1. 1
Building Bridges
Integrating community development and conservation of forests and
biodiversity in the Kinabatangan River area, Sabah, Malaysia
Progress Report 5, July – December 2012
HUTAN/KOCP
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
People Nature Consulting International
and
Shining Hope Foundation

2. 2
Summary
The Shining Hope Foundation is providing financial support to HUTAN and its implementing partners to
demonstrate that integrated management of environmental and socio‐economic aspects of land and natural
resource management are needed to achieve long‐lasting outcomes for sustainable biodiversity and
environmental conservation as well as human development in tropical developing countries. Specifically, the
project seeks to achieve a measureable improvement in the ecological conditions of Lower Kinabatangan
Wildlife Sanctuary and selected key stone species, and demonstrable improved welfare and well‐being of
selected target groups in the Kinabatangan community, through effective integration of community
development with conservation of forests and biodiversity in the Kinabatangan River area.
A review of project activities, outcomes, and financial expenditures was conducted by Erik Meijaard on 25 and
26 February 2013 for the period July to December 2012. No field visit was included this time, and the reporting
was done based on field reports submitted by individual units of HUTAN (OURS, HEAP, Wildlife Wardens etc).
The financial review was conducted in Kota Kinabalu on February 26th
together with the HUTAN accountant and
involved checking of receipts, compiling expenditures over the period and comparing these with predicted
expenses. Information about project activities was obtained through interviews with several field staff.
As noted in previous reports, some cost centres remain significantly overspent and others underspent. The
recommended rebalancing of the budget through new spending rates on each cost centre was not
implemented by Hutan’s account, requiring a further update of budget for the remaining months of the project
duration (January to August 2013). Other budget issues that require attention are mentioned below.

3. 3
Financial Progress Report July to December 2012
The euro‐based spending rate for the Shining Hope Foundation funds between September 2010 and December
2012 was 106.41%. Over the entire period since the start of the project, from a budgeted amount of €
127,267.39, € 135,424.02 was spent, resulting in an absolute overspending of € 8,156.63 (see Table 1 below).
Based on these spending rates a budget revision is proposed for the final 9 months of the project to ensure that
the final spending is in line with what was initially budgeted.
Comments on budget
Overspending is primarily caused by strengthening of the Malay Ringgit and price inflation. Regarding the
exchange rate, the Malaysian Ringgit has significantly increased in value compared to the Euro from 4.5 at the
start of the project to 3.85 now. This means that the project has about 10% less to spend than was forecasted.
No inflation correction was applied when the budget was developed. Average annual consumer price inflation
in Malaysia was about 1.8% in 2012. Appropriate budget readjustments have been made to compensate for
these increased costs. Overspending was financed from other donor sources and project core finances.
Budget Expenses Spending Expenses
Budget period
Sept 10‐June 12
(€)
Sept 10‐June 12
(€) Rate
(over)/underspent
(€)
Salary Ahbam Abulani 14,399.76 21,867.67 151.86% 7,467.90
Salary Hamisah Elahan 14,399.76 10,503.03 72.94% ‐3,896.73
Salary Azri Sawang 14,399.76 20,548.88 142.70% 6,149.12
Fuel for boat 11,200.00 11,055.56 98.71% ‐144.44
Petrol for car 5,600.00 5,936.57 106.01% 336.57
Photo camera/video for observation
and identification
4,000.00 1,227.91 30.70% ‐2,772.09
Total Office costs and consumable 1,268.10 1,746.44 137.72% 478.34
Materials for HEAP activities in
schools
2,000.00 604.49 30.22% ‐1,395.51
Training for HEAP staff 750.00 107.29 14.31% ‐642.71
Total Home Tree Nursery and
Reforestation activities
28,000.00 32,379.82 115.64% 4,379.82
Total Warden activities/Hornbill
Survey
2,000.00 1,145.87 57.29% ‐854.13
Total Equipment and uniform for
HEAP/OURS/WARDEN
4,500.00 3,328.85 73.97% ‐1,171.15
Total Equipment/Education
Camp/Activities
3,000.00 369.04 12.30% ‐2,630.96
Total Boat expenses 3,750.00 963.86 25.70% ‐2,786.14
Total upgrading environmental
awareness and training centre
3,000.00 2,006.77 66.89% ‐993.23
Total Orang utan bridges 3,000.00 2,470.78 82.36% ‐529.22
Helicopter monitoring 6,000.00 3,688.89 61.48% ‐2,311.11
Total Swift nest population and
harvesting survey
6,000.00 15,472.30 257.87% 9,472.30
Total Budget and Expenditures 127,267.39 135,424.02 106.41% 8,156.63
Table 1. Total budget and expenditures from September 2010 to March 2011.

