A day of discovery and learning at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre!
A big thank you to Tabika KEMAS Taman Gum-Gum Jaya Sandakan,
for spending the day with us. We hope they had a great time while visiting
here, and gained some knowledge about Sun Bears.
It’s exciting to be part of the 14th Borneo Bird Festival, held from October 26th to 27th, 2024, at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok, Sandakan!
This annual festival celebrates the incredible birdlife of
Borneo and promotes greater awareness of nature conservation, birdwatching
tourism, and showcases the latest optics and camera gear for nature
enthusiasts. The two-day event is packed with activities: expert-led workshops
and talks, guided birdwatching walks, coloring and drawing contests, bird
photography competitions, wildlife conservation exhibitions from various
organizations and many more. It’s a fantastic opportunity to connect with
nature and fellow birding enthusiasts!
Rescue No. 70 – Playful Pitang
On October 16 2024, an individual on their way to Long Pasia
found a "red-eyed and weak" sun bear cub by the roadside near
Masapol, Sipitang. With no mother in sight and being concerned for her
wellbeing, they promptly handed her over to the Wildlife Department. She was
given the name ‘Pitang’, is approximately 4 months old and weighed 5kgs when
she arrived at BSBCC yesterday (October 25, 2024). She is a little skinny but
overall healthy and has already captured all our hearts.
Meeting her for the first time, she was calm and warmed up
almost instantly to the people looking at her from outside her carrier. She looked around at everyone with her big
round eyes that seems too big for her small head. Her paws are almost all black
with only little patches of pink! It has only been one night in BSBCC and we
have noticed how active she is. She has already managed to climb up into her
basket on her own after a few minutes being in her new cage.
Nevertheless, our dedicated team will focus on her recovery
and nurture her back to full health.
From providing proper nutrition, to monitoring her health
and creating a stimulating environment, we aim to give Pitang the best start in
life. Her story is a reminder of the importance of conservation efforts and the
impact of community vigilance in protecting our wildlife. Together, we can make
a difference for sun bears like Pitang.
Yesterday we joined an event organised by Sabah Wildlife Department at Pekan Botition, Beluran, Sabah. The programme aimed to engage the community in the area by providing awareness on the conservation of wildlife and the legals and legislations of wildlife in Sabah.
The organiser also set up registration booth for easier
permit application for the bird nest farmers around the area. This is a proof
of the commitment of the Sabah Wildlife Department to preserve the wildlife in
Sabah while managing the need of the local people in Sabah.
The programme started at 9 am with the introduction to the
Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, licensing, several government initiatives
to help the locals and followed by talk from BSBCC and then ended up with
visits to the participants booth. The whole programme was done by 12.30 pm.
Thank you Sabah Wildlife Department for inviting us.
Today, we mourn the loss of our beloved sun bear, Kukuton. He passed away on October 17th, 2024, at the young age of nine. Kukuton was known for his traumatic past of being kept in a small cage for 7 years which led to him arriving with a lot of self harming stereotypic behaviors and an obvious small body size. Even with his past, Kukuton was always a gentle soul, very kooky but had soft inquisitive eyes. He brought joy to all who knew him, and his absence will be deeply felt.
Kukuton's passing happened during his fence training. This
is a very routine training that Kukuton and all bears go through to ensure they
recognize the electrical fence before they are released to the forest
enclosure. Unfortunately this particular fence training event was stressful for
him which unknowingly exacerbated his underlying health issues and it led to
cardiac failure. His keepers were observing him during the training and
immediately attended to him but Kukuton did not respond to resuscitation.
While we grieve his loss, we also celebrate his life and the
progress he was making during his time with us. Kukuton is the definition of
strength and resilience. However hard life was for him, he was still the sweet
bear his keepers loved him to be.
Let us remember Kukuton's love for his keepers and his silly
antics. May his memory be a source of comfort and inspiration for all who knew
him. We love you Kukuton ❤️
