School Talk Sparked The Bear Adventure
Text by Seah Yi Thoeng
Haloooo! I’m Yi Thoeng. This journey didn’t start the day I stepped into BSBCC, it truly began a year ago when Dr. Wong visited my school. His stories about rescued bears, rehabilitation, and conservation opened my eyes and stirred something in me. That talk didn’t just teach me, it inspired me to take action — to be part of something real, something meaningful. I’ve loved animals since I was a kid, so the idea of working with them felt like a dream waiting for the right moment. When the opportunity to volunteer finally came, I knew I had to take it. It was a chance to get closer to and understand these adorable creatures, the SUN BEARS. I was so excited to meet the world’s smallest bear with my own eyes. That’s how I found myself here today, volunteering at BSBCC
To be honest, my volunteer journey at BSBCC turned out very different from what I expected. I thought it would be tough and challenging, but surprisingly, it became a fun and relaxing experience. It was physically demanding, of course but somehow, I managed to cope with everything we had to do. Maybe that’s what made the whole experience even more meaningful. When I first arrived, the bear houses were filled with sun bears, and I remember feeling a little overwhelmed. They all looked the same to me at first glance, and I struggled to tell them apart. But as the days passed, I began to recognize familiar faces and unique chest marks. It wasn’t easy, but that’s when I realized how truly special each bear is in their own way. All of them had something that made them unforgettable but one bear, BJ, completely stole my heart.
BJ had a name that stood out from the rest. It was the first one I remembered, probably because it sounded a bit like my own nickname, YT. He’s smaller than most of the other bears, but to me, he’s the cutest sun bear I’ve ever met. I decided to make an enrichment just for him, with help from my buddy, Izlan. While I prepared the fruits for the Aussie Ball, Izlan helped me hang the hammock. We also gathered a big tree branch that had fallen inside the jungle, along with some dried leaves, to set up BJ’s cage. Watching BJ play with the Aussie Ball and then lie down to enjoy his treats was such a heart-melting moment. I truly hope the enrichment we made brought him comfort.
One of my favorite activities was feeding time. Walking from one pen to another to give the sun bears their food was always so much fun. They looked incredibly cute while eating. Sometimes the cheeky monkeys would show up and try to steal their food, poor sun bears! But honestly, they seemed pretty unfazed by the monkeys’ presence. In the wild, monkeys and sun bears often share the same forest space. The monkeys are quick, curious, and always looking for easy snacks, while sun bears are calm and usually don’t bother chasing them away. It’s a funny relationship almost like the monkeys treat the sun bears as neighbours with good food, and the bears just tolerate their antics. Overall, it was such a wonderful and meaningful volunteer experience at BSBCC. Thank you to Dr. Wong, Izlan, and all the staff who made this journey so memorable. I really cherish every moment, and I hope I’ll be back one day!
A comfort home for BJ. I wanted to build something that could bring comfort to BJ. A place for him to rest, play, and feel secure. Little by little, with inspiration from everything I’ve learned, the idea grew into a hammock. Nothing fancy, just something made with care, patience, and a lot of knots. Couldn’t have finished the hammock without my buddy Izlan, thanks for the help!
Before I let the bears have it, I tried sitting on it myself. I wanted to feel what they would feel, to know if it was strong enough, if it held well, if it felt right. It might sound funny, but that small moment mattered to me. Only after I tested it and felt confident did I step back and finally let them explore it on their own.
From the first rope to the final knot, it took me several days to finish this hammock. I imagine BJ exploring it, climbing, lounging, and having fun!
I never went feeding with empty hands.. my bucket in one hand, my camera in the other. While we moved from pen to pen, I’d sneak little moments to capture the bears enjoying their food. Their crunching, their focus, their happy little faces… feeding time isn’t just routine, it’s full of tiny sweet moments worth remembering. And I’m glad I got to freeze some of them through my lens. There she was Romolina with her banana, tucked away from prying eyes. She tried to hide it from me, but her tiny back told the whole story.
Not every day is about food or play. Sometimes, it’s about just sitting back, relaxing, and enjoying the world, like Joe here, soaking up a quiet moment with no worries at all.
Here’s Bintang, standing tall as she inspects every single piece of her food, making sure she doesn’t leave a thing behind. Nothing escapes her careful watch!
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Visit
The second visit of today was from Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES). The delegates were personally guided by Dr. Wong himself. Although it was already late in the afternoon, they were lucky to see Romolina on the tree.
A hectic day for us today, thank you very much for the visit!
Lions Club International Visit
The first visit today was from Lions Club International from different chapters in Sabah as a part of the Inter-Zone Region 6 & 7 Zone 18 & 19 Environmental Service Project. Headed by Dato Winnie Lee as the guest of honour, the group was personally guided by Dr. Wong, who took them group to the observation platforms watching the sun bears in the natural forest enclosure. In the end of the visit, the Lions Club adopted all our 7 Share Bears as a sign of their supports to BSBCC’s cause. Thank you very much Lions Club International!
Co-Curriculum Festival at SK. Litang, Kinabatangan
On the 22nd November 2025, we were invited to participate in the Co-Curriculum Festival held by SK Litang, Kinabatangan. SK Litang used to be one of the schools we reached in 2023; we held a good relationship, and this time, they invited us, along with HUTAN, another NGO from Sukau, Kinabatangan, to set up a booth to liven up the festival. The event was attended by some other schools in the area, such as SK Ladang Tomanggong, SK Jeroco, and SK Tidong. It was a good opportunity to have our booth set up here, as we were able to not only engage the host, SK Litang, but also the other schools and the local community members attending the event. Thank you very much, SK Litang, for the invitation.
