Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre awaits royal visit

KUCHING: The visit by Britain’s Prince Charles to Sarawak today would seem incomplete if the heir to the throne without dropping by the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre near here.

The Prince of Wales is expected to be briefed on the wildlife conservation work carried out by the centre, and then ushered to a special visitors’ platform to view the orangutans in their natural surrounding.

However, attempts to get further details on the visit were in vain as most of the officials refused to reveal anything about it.

The orangutans at the wildlife centre are fed twice daily, and although visitors can view this from a special visitors’ platform, the sighting of orangutans is not guaranteed as the animals are often able to find their own food in the surrounding forest.

Currently, there are at least 26 semi-wild orangutans in Semenggoh in total, roaming free within a 740- hectare forest reserve.

Meanwhile, a spokesman at the centre, when contacted, said if the orangutans were not detected at their usual feeding area, it meant that the centre had done a good job.

Just next to the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre is the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), which Prince Charles is also expected to visit.

It is dubbed as the gate keeper of Sarawak’s rich biodiversity to those who want access to its biological resources for research or commercial purposes.

Set up in 1998, its basic objective is to initiate programmes for the conservation, utilisation, protection and sustainable development of biodiversity in the state.

Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife Camilla are expected to stop by at the Cultural village at santubong , for an on-hand experience of a unique blend of multi-ethnic community living in harmony, or basically to see Sarawak’s ethnic diversity at a glance.

A SCV spokesman, when contacted, said all preparations had been made to welcome the inaugural visit of the royal couple, to ensure the visit to be a most memorable one, not only for the royal couple but for SCV as well - Bernama