People gather for the ground-breaking ceremony in Borneo.
On July 17, the efforts to save the Bornean sun bear made a giant leap as plans to build the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre broke ground in Sepilok. The Centre will be built in three phases - the first being completed in 6 months and the other two will be built as the necessary funds are attained.
The ceremony was led by state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun. The Centre’s Director Cynthia Ong said that, upon completion, the Centre will be able to house 43 sun bears at one time and that part of the Centre is actually in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. This allows the sun bears to live in their natural environment while at the Centre.
The Conservation Centre will also have a visitor center, a gallery for exhibits and a natural walkway. Funding for the first phase of the project came from private investors and government agencies.
Construction has already begun as the floor level of the “bear house” is completed. The Centre is hoping to have a roof on the house soon. The hanging wall is also done, and the only thing now is waiting for plant life to take hold on the wall to give it a more natural feel for the bears.
This is a huge help to the sun bear population and our featured sun bear researcher in BEARTREK, Siew Te Wong.
For more on the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre and Wong’s work, visit Wildlife Direct.
Jordan Green