4. 4
Based on the remaining funds for the period January to August 2013, a revised budget allocation is proposed
below.
Proposal monthly budget Jan –
Aug 2013 (MYR)
Salary Ahbam Abulani 3,200
Salary Hamisah Elahan 1,400
Salary Azri Sawang 3,080
Fuel for boat use 1,540
Petrol for car use 1,540
Photo camera and video for observation and identification 0
Office costs & Consumables 0
Materials for HEAP activities in schools 0
Training for HEAP staff 0
Home Tree nurseries and reforestation activities 2,120
Survey Hornbill (2010) 0
Equipment and uniform for HEAP, KOCP, Warden 693
Equipment Education Camp 0
Boat 0
Finishing upgrading environmental awareness and training center 0
Orang utan bridges 0
Helicopter monitoring 2/year 0
Swift nest population and harvesting survey 1,540
Table 2. Revised monthly budget allocation from January to August 2013 in Malaysian Ringgit that will ensure
that the total project spending is no more than the total budgeted funds from Shining Hope.
Budget forecast and fund disbursement
Based on present spending rates, it is suggested that the funding for the next phase (January to June 2013) is
transferred, with a total of € 25,772.50 (see Table 3).
Table 3. Budget forecasts and actual expenditures
Budget period Actual expenditure
(RM)
Actual expenditure
(Euro)
Forecasted budget
requirements
September to December
2010
MYR 93,123.95 ca. € 22,439 € 27,566.80
January to June 2011 MYR 130,981.13 ca. € 30,819 € 28,850.20
July to December 2011 MYR 132,095.54 ca. € 31,081 € 24,483.00
January to June 2012 MYR 104,153.62 ca. € 26,706 € 25,800.00
July to December 2012 MYR 102,286.30 ca. € 26,568 € 25,781.67
January to June 2013 € 25,772.50
July and August 2013 € 8,590.83
TOTAL € 166,845.00

5. 5
Narrative Progress Report July – December 2012
Project Outcome 1. Statistically robust data are available on the trends in distribution, population densities
and conservation status of the orang‐utan, hornbill species, and cave‐nesting swifts in Kinabatangan.
Activity 1. Populations of orangutans, hornbills, and edible nest swiftlets are regularly monitored by KOCP's
Orangutan Research unit (OURS)
Orangutan surveys
Figure 1. One of the orangutans encountered during surveys in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Reserve,
Sabah
Hutan’s intensive OrangUtan Research Site was established in 1998 in 6.2 km2
of secondary forests in Lot 2 of
the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Reserve near the village of Sukau. A team of ten intensively trained local
research officers ‐ Hutan’s Orang‐Utan Research Unit ‐ take turns to track orangutans in the forest and conduct
eco‐ethological observations. A wide range of data are collected on standardized datasheet including dietary
observations, feeding behaviour, social aspects and ranging patterns
During 2012, Hutan achieved a total of 66 full days (821 hours) of direct observations of 28 wild individual
orangutans. Among the orangutans observed were 9 flanged males, 2 unflanged males, 14 adult females, 2
adolescents and 1 juvenile. This represent a drastic increase compared to the 7 individual orang‐utans observed
in 2011.
A new map of the KOCP study area was completed in 2012. The map of the study site was updated and now
incorporates all the new line‐transects, botanical plots, major fig trees (and important fallback food for
orangutans) and habitat types encountered in the study area. This map is used extensively to map all the
movements of the target individuals who are followed daily by the teams of field research assistants (see for
example Figure 2).

