GEEO Borneo Google Earth Presentation Script

USA

Today, I’d like to share with you a great experience I had while traveling to Borneo through a non-profit organization called GEEO. GEEO helps educators travel abroad so that they can learn more about different cultures to share with their students. I was joined on my trip by educators and retired teachers from all around the United States.

Asia

Borneo is an island in Southeast Asia. Asia is Earth’s largest continent. Can anyone name any countries in Asia?

Malay Archipelago

Borneo is part of what is called the Malay Archipelago. Does anyone know what an archipelago is? (A: a cluster or chain of islands)

The Malay Archipelago is a massive chain of over 25,000 islands! It is the largest archipelago in the world, and it includes countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Indonesia is the world’s largest island country, with over 17,000 islands, while Malaysia is made up of two main regions: Peninsular Malaysia (on the mainland) and East Malaysia (on the island of Borneo). Together, these island nations are home to incredible biodiversity, ancient rainforests, and diverse cultures.

Borneo

Borneo is the third-largest island in the world—only Greenland and New Guinea are bigger. It’s about 287,000 square miles, which makes it roughly the size of Texas.

Borneo is the only island in the world shared by three different countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. The southern part of Borneo, which makes up about three-fourths of the island, belongs to Indonesia and is called Kalimantan (pronounced kaa-lee-MAAN-taan). The northern part of the island is split between two Malaysian states—Sabah and Sarawak—which together make up about one-fourth of Borneo. Finally, there’s the tiny country of Brunei, which occupies only about 1% of the island on the northern coast.

Borneo sits right on the equator, which means it has a hot, humid tropical climate year-round. The island has some of the oldest rainforests on Earth—over 130 million years old! Borneo’s rainforests are incredibly biodiverse, meaning they’re home to thousands of different species of plants and animals. Many of these species can’t be found anywhere else in the world, including orangutans, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, and the Bornean sun bear (the world’s smallest bear).

Until the 1500s, Borneo was mostly isolated. Spanish and Portuguese colonists briefly controlled parts of the island, then the Dutch and British took control until Indonesia gained independence in 1949 and Malaysia in 1963. Much of Borneo’s population consists of native tribes, each with their own language and culture.

Mount Kinabalu

The interior of Borneo is mountainous, and the highest peak is Mount Kinabalu, which rises 13,435 feet above sea level. That makes it the tallest mountain in Southeast Asia!

For centuries, Borneo has been home to native or Indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples are the original inhabitants of a specific place—the descendants of the very first people to live there, long before other cultures or settlers arrived. Mount Kinabalu has deep spiritual significance to the Indigenous peoples of Borneo. The name “Kinabalu” comes from the words “Aki Nabalu.” ”Aki” means “ancestor,” and “Nabalu” means “resting place.” So Mount Kinabalu essentially means “the resting place of the ancestors.”

The mountain sits within Kinabalu Park, which was Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated in 2000. The park protects an incredible variety of plant and animal life—over 5,000 species of plants, 326 species of birds, and more than 100 mammal species have been identified here. Because of its altitude, Mount Kinabalu has several different climate zones as you climb, from tropical rainforest at the bottom to alpine vegetation near the summit.

The Indigenous people believe that when someone dies, their spirit travels to the top of Mount Kinabalu, where they rest before passing into the afterlife. The mountain is seen as a kind of gateway between the earthly world and the spiritual realm. When someone died, they were buried facing the direction of Mount Kinabalu so their spirit could easily find its way to the sacred mountain.

Today, Mount Kinabalu is one of the most popular climbing destinations in Southeast Asia. Over 13,000 people attempt to climb to the summit each year. Many of the mountain guides, park rangers, and porters who help climbers are Indigenous people, continuing their ancestors’ connection to the mountain.

Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu is the capital city of Sabah in Malaysia. Locals simply call it “KK” for short. The city is named after Mount Kinabalu, about 50 miles to the northeast.

Kota Kinabalu has an interesting history. It started as a small fishing village called Api-Api (which means “fire” in Malay) before it was established as a town by the British in 1899. The British renamed it Jesselton, after Sir Charles Jessel, a director of the British North Borneo Company. During World War II, the city was almost completely destroyed by bombing during the Battle of Borneo. After the war, it was rebuilt and chosen as the new capital of North Borneo. In 1967, after Malaysia won its independence, the city was renamed Kota Kinabalu.

Today, Kota Kinabalu is home to about 500,000 people and serves as the main gateway for travelers exploring Sabah. To the west are the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park—a collection of five tropical islands just 15 minutes by boat from the city. To the east, the Crocker Range mountains rise up, creating a dramatic backdrop.

