while everyone is familiar with the orangutan and the problems lint, cute faces orange monkey, a thought for the humblest Malayan Sun Bear, also known as the Honey Bear. There are not so long, they were widespread throughout Indonesia, but today they are only found in Kalimantan and Sumatra. The jungles where they once roamed are slaughtered as companies seek profit from palm oil, as well as loss of habitat, bears are in danger of being "collected" or taken by people to meet for the animal or the medicinal trade.
bear's gall bladder is prized for its perceived health attributes, while its teeth and claws are apparently in demand as souvenirs. And in parts of Kalimantan, it was reported that the sun bear is consumed by indigenous populations while others would be kept as pets because they are considered "cute".
With the exception of the man with his saws, guns and cages, the sun bear has very few natural predators, but there have been cases where a reticulated python swallowed a whole.
The idea of animal conservation seems a long way down the list of things to do for many people in this region. Economic growth in East Kalimantan, with its abundance of natural resources, has yet to filter down to all sectors of society, and for many the glitz and glamor of the "wealth" are, but a dream. A bit like those television programs where dealers buy cars to strip down to their parts, a sun bear has an economic value over maybe a whole.
In order to raise awareness of the sun bear which was named the mascot of Balikpapan (capital of East Kalimantan) in 2002, a bear center sun has been developed by private donors, wildlife experts and local government some 23 kilometers north of the city on the road to Samarinda.
The chamber is now home to seven bears, each of which undoubtedly has its own poignant story to tell, having first been removed from the wild and the young kept as pets before being forcibly taken from their owners and reinstalled. The area is enough for the animals to move around and, especially for the bear is considered a great solitary animal, there is enough room for them to find their own space and have a time precious .
An important part of the center is the role of education and local schools are encouraged to bring their students to visit and learn more bears on the sun, witnesses in a more natural environment. An exhibition explains the characteristics of the animal and shows students how radio waves follow them in nature; a useful tool in conservation.
While the text is fine, the kids love seeing animals and an elevated walkway around the enclosure allows them the opportunity to see the sun bears do what comes naturally which is usually the round walking with very little or do their best to hide in the woods!
However, public feedings in the morning and early afternoon will allow visitors a better opportunity to see them up close and take those precious photos. To make it more fun for visitors, and more natural for bears, food is hidden near the bridge so they have to dig around for lunch - they can not have it handed on a plate [19459028!]
I headed to Samarinda, so I decided to break my journey to the center. The road north of Balikpapan was slow going; the road was narrow in many areas and there were lots of industrial traffic. And for those waiting to see an endless panorama of tropical forest along the way? Prepare to be disappointed.
The beautifully landscaped center also has a pair of laminae, long open-framed houses, large spacious facilities that act as an exhibition center or can be rented for corporate events. There are also a large number of cats that roam the center, which are available for adoption and are not affected as a future buffet sun bears!
For those who are generally sensitive or do not want to visit destinations animal centered, Bear Conservation Centre and Sun Education shows how animals can provide useful information to visitors . And it certainly offers a different experience from that of a crocodile farm which is located northeast of Balikpapan, where visitors can sample crocodile on a stick
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I hired a taxi for the day to get to and from Samarinda, which cost Rp.600,000. It is much cheaper public transport, but takes much longer, is to change angkot and a walk of a kilometer or more from the main road to the center.
Facilities
It is free to enter, but they welcome donations, of course. Some basic snacks are available and there is a souvenir stand.
For more information and how to help:
http://www.beruangmadu.org
http: //www.freethebears. org.au