6. 6
Figure 2. Movements and activities of Jenny during 28 days of observation in 2012
These detailed studies allow Hutan to understand how different related orangutans establish their home ranges
in the fragmented forests of the lower Kinabatangan, or sometimes moev away in search of their own habitat.
Some animals have been followed for nearly 15 years now. Jenny, for example, was the first wild orangutan
habituated by KOCP in 1999. She has been followed regularly for the past 15 years (Figures 2 and 3).
The orangutan research team
has watched her son Etin,
grow up and leave his mother
and now observes Jenny
raising her daughter Malatus.
Malatus is unusual as she was
born while her mother was
under observation just over 7
years ago. October 3rd
2012
was a proud but also
bittersweet day for the
research team, because, for
the first time, Malatus spent
the night in her own nest
away from her mother. This is
Figure 3. Photo left. Jenny, recognizable by the mole located on her right
upper lip. Photo right. Malatus, when she was 7 years old (October 2012).

7. 7
a milestone in orangutan development indicating the offspring is now full weaned. On the morning of October
4th
Jenny came to meet Malatus, so it is likely she knew generally where Malatus was on her first night alone.
The following night (October 4th
) Jenny made her nest and settled in. Malatus was still feeding and then she too
started to build her own nest about 10 m away in the next tree. The team then witnessed Jenny peek up over
the edge of her nest to take a quick look at her daughter’s nest building skills while Malatus wasn’t watching.
Although Malatus now ranges out of sight of her mother at times she mostly still sleeps nearby. While males
are expected to gradually leave their natal (birth) area, female orangutans tend to settle in adjoining home
ranges.
During the last quarter of 2012, Hutan’s team saw an influx of adult flanged males within their study site with
the encounter of at least five to seven “new” individuals. Only genetic testing will reveal if these flanged males
are new to the study area, if they are irregular residents or transients, or if they are large morphs of previously
unflanged males (see below). A total of 54 orang‐utan fecal samples and two hair samples were collected in
2012 within our study site. These samples are going to be analysed for genetic at Zurich University (Switzerland)
for paternity test and individual identification. This new batch of samples (added to the 62 saples sent to Zurich
last year and that haven’t been processed yet) will provide crucial information about home range, social
structure, survival rates, family trees and etc. This will allow understanding better the socio‐ecology of the
species in Kinabatangan. Knowing the identities of individual animals, such as those in Figure 4, is tremendously
important for developing conservation strategies that maximize the likelihood of survival of larger populations
in the Kinabatangan area.
Hornbill surveys
In March 2012, Hutan started to conduct monthly surveys of the 8 hornbill species present in the Lower
Kinabatangan, including population structure (sex, age‐class) and nesting site locations. These surveys are part
of Hutan’s Kinabatangan hornbill conservation initiative started in 2009 in collaboration with the Thailand
Hornbill Project (THP). At the moment these are not funded by the Shining Hope Foundation, but the present
work builds on the initial surveys that were done in 2010 and 2011 with support from the Shining Hope
Foundation. A very worrying development for hornbill conservation is the rapid increase in hornbill ivory,
especially from the two biggest species, Helmeted Hornbill and Rhinoceros Hornbill. Chinese demand for such
ivory has recently increased leading to a rapid expansion of illegal trade in hornbills, as indicated by the recent
confiscation of 248 hornbill casques at Jakarta airport. This is likely to be only the top of the iceberg and
hornbill populations across Borneo are expected to decline rapidly making Hutan’s work even more important.
Figure 4. Photo left : May, young adolescent female is now independent: she has split from her Mum Maggie
and younger sister Felicity. Photo right : Luak, a “resident” flanged male to our site

8. 8
Nest swiftlet caves
In 2012, Hutan decided to guard only the four bigger caves in Pangi FR containing the largest breeding swiftlet
populations (33 caves in total, 13 only containing breeding swiftlet pairs, Figure 5). New guard posts were built.
Hutan hired 10 members of the Sukau community to guard the cave entrances from nest thieves and other
intruders. Throughout the year, the 10 Pangi staff spent their entire time in the forest, taking turns day and
night to patrol the Forest Reserve. No nest was harvested in 2012 to minimize the disturbance of the swiftlet
breeding pairs.
Figure 5. Breeding success in Pangi Caves. Allowing birds to reproduce before taking their nests results in
population recovery and potentially the development of a sustainable nest production industry to generates
enough income for communities to justify to investment in protective measures.
Monthly counts of nests were done in 13 caves and showed a maximum of 318 nests from April to June 2012
(Figure 6). This represents a 41% increase in the number of breeding pairs since 2011 (225 nests).
Figure 6. Total nest trends throughout the year, with a dip during the wet season when fewer nests are
produced.
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec

