Proboscis monkeys are found only in Borneo
Island, the Island where Sabah is.
They have long, bulbous noses, large pot-bellies. One thing about
male Proboscis monkeys, these males monkey always make our local
female visitors embarrass but foreign female visitors seem quite
amused by their unusual.
Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary was set up by an oil palm
plantation owner. A decade ago when he was clearing the costal swam
area for planting Oil Palm, he discovered Proboscis Monkey living in
his area. Being ecology conscious, he reserve a great part of the
swam land for the protection of these wild monkeys. His Sanctuary
development successfully and set a good example in environment and
wildlife protection (though he destroyed the rest of the jungle for
his cash crop).
There were two feeding platforms, Platform A and B. Each with two
feedings a day.
Other animals and birds can be seen at the Sanctuary including
Silver Leaf Monkeys, macaques and hornbills.
The Sanctuary ran a shuttle bus from Sandakan Town to the Sanctuary.
The departure station is at Sandakan Hotel where the shuttle bus
depart at 9.30am.
We stopped at the entrance gate where I paid the entrance fee
(RM60), camera fee (RM10) and transport fee (RM15 each way)
We drive straight to Viewing Platform B for the
2:00PM feeding. We were late by few minutes and groups of Proboscis
already congregated and eating.
There were 2 groups of families, 1 group of bachelor and an lonely
old male. must have been up to 50 Proboscis Monkeys there, including
the alpha male and mothers with their babies.
The keepers would put food on the viewing platform and the monkeys
were quite content to eat right next to us, oblivious of our
presence.
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