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
is your Sandakan Crocodile Farm the same as the http://www.zoochat.com/249/sabah-crocodile-adventure-land-371415/ or are there two?
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.
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.
Thanks Giant Panda! I hope to get a few days uploaded this weekend. Stay tuned... 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!
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.
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.
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.
the Louis Mini Zoo is/was apparently the only zoo in Brunei. It was said to be closing in January this year. See, for example, Louis Mini Zoo looking to sell wildlife collection | The Brunei Times
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.
Thanks. I learn the most useless information on this site 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
I've uploaded photos from Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, the Green Connection and UMS Aquarium & Marine Museum in the Malaysia gallery.
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.
Marbled cats? Amazing! Did you manage to get any photos? Hopefully in better conditions than in other similar collections.
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.
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.
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.