9. 9
Project Outcome 2. Levels of degradation and fragmentation of orang‐utan habitat are reduced by 50%
between 2010 and 2013 through improved land use management in human/orang‐utan conflict “hotspots”.
In Kinabatangan, forest loss and fragmentation is jeopardising biodiversity by adversely affecting species’
distribution and dispersal patterns, lowering genetic diversity, and threatening habitats and ecosystem
services. Planning for connectivity between forests blocks is now crucial to ensure the long‐term viability of the
Kinabatangan’s’ biodiversity. With the Kinabatangan Corridor Research Project, Hutan and its partners aim to
design a network of conservation corridors and conservation expansion areas within the Kinabatangan. It uses
a systematic conservation planning approach to identify high conservation value areas based on threatened
species, priority habitats and aboveground carbon stock.
Progress in 2012 included the incorporation of conservation opportunities and constraints into the planning
process. Land value information and agricultural productivity maps were thus integrated into the planning
assessment. Additionally, evaluations of implementation strategies are now being undertaken to secure
targeted lands for conservation, focusing on mechanisms such as carbon payments from Reduced Emissions
from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD), certified sustainable palm oil certification under the
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the combined alternative of these mechanism RT‐ REDD+. To
integrate these data a specialised area selection algorithm is being developed to select areas based on
conservation values and associated financial costs and benefits.
In June 2012, Hutan and “ConservationDrones.org” tested the use of drones to conduct aerial surveys of
orangutan nests over forest and oil palm plantations (Figure 7). These drones are low‐cost “unmanned aerial
vehicles” flying autonomously on pre‐programmed missions and recording highresolution videos and
photographs. The tests were successful in recording the presence of nests but the photographs/videos
recorded did not allow a more detailed estimation of densities.
Activity 2.a. Participate in forest rehabilitation programs in degraded orang‐utan habitat by reforestation of 1
ha
Since January 2008, Hutan has engaged in a long‐term project to rehabilitate crucial orangutan habitat in the
Lower Kinabatangan. The project aims at recreating a functional forest ecosystem along the Kinabatangan
River. By the end of 2012, Hutan’s reforestation team had planted a total of 19.6 ha (in 5 plots), and 9,670
trees (of 25 species) were alive by the end of 2012. The team maintains the reforestation plots (weeding) for
an average of 3 years after planting. A new 8 ha reforestation site has been identified and mapped, and will be
planted in 2013.
Figure 7. Demonstration of the use of a preprogrammed drone to closely monitor vegetation change, count
orangutan nests, and potentially detect illegal activities in Kinabatangan.

10. 10
Since 2008, Hutan supports the development of community tree nurseries as an alternative source of income
for village families. Fifteen families had their own home nursery set up in Sukau by 2012. More nurseries have
been established in the neighbouring villages of Abai, Bilit and Batu Putih. Hutan purchased a total of 2,500
seedlings from these home nurseries in 2012 for its forest restoration programmes for a total price of MYR
3,750 (ca. € 1,000). These figures are expected to increase in 2013 with the opening of new reforestation plots
in the Kinabatangan by various conservation programmes.
Since 2005, Hutan has worked with a community‐based organization—the “Nature Heritage Conservancy”
(NHC) ‐ to identify privately‐owned forested lands that are crucial in re‐connecting wildlife habitat fragments in
the Lower Kinabatangan region. International donors purchase these lands thus ensuring that they remain
under natural forest cover for perpetuity. In 2012, Hutan and NHC concluded the purchase of 3 parcels of key
forested land near Sukau covering a total of 14.9 ha with funds from the World Land Trust UK (WLT) and
Hutan. The total area of forests purchased through Hutan and NHC near Sukau since 2005 is now 97 ha. The
purchase of another 88.9 ha near Bilit was initiated in 2010. Hutan conduct monthly patrols of the purchased
parcels to ensure they are free from illegal activities.
Activity 2.b. Build 3 orangutan bridges across small rivers and tributaries to reconnect isolated subpopulations
of wildlife.
No particular activities were undertaken with regard to the existing orangutan bridges in this reporting period.
Activity 3. Reinforce the successful “Honorary Wildlife Warden” project that is being developed in the
Kinabatangan
2011 2012
2011 2012
Figure 8. Comparison of forest regrowth following reforestation efforts in the lower Kinabatangan area.

