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Flash floods at Sepilok

Torrential rain has hit Sepilok, causing flash flooding and leaving many areas underwater.

Following non-stop heavy rain for over 12 hours, water levels at Sepilok rose dramatically. Flooding has occurred in many areas, including the jungle gym nursery.

Thankfully, the orangutans at the centre are safe, and there is currently no immediate concern for their well-being. However, flooding brings potential risks to both the orangutans and our staff, including the spread of disease through contaminated water.

Sepilok entrance flooded

In the wild, orangutans spend nearly all their time in the trees and will walk on the ground when they can’t get to where they need to be by moving through the canopy.

For the orangutans in rehabilitation programme at Sepilok, the recent floods meant their daily jungle training sessions had to be suspended, with staff unable to access many areas of the forest.

Indoor nursery flooded

The floods also highlight a broader issue of climate change, which threatens the critically endangered species.

Storms are often accompanied by powerful winds that can topple trees and heavy rainfall, leading to floods which can spread disease into rainforest areas, further harming areas of orangutan habitat.

In the past, the rainforests have suffered higher temperatures and more extreme dry conditions enabling fires to spread more easily.

Climate change intensifies these extreme weather events like storms and forest fires. By altering their habitats and access to food sources, it makes it even harder for orangutans to survive in the wild.

flooded walkways in the rainforest at Sepilok
flooded feeding platforms in the rainforest at Sepilok
flooded walkways in the rainforest at Sepilok

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