SMK Kundasang Visit

We were happy to welcome the students and teachers from SMK Kundasang to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre today!

During their visit, they had the opportunity to see our sun bears roaming and exploring their forest enclosure, while learning more about the importance of protecting our forests and wildlife.

We hope everyone enjoyed the visit and took home some new knowledge and memorable experiences, and spread the word about sun bear conservation!

Visit from the Special Select Committee on Environment, Science and Plantation of the Dewan Rakyat, 15th Parliament of Malaysia

This morning at 10:30 AM, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) welcomed a working visit by the Special Select Committee on Environment, Science and Plantation of the Dewan Rakyat, 15th Parliament of Malaysia.

The delegation was guided by Dr Wong Siew Te, Founder and CEO of BSBCC, who shared insights into sun bear conservation and the Centre’s ongoing efforts to protect Sabah’s wildlife.

We are honoured to welcome the Committee and appreciate their interest in learning more about sun bear conservation and the challenges facing wildlife in Sabah.

Thank you for visiting BSBCC and for your support towards wildlife conservation!

Jelajah Sawit Hijau Edisi Sabah

BSBCC participated in Jelajah Sawit Hijau – Sabah Edition held at Suria Sabah Shopping Mall on the 20th September 2026. With the theme “Green Conservation, the Key to Sustainable Palm Oil, this event demonstrated the progress of the conservation that can move parallel to economic development driven by the palm oil industry.

Together with BSBCC were Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO), Sabah Wildlife Department, and Sabah Softwoods Berhad. A variety of activities were carried out involving around 100 children, and including AI photo booth, talks, the Seremban Sawit competition, lucky draws, public quiz and other activities.

The event also added with the presence of three local Sabahan personalities, Daphne Iking, Wani Kayrie and Atu Zero. Thank you for inviting us MPOGCF.

Thank you, Hilde, for becoming part of Sandokan’s journey.

We are truly grateful to Hilde Kaemingk for adopting Sandokan for one year through our My Bear Adoption Programme. Your generous support helps us continue providing rescued sun bears with the care, food, enrichment, and veterinary attention they need.

On 21 April 2026, Sandokan arrived at BSBCC, becoming our 74th rescued sun bear. This young female cub was found by villagers in Kampung Bariawa Laut, Keningau, climbing a coconut tree with no sign of her mother nearby. Concerned for her safety, the villagers contacted the authorities, allowing the Sabah Wildlife Department to safely transfer her to BSBCC.

Estimated to be around seven months old and weighing 6.5 kg upon arrival, Sandokan was slightly underweight but had a healthy appetite and was otherwise in good condition. Since her arrival, she has been given the care and time she needs to grow, explore, and develop naturally.

Thank you, Hilde, for becoming part of Sandokan’s journey. Your adoption is a meaningful contribution towards giving rescued sun bears like Sandokan a safe and brighter future.

Together, we can save the sun bear.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭

Happy Rescue Anniversary, Fulung!

Born in 2010, Fulung was rescued as a male sun bear cub. Now 16 years old, he has spent almost his entire life at BSBCC. Over the years, the frightened little cub who once needed constant reassurance has grown into a confident bear who loves exploring the forest, sitting among the trees in the rain and, above all, taking every opportunity to enjoy a good coconut.

When Fulung first arrived, he was malnourished and underweight for his age. He also had a noticeable patch of scar tissue on his forehead from repeatedly rubbing against the bamboo and wooden cage where he had been kept.

His first few days were not easy. In his completely new surroundings, Fulung showed signs of stress, nervousness and fear. Whenever we were around, he would gradually calm down as we played with him and reassured him. But when we were out of sight, he would cry out and roar loudly, seemingly looking for someone to come back and keep him company.

So, whenever we could, we stayed by his side, played with him and gave him the attention he needed as he slowly learned to feel safe in his new surroundings.

It did not take long, however, for Fulung to discover something he truly loved about his new home ; the forest.

He quickly became a bear who loved being outside. He would spend hours exploring his forest enclosure, climbing trees and taking in everything around him. Rainy days seemed to be among his favourites. Fulung would sit comfortably up in the trees, looking towards the sky as the raindrops fell onto his face.

After a few hours of exploring, he would usually make his way back to the Bear House.

But guess who suddenly had no interest in coming back when there were coconuts involved?

FULUNGGGGG!

Once he discovered coconuts waiting outside, all thoughts of coming home seemed to disappear. He would happily extend his forest adventures, sometimes even spending the night outside and helping himself to his friends’ coconuts. Apparently, when coconuts are involved, the Bear House can wait.

