Annual report on Sarawak.

Date:
[1959]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on Sarawak. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    225/282 (page 191)
    Some of the more interesting forms include: (i) Mammals The most famous of Borneo animals is the “orang-utan” or maias, one of the very few close cousins of homo sapiens. It is found only in Borneo and a small part of Sumatra. Despite constant persecution and inadequate protection, there are still maias in Sarawak, Indonesian Borneo and North Borneo. This charming, amiable, chestnut-furred animal, desired by zoos all over the world, can still be seen, shambling from tree to tree, inland in the First and Second Divisions. Another of the five ^reat apes also occurs in Borneo, the gibbon or wak-wak, probably :he most graceful of all arboreal animals. A favourite pet, it is n captivity very susceptible to pneumonic diseases. The Sarawak Government is concerned at the smuggling of )rang-utans across the border, where protection is less adequate. \ number of babies—only to be obtained by assassinating the nother—were taken over by confiscation or prosecution during he year. The Game Warden normally passes these to the Jarawak Museum for special care in upbringing. When they are )ld and strong enough, the youngsters are then sent to approved ;oos, unless it should prove possible to let them return to the vild (which is seldom the case). More orang-utans continued to be cared for by the Curator uring the year. Whenever large and strong enough they were assed on to accredited zoos, thus: . “Bill”, male Received in June 1958, then 12 lbs. and c.12 months old, from Lundu area. Sent to ANTWERP ZOO, by air, on 26/4/59 at the age of c.22 months, weight 29 lbs. He is doing well at Antwerp. . “Frank”, male Received in October 1958, then iglbs. and c.12 months old, supposed to have come from Indonesia, Kampong Babang. Lundu area. In care all through the year. Weighs 32 lbs. 1/1/60, and is c.26 months old, very healthy; lives with No. 3 below. “Nigel”, male Received in November 1958, then 22 lbs. (the largest ever received and in good health on arrival through c/o Forest Department ? from Rejang area) c.20 months old.