{"id":606,"date":"2011-06-06T01:02:34","date_gmt":"2011-06-05T17:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mysabah.com\/wordpress\/?p=606"},"modified":"2012-10-22T22:04:43","modified_gmt":"2012-10-22T14:04:43","slug":"monkey-in-semporna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mysabah.com\/wordpress\/monkey-in-semporna\/","title":{"rendered":"Monkey in Semporna"},"content":{"rendered":"

Because of Sipadan Island, Semporna town is now well-known as a gateway to world-class diving sites. Divers are impressed by the underwater world, but they don’t know the endangered and famous Proboscis Monkey are also found in Semporna. If you are a scuba diver, to avoid decompression sickness, you know you have to wait 12 to 24 hours before departing on a flight.<\/p>\n

\"location<\/a><\/p>\n

Therefore, during the waiting time, it is a great option for divers to join a river cruise in Semporna, to see the long-nosed monkey of Borneo. The tour costs about RM125 (less than USD$40) per person. Below is the itinerary:
\n3:30pm:<\/strong> Depart from Semporna by land to Kg. Tunggulangan
\n4:15pm:<\/strong> Tea break
\n4:45pm-6:30pm:<\/strong> River cruise
\n6:30pm<\/strong>: BBQ seafood dinner
\n7:30pm:<\/strong> Return to Semporna\/Tawau<\/p>\n

\"entrance<\/a>
\nOf course, non-divers also can join the tour. Just book the river cruise package at www.borneotourstravel.com<\/a> (Borneo Semporna Proboscis River Cruise). The show has begun by the moment we reached the site in Kg. Tunggulangan, which is about 20 KM away from Semporna town. The worker placed some food on a feeding platform next to the entrance, to attract about 20 long-tailed macaque monkey for the fest.<\/p>\n

>> Click Here to see more photos of Semporna River Cruise<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Feeding<\/a>
\n\"monkey<\/a>
\nLast year I was told that the monkeys there were shy and not used to human. After being fed for a period, now these monkey have no fear about our presence, even though we are only a few feet away. You can take very clear photos of them.<\/p>\n

\"Food<\/a>
\nHowever, they are still wild, so better don’t get too near to them. They do bite if they feel threaten. I have no doubt the monkey in photo above have the balls to do so.<\/p>\n

\"wooden<\/a>
\nThen we took a short walk on a wooden boardwalk, which is built in the mangrove forest.<\/p>\n

\"mangrove<\/a>
\nThe mangrove trees grow on intertidal zone, which is flooded during high tide, so they have stilt root that allows them to breathe and anchor themselves firmly in the mud.<\/p>\n

>> Click Here to see more photos of Semporna River Cruise<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"Activity<\/a>
\n\"Having<\/a>
\nThe boardwalk led us to an Activity and Dining Hall built next to the river. We had our afternoon tea break before the river cruise.<\/p>\n

\"Dining<\/a>
\nAbove: the building is inside the mangrove forest. Please bring insect repellent coz there are mosquitoes in this area.<\/p>\n

\"jetty<\/a>
\nAbove: the hall and the jetty of Borneo Semporna Proboscis River Cruise.<\/p>\n

\"map<\/a>
\nAbove: the route map of our river cruise. Our boats departed at 4:30pm to explore Sungai Tohok (Tohok River) and Sungai Buaya (Buaya River) to look for proboscis monkey. We also went to Pegagau to check out the egrets.<\/p>\n

\"river<\/a>
\n\"looking<\/a>
\nOur boat cruised slowly on the river to spot for wildlife on the trees.<\/p>\n

\"mangrove<\/a>
\nThe mangrove here is a forest reserve, which means it is protected from being cut or clear, so the trees here remain intact. This area has become the sanctuary for different birds and wildlife.<\/p>\n

\"mangrove<\/a>
\nAbove: the seeds of the mangrove trees. Once ripen, they will fall into the river and float to somewhere else to germinate.<\/p>\n

\"reflection<\/a>
\nAbove: I have to say that Semporna has very beautiful mangrove. I saw many picturesque green reflection like above in the river.<\/p>\n

>> Click Here to see more photos of Semporna River Cruise<\/a><\/p>\n

\"spotting<\/a>
\nOur boatman is busy looking for monkey. He has very sharp vision, as if he has X-ray eyes that can see through dense layers of trees.<\/p>\n

\"Female<\/a>
\nFinally we spotted a female proboscis monkey sitting high on top of a tree.<\/p>\n

\"Proboscis<\/a>
\nSoon we found more proboscis monkey. I notice that the proboscis monkey here are very elusive, unlike those who are already used to tourists in Klias<\/a> and Kinabatangan<\/a>. All of them fled into the mangrove before our boats came close.<\/p>\n

\"Proboscis<\/a>
\nSome of them even carrying baby.<\/p>\n

\"looking<\/a>
\nOur guide, Soon Lee, spotted a male proboscis monkey deep inside the wood.<\/p>\n

\"Male<\/a>
\nThe male proboscis monkey was sitting on a root, with his back facing us.<\/p>\n

\"Male<\/a>
\nWe want to see his big nose so badly, so we move our boat as close as we can. We tried really hard to look at him through the gap between the woods, like how a peeper watches his target in bathroom.<\/p>\n

\"Male<\/a>
\nLuckily it made a move and we were so happy to see his sexy big nose, though it was only a split second. The long nose of male proboscis monkey is a sex symbol to attract female. Later we saw 3 or 4 herds of proboscis monkey. That is considered our lucky day. In bad day, visitor may not see any proboscis monkey.<\/p>\n

Below is a 3-minute video of our river cruise tour:
\n