And this year, Fulung reminded us of that once again.

By the time we were ready to celebrate his rescue anniversary with a special cake, there was just one small problem — Fulung was nowhere to be found. We had completely forgotten that it was coconut day! While we stood by with his carefully prepared cake, Fulung was happily enjoying his coconut feast outside, with absolutely no urgency to return.

So, we waited.

Because apparently, on Fulung’s rescue anniversary, coconut comes before cake.

Eventually, after enjoying his fill, Fulung decided it was finally time to come home and make an appearance at his own celebration. And honestly, after all these years, we probably should have known better.

From a frightened little cub who once needed someone nearby to help him feel safe, Fulung has grown into a confident 16-year-old bear with a big personality, a deep love for the forest, and, of course, a very serious appreciation for coconuts.

Happy Rescue Anniversary, Fulung.

Sixteen years later, some things have changed — but Fulung’s love for the forest, rain and especially coconuts clearly has not.

A little late to his own party, but at least he came prepared to pose.

That look when you’re checking whether your cake has any coconut in it.

Still looking at us like… “So, where’s my coconut?”

A very thorough inspection was clearly needed to check if his cake came with any extra coconut.

Take a moment, Fulung… make a wish. Although, judging by that look, we have a feeling we already know what he wished for — more coconuts!

But yeah… Happy Rescue Anniversary, Fulung! Here’s to many more years of exploring, climbing, enjoying the rain, and, of course, plenty of coconuts along the way.

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

Text by Lee Ying Li

I would like to introduce Simone to the world.

Simone is the kind of sun bear who is almost impossible not to fall in love with. She is cute, clever, active, and endlessly curious. There is always something happening when Simone is around — exploring a new corner, investigating anything that catches her attention, or simply keeping herself busy with her own little adventures. Watching her, I found myself noticing the smallest things, and somehow, those little moments became some of my favourite memories.

During my time with Simone, I slowly learned that getting to know a sun bear does not mean being able to touch them. It means watching, observing, and learning to understand them from a respectful distance. Sometimes, caring for them means knowing when to step closer, and more importantly, knowing when to step back.

During my time with the bears, I came to understand that caring for them is not about how close we can get. It is about giving them what they need while respecting who they are. This is what I wanted to put into words:

𝐖𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬
"We cannot touch the bears,
but while they’re licking honey,
we gently sprayed iodine
and rubbed ointment onto their inflamed wounds.
We cannot touch the bears,
but when the anesthesia began to work,
we softly stroked their arms and claws,
and on their firm, flat palms,
I gave a high-five only I will remember.
We cannot touch the bears,
the toys we made by gathering materials
from forest,
the vegetables and supplements we prepared in the kitchen,
are all handed to them with careful caution.
We cannot touch the bears,
yet we love them,
only to set them free."

Looking back on my time at BSBCC, I realised that loving the bears does not always mean being close to them. Sometimes, it means keeping a distance, respecting their boundaries, and caring for them without expecting anything in return.

I may not be able to touch Simone, but I am grateful for every moment I spent watching her, caring for her, and getting to know her little by little.

Perhaps that is what makes this experience so special. We care for them, we grow attached to them, and in the end, we hope they no longer need us.

Because sometimes, the greatest way to love a wild animal is to love them enough to let them go.

Simone had a little taste of her cake during her rescue celebration! A little treat for a very special sun bear, and of course, Simone had to investigate it in her own curious way before having a taste.

One of my favourite parts of volunteering at BSBCC was making enrichment for the bears.

For Cerah and Jelita, I gathered materials from the forest and turned them into something they could explore and interact with. It was a simple activity, but I enjoyed putting thought into each piece and imagining how they might respond to it.

Seeing them investigate something I had made especially for them made all the time and effort worthwhile.

A box of surprises for the one and only Simone!

Since Simone is always curious about everything around her, I wanted to make something that would keep her busy exploring and investigating. I put together a little surprise box filled with things for her to discover, hoping each new smell, texture, and hidden treat would spark her curiosity.

Watching Simone figure things out in her own clever little way was definitely one of the highlights for me.

Up, up, up goes the enrichment!

I hung it higher to give Cerah and Jelita a little extra challenge. They had to stretch, reach, and figure out how to get to the hidden treats.

I had so much fun setting it up — now it was their turn to do the hard work!

More food, more fun!

It was such a joy preparing little surprises for the bears and watching them explore and enjoy what I had made for them.

Thank you to BSBCC for giving me the opportunity to spend time caring for these amazing sun bears. I’m grateful for every little moment and happy to know that, in my own small way, I could help make their day a little happier and more fun.

𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

Since 2022, the Year 3 students of Vision Primary School Sandakan have been learning about Bornean sun bears and taking meaningful action to support their conservation.

Through their annual Sun Bear Conservation Project, the students create and sell their own sun bear artwork, with the proceeds donated to BSBCC.

This year, the Year 3 and Year 4 students joined hands and successfully raised RM5,000 for sun bear conservation! The donation was presented to Dr. Wong Siew Te during a special handover ceremony at Vision Primary School Sandakan.

BSBCC sincerely appreciates the students, teachers, parents, and the entire Vision Primary School community for their continued support and dedication to sun bear conservation. Your efforts show how conservation education can inspire young minds to make a difference.

At just nine years old, these young conservationists have shown us that little hands can make a BIG impact! Thank you for standing with us in protecting Sabah’s precious Bornean sun bears.

World Elephant Day at Kg. Penangah, Tongod

BSBCC was once again invited to World Elephant Day 2026, organised by Earthworm Foundation and were held at Kampung Penangah, Tongod. The event included lots of other agencies and department, with some local community-based groups also present. The event brought the local communities around the Penangah area to come and learn about the conservation of the Bornean elephants that could be seen in the area. Ultimately, the conservation of wildlife will include the whole wildlife in the forest and the people living near to them. It is essential to bring people to seek for the balance of human and wildlife harmony together.

𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲

Happy Rescue Anniversary, Mary!

Today, we celebrate Mary and another year since she was rescued.

If you know Mary, you will know that she is a little different from the other bears.

Because Mary was kept as a pet during her critical developmental years, she picked up many human-like behaviors, such as sitting upright and taking slow, leisurely walks, instead of having the opportunity to learn some of the natural behaviours she would normally develop alongside her mother. For a young sun bear, these early years are an important time for learning how to climb trees, forage for food, explore the forest and respond to her surroundings.

This is one of the challenges faced by wildlife that has been raised by people. Without the opportunity to learn from their mothers, some rescued animals may develop behaviors that are very different from those of their wild counterparts.

But that is also what makes Mary, Mary.

At mealtimes, she is well known for being a little lazy. While the other bears may rush towards their food, Mary often prefers to sit and wait, reaching out for whichever piece happens to be closest to her. When she is not waiting for food, she can usually be found resting under the shade of a tree, taking her time to explore her surroundings.

Over the years, Mary has also had the opportunity to spend time with other sun bears, including Dodop, Noah, Nano, Chin and Panda. Being around other bears has given her opportunities to observe and take part in behaviors that she may not have had the chance to learn when she was young.

These days, Mary spends her time at Pen E with Dodop. She may not be the most enthusiastic tree climber, but she enjoys exploring the forest enclosure and spending time around her companion. She can sometimes be a little grumpy with her playmate, but she still seems to enjoy having another bear around.

Mary is at her most relaxed when she is out in the forest. She takes her time exploring fallen logs, sniffing around and investigating whatever catches her attention. Sometimes, she will even pick up a long branch and carry it around her enclosure. We are never quite sure what she has in mind, but that is just another one of Mary’s little quirks.

Inside the Bear House, she is just as comfortable doing things her own way. She spends much of her time sleeping in her basket, resting, or quietly observing her keepers.

Mary is also sometimes seen suckling on her feet. Suckling is an important behavior for young sun bears, providing both nutrition and comfort during their early development. While Mary has long since grown up, she has retained this behaviour into adulthood, and it may serve as a familiar form of comfort and self-soothing for her.

For many rescued sun bears at the Centre, losing their mothers at a very young age means growing up without the maternal care and guidance they would normally receive. Some may retain comfort-seeking behaviors into adulthood, reminding us that the effects of early separation can continue long after they have been rescued.

From a cub who lost her mother and was kept as a pet, Mary has come a long way.

Her journey has never been about changing who she is. Instead, it has been about giving her the time, space and opportunity to develop and express the behaviors that are important to a sun bear — exploring the forest, investigating fallen logs, spending time with other bears, and simply being curious about the world around her.

And perhaps most importantly, it has been about allowing Mary to do all of this at her own pace.

So today, the cake is for Mary.

She may not understand what all the celebration is about, but we hope she enjoys her special day in the way Mary knows best — taking things slow, exploring at her own pace, resting when she feels like it, and, of course, waiting patiently for the nearest piece of food.

Happy Rescue Anniversary, Mary.

Here’s to many more years of digging, exploring, resting, carrying branches, making friends, and simply being Mary.