11. 11
Project Outcome 4. Illegal logging, poaching and other illicit activities in the LKWS as reported by the Wildlife
Wardens are reduced by at least 50% between 2010 and 2013.
Activity 4. Assist the Sabah Wildlife Department and other relevant agencies in law enforcement and
management activities with training, staff, equipment and funding through the Honorary Wildlife Warden
scheme:
Since 2005, Hutan has worked with the Sabah Wildlife Department on a model project where members of the
local community are directly involved in the management and protection of the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife
Sanctuary. The Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 allows the Sabah Wildlife Department to appoint
selected members of the public as “Honorary Wildlife Wardens” (HWW).
By the end of 2012, a total of 565 HWWs were appointed and trained by the Sabah Wildlife Department in
Sabah. Hutan now counts 16 members of the Kinabatangan community as HWW. The HWW are members of
the public working voluntarily to enforce the State wildlife law. In 2012, the head of Hutan’s HWW team was
re‐elected as a member of the Sabah Honorary Warden & Ranger Association’s steering committee.
In 2012, Hutan’s Honorary Wildlife Warden team conducted 335 patrols in and around the LWKS including 126
boat day patrols, 36 night boat patrols, 93 day car patrols and 80 night car patrols (Figure 9). The HWW also
performed roadblocks to detect and arrest illegal hunters and wildlife smugglers. These law enforcement
activities by Hutan’s HWW halted 11 cases of illegal activities (mostly poaching and illegal logging) in 2012.
In September 2012, Hutan conducted an aerial survey to assess orangutan presence in 20 forest “islands”
within oil palm plantations in the Kinabatangan region. This helicopter survey identified orangutan nests in 20
forest patches (or 75% of all forest patches surveyed). Also in 2012, a rescue operation was conducted for two
orangutans which had become stranded in a patch of forest being cleared in an oil palm plantation near Sukau.
The two orangutans were later translocated to the Lot 6 of the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.
Project Outcome 5. Local capabilities enhanced of at least 100 Malaysian conservation professionals
Activity 5.a. Develop a training platform in the Lower Kinabatangan for national and international conservation
professionals, staff of relevant government agencies, Malaysian students, project staff and local communities
(including the upgrading of the existing infrastructure)
Since the inception of the Kinabatangan Orang‐Utan Conservation Project, strong commitment has been
placed on training local staff to enhance their capacity in conducting conservation related work. In 2012, Hutan
Figure 9. Night (left) and river (right) patrols are conducted regularly in the lower Kinabatangan area.

12. 12
staff has attended a total of 24 training programme and courses, on topics including GIS, statistics, hornbill
identification and survey methods, environmental education techniques, video editing, tree climbing, tourist
guiding, etc.
In 2012, Hutan conducted 5 courses providing technical training to 113 Sabahan conservation professionals on
wildlife monitoring, law enforcement, environmental education, etc. In 2012, Hutan conducted 6 community
training programmes in Sabah involving 101 villagers. Starting in November 2012, five undergraduate students
from University Putra Malaysia (Bintulu Campus) have been conducting an internship with Hutan which will
continue until March 2013. A total of 60 international undergraduate and graduate students (from the US and
Australia) were also trained by Hutan and Red Ape Encounters in basic wildlife conservation and management.
In addition to the training courses described above, Hutan staff and directors have participated in more than
70 conferences, workshops and events in Malaysia and internationally in 2012.
In addition to this, a team of about 40 people accompanied the official visit to Kinabatangan by Tan Sri
Beranrd Dompok, the Federal Minister of Agriculture and Commodities and other VIPs from the Federal and
State government. This visit was the opportunity to discuss the environmental issues we face in Kinabatangan
(forest destruction and fragmentation; oil palm development; pollution; etc.).
Finally, the “Sabah Orangutan Conservation Dialogue 2012” was organized in Kota Kinabalu October 2012. For
two days, about 80 representatives from government, NGOs, industry and local communities debated and
decided how best implement the “Sabah Orangutan Action Plan” that was launched earlier this year. A major
achievement was the creation of the “Sabah Orangutan Conservation Alliance”.
Project Outcome 6. Level of environmental awareness raised among stakeholders, general public and school
children
Activity 6.a. Environmental education programmes for school children in Sabah through the HEAP program, with
the following specific interventions:
In 2003, Hutan created a special program to address the general lack of awareness on environmental
conservation issues in the Lower Kinabatangan. In 2007, this unit was named “Hutan Environmental and
Awareness Program” (HEAP) which subsequently extended its scope to schools and communities throughout
Sabah. HEAP’s main goal is to incorporate and support Hutan’s overall mission. HEAP’s activities, including
environmental education, community awareness programmes and capacity building, aim at strengthening the
impact and effectiveness of the other Hutan units.
In 2012, HEAP conducted a total of 47 environmental education programmes with 28 primary and secondary
schools in 4 districts of Sabah. Activities included presentations, exhibitions, puppet shows, drawing
competitions, quizzes, educational games, camping, jungle trekking, tree planting and boat safaris.
A total of 5,593 school children and 367 teachers participated in HEAP’s education programmes in 2012 (a near
100% increase compared to the 2,891 children and 179 teachers involved in 2011). In 2012, HEAP conducted
10 awareness programmes involving a total of about 300 community members from 9 villages in 2 districts in
Sabah. These programmes included village dialogues on environmental conservation issues, “Fishermen for
Conservation” workshops and the annual celebration of the World Environment Day in Sukau.
In November 2012, Hutan conducted an in‐depth interview survey on how local communities perceive the
values of forest and wildlife in 3 districts of Northwest Sabah. A total of 145 respondents from 15 villages were
interviewed during this 10‐day survey. The results will be used to design suitably targeted environmental
awareness programmes in these regions of Sabah.