SK Kampung Suan Lamba Visit
A big thank-you to SK Kampung Suan Lamba for spending the day with us!
It was a pleasure to share information about sun bears and other wildlife with all of you. We hope the experience was both educational and memorable for everyone.
Bears, Bonds, and Beautiful Memories
Text by Toh Lei Jing
Hi! I'm Lei Jing, I have just completed my STPM and am currently waiting for my results. My friends, Yi Thoeng and Jocyn, and I first heard about this volunteering program from our alumni, Dr. Wong, when he gave a talk at our school. We were thrilled because we’ve always loved animals, so we decided to spend two weeks of our long holiday at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC).
Those two weeks at BSBCC were packed with learning, hard work, and unforgettable moments. The tasks could be physically demanding, but the excitement of working with the bears made the tiredness fade away. Each day in the bear house came with a variety of duties such as cleaning cages, chopping mountains of fruit, crafting enrichment items, feeding the bears, inspecting fences, carrying out faecal checks, or even cleaning the drain underneath the bear house. We even get to make our own enrichment for our favourite bear (Mine is Kina)! The staff were warm, approachable, and always eager to share their knowledge. I especially enjoyed the moments when they introduced the bears to us, telling each one’s unique story as we worked alongside them. They were also always ready to lend a hand whenever we needed help.
Right after finishing enrichment work, we’d head straight into the forest, searching for wild bear foods, collecting “Tarzan ropes” for the bears’ enrichment, or even trekking 2.5 km to a hidden waterfall deep in the jungle. Sometimes, we got lucky with a Q&A session with Dr. Wong himself, where he shared inspiring stories about his journey and the bears’ lives. My buddy, Effendy, also turned every outing into a mini survival class teaching me how to navigate the forest and recognize edible plants. Along the way, we met a few unexpected forest friends too: a curious snake, a woodpecker, and even a majestic hornbill soaring above.
This experience will forever be etched in my memory not just for me, but for my friends as well. The bonds we built, the lessons we learned, and the joy of working with the bears made these two weeks truly special. I can’t wait for the day I step back into BSBCC and see those bears again!
We never expected that helping bears would lead us to the drain under the bear house. It wasn’t easy.. mud, smell, sweat and all but knowing this small effort creates a cleaner, safer home for the bears made every moment worth it. Caring for wildlife means showing up for the parts no one sees, and I’m proud to have been able to do this.
Introducing our handmade creation: the Skibidi Chill enrichment for Kina! Seeing her figure out every hidden treat and enjoy the challenge made my whole day. It’s amazing how something simple can bring so much joy to a bear.
Out in the forest, searching for wild fruits and enrichment materials. Every step reminding us how much the bears depend on the richness of their natural home. Moments like this make the work feel so real and so rewarding.
Today’s menu: fruits, starchy, and lots of excitement!
WARN Asia Conference 2025
From 10–12th November, BSBCC participated in the WARN Asia Conference (WARN ASIA) hosted by Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT). This year’s theme, ‘To Protect and Manage Wildlife,’ gathered nearly 100 participants from 20 countries and 47 organizations, along with invited guests, all united by the goal of strengthening regional collaboration in wildlife rescue and conservation.
Dr. Wong Siew Te delivered an eye-opening presentation entitled ‘To Protect and Manage Wildlife Is to Improve People’s Livelihood: The Nature-Based Tourism Helping Wildlife Conservation in Sabah,’ highlighting how empowering communities can directly support wildlife protection.
We also shared the journey of our soft release project for sun bear cubs, Tenom and Pitang from early rehabilitation to learning essential forest skills presented by our Bear Care Officer, Ms. Jacquelyn Jepiuh.
Adding to the knowledge exchange, our researcher Laura presented her study on the predictors of rehabilitation progress in sun bears at BSBCC, contributing important insights for future conservation work.
A truly meaningful conference that fostered connection, shared learning, and strengthened our collective mission for wildlife welfare across Asia.
We are also excited to share that next year’s WARN Asia Conference will be held in Sandakan, Sabah, and will be co-organized by BSBCC and the Sabah Wildlife Department. We look forward to welcoming everyone to our home and continuing this impactful journey together.
November Goes Green” campaign, themed “Paws, Wings & Fins at Kota Kinabalu Court Complex
We are truly honoured to be part of the “November Goes Green” campaign, themed “Paws, Wings & Fins”, organised by the Kota Kinabalu Court Working Group on Environment (KKCWGE) at the Kota Kinabalu Court Complex.
In this event, Puan Risnayati, our Environmental Education Officer, delivered a talk highlighting our continuous efforts to conserve the world’s smallest bear — the sun bear!
Also joining this meaningful event were the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, Borneo Marine Research Institute UMS, and Sabah Wetlands Bird Sanctuary.
Together, we stand united in saying NO to illegal animal products and YES to protecting our wildlife!
SK St. James, Apin-Apin Visit
We received a visit from SK St. James, Apin-Apin, Keningau, to our Centre. A total of 39 Primary 6 students and 14 teachers and staff travelled all the way from Keningau for a learning trip to Sepilok. The group visited the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC), and the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (SORC) to learn about nature and wildlife conservation.
They were brought to the viewing platforms to see the sun bears, including Joe, Romolina, Noah, Nano, and Fulung, in their enclosures. The students were very enthusiastic and engaged, and we hope this is a positive sign of a brighter future for our wildlife and natural environment.