For Mary’s rescue anniversary, we prepared a special cake using ingredients from her usual diet, with fresh rambutan added as a seasonal treat. While it may look like a birthday cake to us, it was simply a fun way to offer Mary something a little different while keeping the ingredients familiar to her diet.

Happy Rescue Anniversary, Mary!

Mary taking her time to inspect her special present… Not sure if she’s admiring the cake or silently judging her keeper’s creativity.

A little sniff to see what’s on the menu.

Time to use those claws and dig in!

A little taste… and then maybe a little more.

…and now, a proper taste. Mary seems to be taking her special cake very seriously.

Happy Mary’s Day to our one and only Mary the Sun Bear!

Since 2011, Mary has been part of the BSBCC family. Another year of watching you grow, explore, rest, make friends, and do things in your own wonderfully unique way.

Here’s to many more years of simply being Mary.

SMK Beluran II Visit

On the 13th of September 2026, BSBCC received a visit from SMK Beluran II. The visit was a part of the co-curricular camp organised by the school, with around 160 pax visited us around 2.30pm. It was a short visit, yet we tried to ensure the short trip filled with proper information and not just a mere visit. Thank you very much for the visit!

Wildlife Discovery Weekend Day 2

We wrapped up our Wildlife Discovery Weekend today, bringing a meaningful weekend of wildlife conservation awareness to a close. The event was a great success, with wonderful participation from children, enthusiastic engagement at our booths, and many smiling faces as visitors learned more about Sabah’s incredible wildlife.

Today, 26 children aged 7–12 took part in our drawing contest, while visitors enjoyed two engaging conservation talks by Seratu Aatai and Danau Girang Field Centre.

A big thank you to Hyatt Regency Kinabalu for co-organising this event, to all our conservation partners for sharing their knowledge and passion, and to everyone who joined us throughout the weekend.

Together, we hope to inspire greater appreciation and action for wildlife conservation in Sabah.

SK Seri Manis Visit

We received a visit from the pre-school of SK Seri Manis on this date 10th of September 2026. The little ones were brought around to see the bears, observing any other wildlife and learning how to use a spotting scope! Though the visit was a short one, we hope they will see the beauty of the nature and wildlife and will realise the importance of keeping the forever.

WWF Malaysia visiting BSBCC

Yesterday, we welcomed a delegation from WWF Malaysia to BSBCC as part of the Asia Pacific 30 (AP30) Sabah Visit Programme. The delegation comprised representatives from conservation organisations and WWF Asia Pacific partners, led by Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Wahid Omar, the Chairman.

Dr. Wong Siew Te met the group at the entrance and shared insights about BSBCC and sun bears through our informative signage. The group then visited the observation platform to see our rescued sun bears. It was a meaningful opportunity for knowledge sharing and exchanging experiences among conservation organisations and partners.

Thank you to WWF Malaysia and the AP30 delegation for visiting BSBCC!

Hyatt Regency Kinabalu Visits BSBCC for a Day of Learning & Enrichment

Today, we welcomed 14 team members from Hyatt Regency Kinabalu for a fun and hands-on visit to BSBCC! Following last week’s Wildlife Discovery Weekend at their hotel, this visit continued our collaboration through sharing sessions and an enrichment activity for our rescued sun bears.

The group learned more about sun bear behaviour, observed the bears at the platform, and prepared enrichment for Rudy, whom Hyatt Regency Kinabalu has adopted under our My Bear Adoption Programme. It was wonderful to see Rudy exploring her enrichment! They also had the chance to provide enrichment for other rescued sun bears, making the visit both enjoyable and educational.

Thank you, Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, for your continued support and collaboration. We look forward to more meaningful activities together!

Wildlife Discovery Weekend at Hyatt Regency Kinabalu

Today marked the first day of the Wildlife Discovery Weekend at Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu, a collaborative initiative between the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) and Hyatt Regency Kinabalu.

The event brought together government agency, conservation organisations, and local artist who share a common passion for protecting Sabah’s unique wildlife and natural heritage.

Participating partners included:

• Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD)

• HUTAN

• Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC)

• Orangutan Appeal UK (OAUK)

• Seratu Aatai

• Charles Mawan (Local Artist)

Visitors enjoyed engaging conservation talks by BSBCC, SWD, and OAUK, while 18 children aged 4–6 took part in a fun colouring activity. Guests also explored educational exhibits and discovered more about the incredible wildlife conservation efforts taking place across Sabah.

Thank you to everyone who joined us today. We look forward to welcoming more visitors tomorrow for Day 2 of the Wildlife Discovery Weekend!