Inspiring Young Minds Through Environmental Education
We were honoured to engage with the bright students of Cahaya Society in Sandakan—an alternative school dedicated to providing education for stateless children—through their Cahaya Bumi programme. This meaningful session brought the wonders of the rainforest into the classroom, focusing on environmental awareness and wildlife conservation.
Our heartfelt thanks to our esteemed partners from the Rainforest Discovery Centre (Sabah Forestry Department), Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (Sabah Wildlife Department), and Orangutan Appeal UK for joining us in this initiative.
Together, we sparked curiosity, shared knowledge, and planted the seeds of conservation in the hearts of future changemakers.
Day 2: Pre-ISBD at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park
What a memorable day!
We kicked off bright and early, with the team, exhibitors, and vendors setting up for a full day dedicated to celebrating sun bears and conservation.
A major highlight of the morning was the soft launching of Lak Kawi Wildlife Park's brand new Sun Bear Exhibit, officiated by Tuan Mohd Suffian bin Abu Bakar, Director of Sabah Wildlife Department, accompanied by Puan Maryati Abdullah Lakim, Curator of Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, Dr. Wong Siew Te, BSBCC's CEO & Founder, and Mr. Simon Marsh, Director of Orangutan Wild Welfare.
At the same time, the park buzzed with activities - the colouring contest at Elephant Pavilion and the scavenger hunt around LKWP showed the creativity and adventurous spirit or our young participants. At 10am, Universiti Malaysia Sabah from Faculty of Tropical Forestry, got hands-on with the sun bear enrichment making activity, crafting enrichment items to keep our sun bears active, curious, and happy.
Later, we all gathered at the Amphitheatre for the winner announcement of colouring contests, scavenger hunt, and sun bear comic competition. With lots of smiles and happy memories, we officially wrapped up the event.
A huge THANK YOU to everyone - participants, guests, volunteers, and partners - for making today such a success.
Day 1: Pre-ISBD at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park
Today, Lok Kawi Wildlife Park came alive excitedly as we kicked off the Pre-International Sun Bear Day & Earth Day 2025 celebration! Visitors of all ages enjoyed a day full of vibrant activities, educational booths, and hands-on fun — all while learning more about the importance of protecting our amazing wildlife, especially the adorable sun bears!
Highlights from Day 1 included:
- Creative masterpieces from our Colouring Contest
- Adventurous moments during the Scavenger Hunt
- Sun Bear Enrichment Making, where participants crafted items to engage and enrich the lives of our resident bears
- Informative exhibitions about Sun Bears and conservation efforts
- Special appearances by our friendly mascots, delighting both kids and adults!
A huge thank you to everyone who came and made today so memorable! Missed out today? No worries — the fun continues tomorrow! Bring your family and friends for even more unforgettable experiences.
See you tomorrow at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park!
Official Visit from the Australian High Commission in Malaysia
We were honoured to welcome an official delegation led by Her Excellency Danielle Heinecke – Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia – to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC), accompanied by YB Puan Vivian Wong Shir Yee.
The delegation included: Lieutenant General Simon Stuart AO, DSC – Chief of Army, Colonel Corey Shillabeer, CSC – Defence Advisor to Malaysia, Warrant Officer Kim Felmingham, NSC, OAM – Regimental Sergeant Major – Army, Warrant Officer Kim Felmingham, NSC, OAM - Regimental Sergeant Major – Army, Captain Julian Brunero - ADC to Chief of Army, Jessica Baigent – First Secretary Defence, Angela Rendall – First Secretary DFAT, Warrant Officer Class Two David McNamara – Defence Section Malaysia.
Dr Wong Siew Te, CEO and Founder of BSBCC, led the guided tour and shared the centre’s ongoing efforts in sun bear conservation, raising public awareness about wildlife, and emphasizing the importance of protecting our natural environment.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Australian High Commission in Malaysia for their support and funding towards our environmental education programmes, staff training, and capacity-building initiatives. Your partnership plays a vital role in our mission to protect sun bears.
FMU10 Community Kg. Kaingaran Programme
On 16th March 2025, BSBCC had the pleasure of joining a local community programme at Kampung Kaingaran, Tambunan, Sabah, organized by the Sabah Forestry Department.