13.
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14. 14
Les Echos N°21329 du 07 Décembre 2012
Page n° 9
VOYAGE
Bornéo, l'île au goût sauvage
36 heures de plus à Singapour
A deux heures d'avion de Singapour, Bornéo offre un contraste saisissant. Grands singes, oiseaux
inconnus, forêts profondes : un foisonnement de vie et de pure nature à savourer.
Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kota Kinabalu... Sur le panneau d'affichage de l'aéroport de
Changi ‐ l'un des plus beaux au monde ‐, ce dernier nom sonne à part au côté de ceux des
mégalopoles asiatiques de verre et d'acier. Qui en effet connaît « K.K. » (comme tout le monde
l'appelle ici), la modeste capitale de Bornéo, cette grande île à l'exotisme puissant, promesse
d'aventure, de sylve impraticable, de féroces collectionneurs de crânes (jadis) et d'inoubliables
orangs‐outans, au regard de vieux sages... Car c'est d'abord pour eux que l'on fait le voyage, ces
grands singes (les seuls d'Asie) au pelage roux qui n'existent plus qu'à Bornéo et Sumatra, 80 % de
leur habitat ayant été déboisé ces vingt dernières années...
Réveil de la forêt et des orangs‐outans
Cinq heures du matin, peu avant l'aube. Comme si une puissance occulte avait tourné un
interrupteur, d'un coup surgissent de la nuit noire les jacasseries des oiseaux, des cris de toutes
sortes, beaucoup de bruits inconnus... C'est l'instant magique du réveil de la forêt, la splendide
forêt de Bornéo, dont il ne reste hélas que des lambeaux (une très large partie du territoire étant

