Seeing the “Big 5” in Borneo, let alone photographing them, can be a challenging task; it’s about being in the right place at exactly the right time. Many travelers leave Borneo having seen only two or three, but I was fortunate enough to photograph all five. This post is an insight into how I was able to see each of these incredible animals.
The Orangutan (Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre)
The journey for the first of the Big 5 began in Sepilok. The animal I was most excited about seeing was the orangutan. Known as the “Man of the Forest,” seeing an orangutan in the wild is high on every tourist’s Bornean experience. Borneo is one of only two places in the world where you can see wild orangutans. The rehabilitation efforts in this area provide a sanctuary where they come and go as they please; it was here that I had my first sightings. It was amazing to witness their human-like expressions and agile movements.
The Proboscis Monkey (Labuk Bay)
The second animal on my list was the Proboscis Monkey, famous for its distinctive nose. They are endemic to Borneo, so they can be found nowhere else in the world. To see them, I visited Labuk Bay. This area is surrounded by palm plantations, but a small segment of forest has been preserved to support the local troop.
Because of the limited forest remaining due to deforestation, the center provides supplementary food on feeding platforms four times a day. This offered a unique opportunity to get up close and photograph these endemic monkeys as they emerged from the trees to feed.
I also saw Proboscis monkeys several times along the Kinabatangan River during my afternoon river cruises, allowing me to get some nice environmental shots of them in the trees where they tend to sleep at night in high trees close to the river.
The Saltwater Crocodile (Kinabatangan River)
Moving to the Kinabatangan River, the third species, the Saltwater Crocodile, became the animal I spotted most frequently out of the Big 5. These silent predators are masters of camouflage, often found perfectly still along the muddy edges of the riverbank. During my river cruises, I was able to see quite a few of them at the water’s edge, allowing for high-detail shots as they didn’t seem to mind us slowly approaching via the boat.
It was mind-blowing to see locals fishing on the edge of the riverbank in such close proximity to where a saltwater crocodile might be; the guide mentioned 40 people a year are killed by the crocodiles.
The Rhinoceros Hornbill (Kinabatangan River & Rainforest Discovery Centre)
The fourth animal was the Rhinoceros Hornbill. One thing I learned while photographing them along the Kinabatangan is that they mate for life.
When you spot one Rhinoceros Hornbill, you should immediately start looking for the second. Unless one is nesting, they are almost always together. This meant that once I locked focus on one bird, I could often wait for the second to fly into frame, capturing them as they jumped through the trees.
I also saw the Rhinoceros Hornbill at the Rainforest Discovery Centre from the dedicated Hornbill Tower. It is the tallest tower in the center and provides a bird’s-eye view of the rainforest.
The Pygmy Elephant (Kinabatangan River)
The fifth and final animal is the most elusive: the Bornean Pygmy Elephant. Their numbers are critically low, and they travel in massive herds, making them incredibly difficult to pin down.
Capturing them required an early start; we were on the boat by 6:00 AM. The early cruise starts paid off at 6:45 AM when we caught a herd crossing the river to reach a new part of the forest for the day. Seeing these endangered Pygmy elephants swim across the water in the early morning light was the perfect conclusion to my Big 5 mission. These are the smallest of the elephant species and are endemic to Borneo.
Reflection
Completing the Big 5 is an experience that will stay with me forever. From the feeding platforms of Labuk Bay to the 6:00 AM river cruises on the Kinabatangan, photographing these beautiful animals in the wild was a privilege.
What was incredibly alarming about Borneo is the massive amount of deforestation happening, with the forest being replaced by palm oil trees. It was really sad to see the impact we are having on the wildlife. This will forever be my life mission: having a space on the internet to protect their legacy, create a voice for the animals, and share the importance of our wildlife.
