a handful of gibbons have arrived at the centre over the years, all female, and female gibbons do not get on well with each other.

After a round of blood tests to check the health of both individuals, Kiko has been moved next door to Teresa, with the bars of a cage separating them to see if they show any affection for each other. The picture below shows the arrangement, though Teresa refuses to pose for our cameras and is hidden at the back of the cage. Kiko is on the right.



They have been living this way for a week now, and to be honest Teresa is not looking very interested. However, it is early days and she has been a bachelorette for a while so we're not writing off the possibility of a partnership just yet.

Just next door, the new gibbon enclosure has been completed and the two smallest gibbons have moved in. Below is a picture of them, but at the time they were hurling themselves around and bouncing off the ropes, so it was hard to catch an image.



This cage is split into three sections, and at the moment these small gibbons have a cage each. They were initially introduced to the same space after residing next to each other in smaller cages for many weeks and showing positive signs of friendship. However, the larger of the two, the male, was so excited to be in the huge space that he frightened the small female and left her a quivering wreck in the corner on the floor! So they are split for now so she has a chance to get used to the new house in relative peace, but there should be no problem with introducing them to the same space in the near future and hopefully a successful partnership will form.

I will attempt to capture some of their joy and acrobatics in a short video and upload it to our facebook group shortly.

Labels: Gibbon, great orangutan project, matang wildlife centre, the great projects

In the last few weeks, a new row of cages has been completed in the quarantine area of Matang Wildlife Centre. As past volunteers will agree, this extra space is long over due and a most welcome addition to the centre.



As you can see from the image, this row will soon be filled with long tail macaques. It means some of the smaller cages that were utilised due to necessity have now been retired, which is great. There are ajoining doors between each cage, to facilitate integration of some of the individuals resident at the centre. Socialising these animals improves their mental wellbeing and enriches their lives, as they live in large troops in the wild and have complex social structures.

Labels: Long tail macaque, matang wildlife centre, the great orangutan project, the great projects

A slow loris, recently surrendered to Matang Wildlife Centre, was successfully released into the surrounding Kubah National Park. The animal was in good health on arrival to the centre and it was deemed in its best interest to return it to the wild.



The slow loris is nocturnal by nature, and this individual was certainly confused by so much action taking place for it during daylight hours. It sat through a 40minute walk through the forest in a carry case to a release site a couple of kilometres away from the centre and human civilisation. On reaching this destination though, it was not too eager to escape its cage and make for the trees.



Most people assume that when an animal is presented with its natural environment, it will quickly run towards its home and freedom. Sadly, this is rarely the case as animals become used to captivity very rapidly and are often reluctant to leave this existence behind. After some lengthy consideration though, the slow loris did indeed step out of the box and, despite its name, make a hasty line for the forest. We hope to catch images of it on the camera traps recently donated to the centre.

Labels: great orangutan project, matang, orangutan, slow loris, the great projects

Recognition for Great Orangutan Project at the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2010

Great Orangutan Project run by Way Out Experiences, has been highly commended in the Best volunteering organisation category at this year’s Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards.




The Great Orangutan Project is part of a family of animal protection projects under newly launched The Great Projects (www.thegreatprojects.com)

The Judges said “Tough times in the tourism industry can often lead to integrity being the first value to take a cut. Not so with Great Orangutan Project – who have continued to provide wildlife experiences without allowing volunteers physical contact with the orangutans. The now ABTA-listed organisation demonstrates good practice in volunteering with increasing commitments to accountability and transparency.”

At a ceremony hosted at World Travel Market (WTM), Docklands, London, on Wednesday 10th November, the Awards were handed out by Justin Francis, managing director of responsibletravel.com, organisers and founders of the Awards, and Amanda Wills, managing director of Virgin Holidays, headline sponsor of the Awards.

The Awards are the most prestigious and competitive of their kind in the world and are a collaboration between online travel directory responsibletravel.com; UK media partners Metro Newspaper and Geographical Magazine and World Travel Market who host the ceremony. The central tenet of the Awards is that all types of tourism - from niche to mainstream - can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people.


Afzaal Mauthoor, co-founder of Way Out Experiences and Managing Director The Great Projects – Way Out Experiences Ltd receives award from Justin Francis above and says at the awards:

“The Great Projects like the Great Orangutan Project is an example of animal protection tourism where your travel can help save endangered animals abroad. It was a bold concept started 6 years ago. It’s now firmly rooted in the responsible travel movement after winning the award two years in a row. Its travel experiences like ours that add the responsible and compassionate side to tourism today - to protect vulnerable animals in vulnerable habitats for our future generations.”

Launched in 2004, the Awards are run in association with partners World Travel Market, Metro Newspaper and Geographical Magazine industry.

Visit The Great Projects website on www.thegreatprojects.com to find out and the award winning project The Great Orangutan Project www.orangutanproject.com

Or call us on 0845 3713070 (within UK), or +44 1582 469950 (outside UK)
Email: volunteer@w-o-x.com

Labels: Best Volunteer Organisation, great orangutan project, Justin Francis, the great projects, Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2010

I am happy to say that just a few moments ago we were awarded Highly Commended in the Best Volunteer Company Category at the Responsible Travel Awards at WTM! Thanks everyone who voted for us :)

Now if you want to take part on any of our projects visit www.orangutanproject.com or www.thegreatprojects.com

And all of this on "orange for orangutans" day....whos wearing orange???

Labels: orangutan volunteer, Responsible Travel Awards, the great orangutan project, the great projects, volunteer, WTM

Calling all volunteers!

Announcing exciting opportunities! Take a look at our brand new website, www.thegreatprojects.com, which aims to provide truly meaningful projects that make a positive impact whilst delivering a truly amazing volunteer experience!!! We are not "The Great Projects" for nothing!!!

Due to your fantastic response to our opinion poll it seems that all you ape enthusiasts are after a great gorilla project, so watch this space.....because we currently have a 2 week mountain gorilla project under construction...and believe me, it will be great!!! It will run in July and October next year with a world famous celebrity conservationist on board to lead part of the experience!!! So register your interest at volunteer@w-o-x.com to get first pickings on the limited spaces!!!!!

Labels: conservation, gorilla, mountain gorillas, the great projects, volunteer