15. 15
désormais consacrée à la culture lucrative du palmier à huile). Pourtant, c'est sous ces frondaisons
denses, moutonnement continu de cimes dominé de loin en loin par quelques géants aux troncs
lisses et clairs, foisonnements d'épiphytes et de lianes, que se cachent une faune et une flore
ébouriffantes : immenses diptérocarpes touchant le ciel, orchidées sauvages par milliers, orangs‐
outans paisibles (11.000 dans l'Etat malais de Sabah où nous nous trouvons, 54.000 dans tout
Bornéo), nasiques irrésistibles (ces singes pourvus d'un gros nez plat et mou qui ont eu les
honneurs de Tintin dans « Vol 714 pour Sydney »), éléphants d'Asie, 34 espèces d'oiseaux dont huit
de calaos magnifiques... et aussi, pour être honnête, des serpents, des moustiques et des sangsues
en pagaille.
Ce matin‐là, le fleuve Kinabatangan charrie des eaux couleur havane. Le plus long fleuve de Sabah
(« la terre sous le vent »), reste la voie royale pour voir les animaux et débusquer les grands singes
dans leurs nids (l'orang‐outan en change tous les jours). Il est surtout l'endroit d'Asie du Sud‐Est où
la biodiversité est la plus riche, et où les petits carnivores sont les plus nombreux au monde. Hélas,
la providence ne nous aura pas conduits jusqu'à la merveilleuse panthère nébuleuse... Un poème à
elle toute seule.
C'est donc là, à Sukau, minuscule village posé au bord du fleuve, qu'est née voilà quinze ans Hutan,
une ONG française reconnue pour la qualité de ses travaux sur les primates. Récemment coupée
par un glissement de terrain, la route fait maints détours, contourne un café Internet, une école,
quelques Bed & Breakfast, et une petite mosquée, avant de conduire au siège de l'organisation
fondée par Isabelle Lackman, primatologue, et Marc Ancrenaz, vétérinaire. « En 1994, lorsque nous
sommes arrivés ici, il n'y avait personne. Nous nous intéressions déjà aux orangs‐outans et
souhaitions créer notre propre projet de recherche », explique Isabelle Lackman. Très vite, la petite
structure s'est développée. Aujourd'hui elle emploie 55 personnes quasiment toutes originaires de
Sukau. Outre la conservation des grands singes, Hutan a monté une unité qui replante des variétés
d'arbres appréciées par les orangs‐outans, une unité en charge des écoles et une troisième qui
protège les grottes de Gomantong où deux millions d'hirondelles ont établi leur colonie; elle
travaille enfin sur des recensements de la biodiversité à Sabah. Une émanation de Hutan (Red Ape
Encounters) accueille et guide 300 visiteurs par an; des privilégiés qui, au côté de ces spécialistes,
pourront au fil d'une croisière d'observation de la vie sauvage, rencontrer de paisibles groupes de
nasiques ou d'élégants langurs, approcher quantité d'oiseaux et papillons, et, enfin, s'enfoncer en
forêt pour s'approcher ‐ les jours de chance ‐ tout près de Juliana et sa petite Félicité dans leur nid,
et leurs congénères.
Pierres de Bézoard et brumes d'opale
Retour à K.K. Pour les antiques géographes grecs, arabes, chinois, et pendant des siècles encore
après eux, la grande île de Bornéo n'est qu'une rumeur de Pérou, un pays cousu d'or. Les premières
descriptions mentionnent encore les richesses de ses forêts, le camphre, la cire, l'encens, mais aussi
des produits très exotiques dont on n'a pas idée en Europe : les nids d'hirondelles, les cornes de
rhinocéros, les précieuses pierres de Bézoard aussi appelées « pierres de fiel » ou « perles
d'estomac » et que le dictionnaire de l'Académie française définissait en 1694 comme une « pierre
engendrée dans le corps d'un animal des Indes » et précisait qu'ils étaient « souverains contre les
venins ».
Accaparée par les marchands britanniques à la fin du XIXe siècle, K.K. devient l'un des fleurons de la
British Malaya. Aujourd'hui, n'escomptez pas retrouver l'atmosphère des romans malais de Joseph

16. 16
Conrad dans les rues de la ville, rasée à deux reprises par les Alliés pendant la Seconde Guerre
mondiale...
On ne manquera pas cependant de terminer cette escapade naturaliste par un séjour de détente
dans les îles du parc marin Tunku Abdul Rahman, à 30 minutes de bateau rapide de l'aéroport de
K.K. Un bel hôtel vient d'ouvrir sur celle de Gaya, petit frère du Pangkor Laut Resort au large de la
péninsule malaise, maintes fois primé. Tout juste terminé, Gaya Island Resort dispose de grandes
villas sur pilotis en bord de plage, de vastes chambres bien équipées, d'un vrai spa aux thérapeutes
remarquables, de deux restaurants, dont le très agréable Fisherman's Cove surplombant la mer. A
quelques encablures, Sapi Island offre ses eaux translucides, ses coraux et sa myriade de poissons
de toutes les couleurs. Centre de plongée sur place et possibilité d'excursions dans la forêt primaire
qui couvre l'île. Cette forêt luxuriante aux brumes d'opale où dorment encore nos rêves d'aventure.
Anne‐Marie Gélinet