- Witness Orangutan and Sun Bear at BOS Samboja
To witness Orangutan is to be in the jungle. That is why the wildlife adventure to get close to orangutan will taste the nature of Borneo. Located at 38 km from the international airport in Balikpapan, Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation, known as Samboja Lestari, establishes orangutan reintroduction program as well as forest restoration activities. The main activities in this conservation area include orangutan rescue, translocation of orangutan from areas of conflict to areas of secure and protected habitat, the provision of welfare and healthcare, rehabilitation and reintroduction. read more
- Encounter Proboscis Monkey at Sungai Hitam Samboja
Located at 50 Km from international airport in Balikpapan, the forest along Sungai Hitam Samboja is the natural habitat of Proboscis Monkey. The river safari with a traditional boat will run slowly to meet with Proboscis Monkeys that mostly sit on the trees or jumping very often from one tree to another. Along the river, usually you find other wildlife animals such as borneo birds, macaques, and snake.
There are several features which makes proboscis monkey extraordinarily quirky. The male has a big long nose while the female only has a small nose. They are good swimmers. If you are lucky, usually in the morning and afternoon, they come to the river for drinking and might swim as well. They can survive on a very low quality diet of leaves and unripe fruits, as opposed to orangutans, gibbons and macaques, which need high quality young leaves of specific trees and fruits. A proboscis monkey would never eat a ripe banana. If it did, it could die of bloat! read more
- Spot to Water Dolphin at Mahakam River Creeks
Water dolphin (Irawaddy Dolphin) is a legend in East Borneo, so that this mammal becomes a symbol of this province. Water dolphin is a rare aquatic species which is currently less than 90 based on survey by RASI (Rare Aquatic Spesies Indonesia) Foundation. Did you know how to identify the individual of water dolphin? RASI does survey to the number of water dolphin by identifying its fin shape. It is known that water dolphin has different fin shape individually. The survey is done in every year.
Watching the water dolphin is done by small boating mostly to the creek of Mahakam River namely Kedang Rantau River and Pela River. The water dolphin is only found in Borneo in Indonesia and the similar species are found in the Amazon of South America and in the Mekong River.
Together with RASI, the government of Kutai Kartanegara make a campaign for save water dolphin and release programs for fishermen to reduce the death of water dolphin because of the traditional fishing net, by developing the fish ponds on the river and prohobitation to use a danger fishing equipment. read more
- Watching Borneo Birds in Muara Kaman Nature Reserve
In tropical rainforest of Kutai Kartanegara, there are several spots for bird watching. BOS and Bukit Bengkirai offer it. Meanwhile bird watching in the wetland areas is available along the Black River (Sungai Hitam) in Samboja and in the nature reserve of Muara Kaman in the Mahakam upstream.
The Nature Reserve covers an area of 62,500 ha and is located between the Kedang Kepala river and Menamang Kiwa rivers. The area has a very rich in bird life, primate habitat as well as endangered species Irrawaddy dolphins and Proboscis monkeys. Some of the spectacular birds you can find are the Borneo hornbill, hawk eagle, but also smaller and colourful birds like the bee eater and kingfisher. read more
