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Zoos of East Malaysia

Discussion in 'Malaysia' started by Giant Panda, 7 Mar 2016.

  1. Giant Panda

    Giant Panda Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I’ve been compiling a zoo list for East Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan) which I thought might interest ZooChatters. Let me know if there’s anywhere I need to add/subtract.


    Sabah:
    Aquarium and Marine Museum, University of Malaysia Sabah*
    Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
    Green Connection*
    Kipandi Butterfly Park
    Lok Kawi Wildlife Park*
    Sandakan Crocodile Farm
    Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
    Tuaran Crocodile Farm*

    Sarawak:
    Aquarium, Sarawak State Museum
    Jong’s Crocodile Farm and Zoo
    Matang Wildlife Centre
    Miri Crocodile Farm and Mini Zoo
    Semenggoh Wildlife Centre
    Taman Tumbina Bintulu
    Turn Red Mini Zoo

    Labuan:
    Labuan Bird Park
    Labuan Marine Museum


    *Places I’ve visited.

    I may return to Borneo next year and will post reports here if I make it to any more collections. In the meantime, other opinions are welcome.


    Total "zoos" in East Malaysia: 17
    Total "zoos" in Malaysia: 65
    See also here for the companion thread covering the rest of Malaysia: Zoos of Peninsula Malaysia
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 2 Feb 2019
  2. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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  3. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

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    Great list Giant Panda, would have been useful a few months back during the planning stage of my trip... ;)

    I have visited a couple of the Sabah collections, although I wouldn't classify the Sun Bear and Orangutan centres as "zoos". I will be reviewing these on my trip report thread (http://www.zoochat.com/249/zooboy28-goes-borneo-438947/) in the coming weeks.

    An addition would be the Kipandi Butterfly Park, which doesn't appear to have its own website, but is mentioned here (Kipandi Butterfly Park | Places / Destination | Sabah, Malaysian Borneo) among other places.

    @Chlidonias, I think they are the same place.
     
  4. Giant Panda

    Giant Panda Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Hi Chlidonias. All the info I’ve found suggests they’re the same place. I tend to call crocodile farms what they are; I’ve yet to find a good one.

    Hi zooboy. I hadn’t joined a few months ago unfortunately, but I look forward to your reports and reviews (and have been following the thread thus far).

    Thanks for the heads-up on Kipandi Butterfly Park and it’s been added to the list. Not sure how I missed it when I was in KK.

    My personal definition of a zoo is somewhere that displays captive wild animals to the public. Let me know if that definition doesn’t fit the Sepilok orangutan and sun bear centres.
     
  5. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Giant Panda! I hope to get a few days uploaded this weekend. Stay tuned... :cool:

    The definition of a "zoo" is complicated and contested, and I think very subjective. Which is fine by me. I'm not sure I have a decent definition, but I exclude places with only one species and that rules out most conservation-based rehab, rescue and breeding centres (which I don't feel are zoos at heart). This has been discussed in several threads, including: http://www.zoochat.com/2/seattles-pacific-science-center-zoo-396384/index2.html

    Having said that, I think the Sepilok centres belong on this list, as they are certainly places ZooChatters will want to visit!
     
  6. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    I'd never heard of the butterfly park either.

    I personally wouldn't call Sepilok's orang centre nor that at Semenggoh "zoos" because the animals aren't captive as such (although in general conversation I will liken them to zoos), unlike the sun bear centre or the Matang Wildlife Centre where the animals actually are all contained in cages. But, having said that, I would probably still have included them in the list if I had done it.
     
  7. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

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    Well you might get a review of the butterfly park soon... teaser - it didn't just have butterflies...

    Some of the Sepilok orangs are caged, the youngest cohort at least, although these are not on display to the public.
     
  8. Giant Panda

    Giant Panda Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I’m aware of the nomenclature issues, but don’t see any consistent logic in excluding places like the Pacific Science Center (which I visited many moons ago). As a result, my definition is about as general as it could reasonably be, but I agree that the two sanctuaries probably don’t count. Either way, I have little interest in seeing the free-ranging orangutans so many tourists believe are wild.

    I look forward to your review of the butterfly park.

    Aside: I think I’m right in saying there are no “zoos” in Brunei.
     
  9. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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  10. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    another zoo in Sarawak is the curiously-named Turn Red Mini Zoo at Bau, but I can't find anything beyond 2014. They have a Facebook page with a couple of comments asking if they are still operating.
     
  11. Giant Panda

    Giant Panda Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Thanks. I learn the most useless information on this site :D

    Some photos from December indicate it’s still open, so I’ve added it to the list. None of animals, though.

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Turn-Red-Mini-Zoo/366100166798092
     
  12. Giant Panda

    Giant Panda Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I've uploaded photos from Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, the Green Connection and UMS Aquarium & Marine Museum in the Malaysia gallery.
     
  13. animalszoos

    animalszoos Well-Known Member

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    I have visited Miri Crocodile Farm cum Mini Zoo. It includes pheasants, prevost squirrels, sambar deer, sun bears, macaques, gibbons, loads of crocodiles, fruit bats, cobras and rock pythons, leopard cats, binturongs, civets and marbled cats. Not the best of conditions and has had an accident with the crocodile feeding platform collapsing.
     
  14. devilfish

    devilfish Well-Known Member

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    Marbled cats? Amazing! Did you manage to get any photos? Hopefully in better conditions than in other similar collections.
     
  15. animalszoos

    animalszoos Well-Known Member

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    Unfortunately, the marbled cats were not present the time I visited but they have had them as there was an enclosure. The enclosure was very similar to the leopard enclosure.
    https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/24/82/2e/wild-cat.jpg
    This was the leopard cat that someone took a picture of and the enclosure is very similar. Lok Kawi Wildlife Park might have some marbled cats.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 29 May 2016
  16. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    have you been to Lok Kawi?
     
  17. animalszoos

    animalszoos Well-Known Member

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    Yes I have, but the small cats section was under construction.
     
  18. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    what do you mean by the small cats section? When did you visit?
     
  19. animalszoos

    animalszoos Well-Known Member

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    Around the summer of 2012 so I faintly remember a clouded leopard in its temporary enclosure as well as other small cat enclosures being built.
     
    Last edited: 4 Jun 2016
  20. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Like Devilfish, I this jumped out at me. Of the few cat species I have not photographed yet, marbled cat is probably top on my want list.