Together with our partners — the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (SOURC) and Orangutan Appeal UK (OAUK) — we set up interactive exhibition booths to engage with over 50 participants from the local community.
The event focused on raising awareness about the importance of forest conservation, and how protecting our natural environment benefits not just wildlife, but also the livelihoods and well-being of local communities.
Thank you to everyone who took part and made this programme a success!
Together, we can make a difference.
From Learning to Caring: My Internship at BSBCC
It all begins with an idea.
Text by Ahmad Zaim Umar (UPM Intern)
Last February, I started my internship at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) as part of my semester course. To be honest, I initially chose BSBCC because a friend suggested it, and I thought a conservation centre would be an interesting place to learn more about wildlife. But the more time I spend here, the more I began to realize the deeper purpose behind it all.
Many people don’t know why saving sun bears matters, and I’ll admit I didn’t fully understand it either at first. But being here, seeing the work that goes into caring for these bears, and learning about the challenges they face really opened my eyes. Conservation isn’t easy, it takes effort from all sides, including the community. The way BSBCC manages both the welfare and conservation of these bears is incredible, and I have so much respect for the team behind it.
During my internship, I got to do so many hands-on tasks such as cleaning bear enclosures, doing fecal checks, inspecting the fences, preparing kilograms of food, administering medication, and setting up daily enrichment activities. Each of these responsibilities serves a critical purpose in maintaining the health and happiness of the bears, and I found myself developing a deep appreciation for the intricate work that goes into their care.
One of my favorite moments was working on my own enrichment project. I created the "Tropic Throne", a cozy resting area filled with leaves to mimic a natural forest setting. I gave it to Chin because I knew she loves leaves, especially ginger leaves. Seeing her explore and enjoy it was truly rewarding and reminded me why every small effort in conservation makes a difference.
Beyond the work itself, what made this internship so memorable was the incredible people at BSBCC. I am deeply grateful to the staff, especially the Bear Care Team, whose passion and dedication were evident in everything they did. They didn’t just teach us the tasks, they shared their knowledge, their experiences, and their love for these bears. The buddy system also helped a lot, making sure that no one ever felt left out. A special shoutout to my buddy, Oliver, who was always there to guide me and make the learning process even more enjoyable.
Looking back, I feel so grateful for this opportunity. This internship wasn’t just about gaining experience but it gave me a new perspective on conservation and the effort it takes to protect wildlife.
Few secret ingredients for Chin
Bornean Sun Bear Eye Care 2.0
It all begins with an idea.
Building on the success of last year’s cataract surgeries on four sun bears, our team recently conducted eye assessments on another seven older bears. The evaluations revealed that most of them showed signs of nuclear sclerosis—an age-related change in the lens—while some were diagnosed with cataracts. Left untreated, cataracts can lead to serious complications, including pain and blindness.
This important work was made possible through our collaboration with Dr. Nadzariah Cheng, a veterinary ophthalmologist from Animed Veterinary Clinic and the ophthalmology team from Hospital Duchess of Kent, Sandakan. We are also deeply grateful to TransAid Solutions (TransAid Solutions Sdn Bhd) for providing us with an ultrasound machine and patient monitor to support the procedures.
This marks another significant milestone in BSBCC’s ongoing commitment to the healthcare of aging sun bears. We believe in early intervention—because preventing disease is always better than treating it. By addressing cataracts early, we aim to protect the well-being and quality of life of these remarkable animals.
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Visit
It all begins with an idea.
We were honored to welcome YBhg. Dato' Shaharuddin bin Abu Sohot from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) for a meaningful work visit to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC), focusing on projects under the Program Pemeliharaan, Pemuliharaan, Ubah Suai dan Naiktaraf (PPUN) (Preservation, Conservation, Modification, and Upgrading Programme).
Also present was Mary Isidore Malangking, Deputy Permanent Secretary I (Tourism and Environment) of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Sabah. Their dedication to preserving and enhancing our cultural and environmental heritage is truly inspiring. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of these efforts on the community and future generations.
