Text and photos by Ian Hall I was up before dawn to watch the sun rise from the view point at Borneo Rainforest Lodge. I could see nothing on account of cloud and so I lay down on the bench and went to sleep for a while. I was woken up by an orang-utan rustling the branches above me. I ignored it and rolled over on my binoculars-rolled-up-in-my-hat pillow. Another rustle and debris showered the observation deck. ‘OK you bugger, I’m getting up’ I grumbled and went to check on the progress of the view. The reason...

Text by Ian Hall Photos by Ian Hall and Serena Lamb The forest around Borneo Rainforest Lodge (BRL) is home to an extraordinarily high density of orang-utans. More than 30 individuals are being monitored in a research program lead by the Wildlife Research Center (WRC) of Kyoto University. Wild orang-utans are very good for nature tourism and I reckon that during a three night stay at the Lodge there is an even chance of seeing at least one of those fellas. The WRC research program now has a new purpose built home at BRL thanks...

Text by Ian Hall Photos by Ian Hall, Serena Lamb and Eyen Khoo Horticulturalist and orchid expert Tony Lamb has thrown down the gauntlet to describe the world’s largest orchid. The Tiger Orchid, Grammatophyllum speciosum is the undisputed king of the orchid world but where is the largest specimen to be found in the wild? The question was raised during a walk along the access road to Borneo Rainforest Lodge (BRL) in the Danum Valley Conservation Area in Sabah. The orchid that caused Tony to stop in his tracks was so big that...

In Sabah I am working on the design of a Sun Bear Conservation Centre, but is it really a conservation centre? In the course of my research for this project, a prominent conservationist suggested to me that its function was likely to focus on animal welfare. This got me wondering. Where is the boundary between wildlife conservation and animal welfare? As man continues to encroach on natural habitats, more endangered species end up in our care. The dilemma we face is the balance between providing a good home for displaced...