Kota Kinabalu is a multicultural city with Malays, Chinese, Indigenous groups, and immigrants from the Philippines and Indonesia. Because of Malaysia’s colonial history, English is widely spoken alongside Malay and various Indigenous languages.

City Mosque

One of the most beautiful landmarks in Kota Kinabalu is the City Mosque, which is also known as the “Floating Mosque.” Can anyone guess why it’s called the floating mosque? The mosque is surrounded by a man-made lagoon, which makes it look like the mosque is floating on water, especially when you see its reflection in the lagoon like this!

Construction of the mosque began in 1992, and it was officially opened in 2000. The mosque features a beautiful blue and gold dome and four elegant minarets (tall towers). It can hold up to 12,000 worshippers at one time. The mosque is open to non-Muslim visitors every day except Friday (which is the Muslim holy day).

Islam is the official religion of Malaysia, and mosques like this one play an important role not just in religious life but also in bringing communities together. For example, this mosque includes three madrasahs (Islamic schools), a health clinic, and even a fish farm.

Night Market

One of the highlights of traveling is experiencing the local markets! In Kota Kinabalu, the Filipino Market (also called the Handicraft Market) is located right along the waterfront in the heart of the city. It’s called the Filipino Market because many of the vendors are Filipino immigrants who came to Sabah starting in the 1970s, bringing their goods, crafts, and culinary traditions with them.

During the day, the market is filled with stalls selling souvenirs, jewelry, and traditional items. You can find beautiful pearls, colorful fabrics, beaded jewelry, and seashell crafts made from local materials. There are also vendors selling dried seafood snacks and tropical fruits. Many vendors are happy to let you sample before you buy, and bargaining is expected—it’s all part of the experience!

But the market really comes alive in the evening when the Night Market opens around 5:00 p.m. This is when the seafood stalls set up right along the waterfront. Vendors display fresh catches of the day—huge crabs, lobsters, shrimp, fish, squid, and more—all laid out on ice. You can choose your seafood, and the vendors will grill it right there for you! You can eat there at simple plastic tables set up near the water while you watch the sunset over the South China Sea.

The Night Market is loud, crowded, and a bit chaotic, but it’s an authentic glimpse into local life. Families, tourists, and locals all gather here to eat, shop, and socialize. The friendly atmosphere and delicious food make it one of the most memorable experiences in Kota Kinabalu.

One interesting tradition at markets like this is called “tamu,” which is an age-old practice in Sabah where people from different communities come together to barter or trade goods (instead of shopping with money). Even though Kota Kinabalu is a modern city now, you can still feel that sense of community and connection at these markets.

Kota Belud

After exploring Kota Kinabalu, we traveled northeast to the district of Kota Belud. Kota Belud is sometimes called “the Land of the Cowboys of the East” because it’s home to the Bajau people, who are known for their incredible horseback riding skills. The Bajau are famous throughout Southeast Asia as skilled horsemen—they can perform amazing tricks on horseback and often parade through town in colorful traditional costumes with their decorated horses.

Kota Belud is also known for its weekly tamu in an open-air market held every Sunday. For centuries, people from different communities and ethnic groups have gathered at tamu in Kota Belud to trade goods, sell produce, and socialize. You can find fresh vegetables, handwoven baskets, traditional crafts, local snacks, and even livestock. It’s a wonderful place to experience the multicultural diversity of Sabah!

Tambatuon Village

We stayed in a small village called Tambatuon, which sits in a beautiful valley with views of the mountains in the distance.

Tambatuon Village practices community-based tourism, which means the locals manage the tourism activities, and the money earned goes directly to supporting the village community. This type of tourism helps preserve traditional ways of life while also providing income for local families.

During our visit, we learned about traditional farming practices from the villagers. We visited local farms, including one that uses a special hydroponic farming system—this is a method of growing plants without soil, using water and nutrients instead. Some of the vegetables we gathered were later used when we participated in a cooking class with our host families, learning to prepare traditional Sabahan dishes.

We also walked to a nearby river where we could see the beautiful landscape that surrounds the village. In the evening, we shared a traditional meal with our hosts and heard stories about their culture and way of life. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with them and to learn about their deep connection to the land.

Kinabatangan River

From Kota Belud, we traveled east toward the city of Sandakan and then continued to the Kinabatangan River (pronounced kee-nah-bah-TAHNG-ahn), one of the most important wildlife areas in all of Borneo. The Kinabatangan River is Sabah’s longest river—it stretches about 350 miles from its source in the mountains of southwestern Sabah all the way to the Sulu Sea on the east coast.

The Lower Kinabatangan floodplain is a protected area called the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. It was designated as a sanctuary in 2009 to protect the incredible variety of animals and plants that live here. The area includes several different types of habitats (places where animals and plants live), including freshwater swamp forests, mangrove swamps, oxbow lakes (curved lakes that were once part of the river), and limestone caves.

The Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary is one of only two places in the world where ten different species of primates live together! Primates are a group of mammals that includes monkeys, apes, and humans. The sanctuary is also recognized as a Ramsar site, which means it’s a wetland of international importance that needs to be protected.

The Kinabatangan River provides water, food, and shelter for countless animals. The forests along the riverbanks create a “wildlife corridor”—think of it like a protected highway for animals—that allows them to move safely between different forest areas. This is especially important because much of the surrounding land has been cleared for agriculture, so these riverside forests are some of the last remaining homes for many endangered species.

The “Borneo Big Five”

Wildlife experts often refer to the “Borneo Big Five”—five iconic animals that visitors hope to see along the Kinabatangan River:

1. Bornean Orangutan – These reddish-brown great apes are only found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. The word “orangutan” comes from Malay words meaning “person of the forest.” They’re incredibly intelligent and spend most of their lives in trees, using their long arms to swing from branch to branch.
2. Proboscis Monkey – These monkeys are found only on Borneo, which makes them endemic to the island (meaning they don’t live anywhere else in the world). A proboscis is a long nose—male proboscis monkeys have huge noses that can grow up to 4 inches long! Scientists think the large nose helps amplify their calls to attract females. They’re also spectacular swimmers and can often be seen jumping into the river and swimming across.
3. Bornean Pygmy Elephant – These are the smallest elephants in the world! Adult males only reach about 7 to 9 feet tall—that’s about 2 feet shorter than other Asian elephants and 3 feet shorter than African elephants. They have relatively larger ears, longer tails, and gentler personalities than their relatives. There are only about 1,500 pygmy elephants left in the wild, and they all live on Borneo. They travel in small family herds led by matriarchs (older female elephants) and can often be spotted feeding along the riverbanks.
4. Estuarine Crocodile – These saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles on Earth. They can grow over 20 feet long and are powerful predators! While they can be dangerous, they usually keep their distance from human activity. You might spot them basking in the sun on muddy riverbanks.
5. Rhinoceros Hornbill – These spectacular birds have massive beaks topped with a large orange and yellow casque (a hollow structure on top of the bill). They’re about the size of a turkey and make loud, honking calls as they fly overhead. Hornbills are important for the rainforest ecosystem because they eat fruits and then spread the seeds in their droppings, helping new trees grow.

We stayed at a jungle lodge right on the riverbank and went on river safaris in small boats at dawn and dusk—these are the best times to see wildlife because animals are most active during the cooler parts of the day. The river was calm and peaceful as we glided along, scanning the trees and shoreline for movement.

With the help of our expert guides, we spotted proboscis monkeys leaping from tree to tree, with their potbellies and funny noses. We saw long-tailed macaques playing along the branches and several species of beautiful birds, including kingfishers, herons, and hornbills flying overhead. The animals seemed completely unbothered by our quiet presence.

We also visited an oxbow lake, which is a U-shaped lake that forms when a river changes course and cuts off a bend. These lakes are excellent places to spot wildlife because they’re quieter and more sheltered than the main river.

At night, some of us opted to take a guided night walk through the jungle. With only our flashlights, we searched for nocturnal animals (animals that are active at night) like slow lorises, tarsiers (tiny primates with huge eyes), flying squirrels, and all sorts of interesting insects and spiders. The jungle sounds completely different at night—full of mysterious calls, chirps, and rustles!

Sepilok

After our time on the Kinabatangan River, we traveled to Sepilok, a wildlife haven located about 15 miles west of the city of Sandakan. Sepilok is home to two very important conservation centers that work to protect some of Borneo’s most endangered animals.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre was established in 1964. Does anyone know what animal “rehabilitation” means? Rehabilitation is the process of helping injured, orphaned, or rescued animals learn how to survive in the wild again.

Baby orangutans normally stay with their mothers for about 7 to 8 years while they learn everything they need to know to survive—like which fruits are safe to eat, how to build nests to sleep in, and how to move through the forest. But sometimes baby orangutans become orphaned when their mothers are killed by illegal hunters, or when forests are cut down for logging or palm oil plantations. Some orangutans are also illegally kept as pets and then confiscated (taken away) by authorities. These orangutans need help learning the survival skills they missed.

At Sepilok, rescued orangutans receive medical care and go through a training process that can take years. Young orangutans first stay in indoor nurseries where they’re kept safe and healthy. As they grow, they move to outdoor areas where they learn to climb, play, forage for food, and socialize with other orangutans—all the skills they would have learned from their mothers in the wild.

The center provides supplementary feeding at outdoor feeding platforms in the forest. The food is deliberately monotonous (boring and repetitive)—usually just bananas and milk—to encourage the orangutans to search for more interesting wild foods on their own. As the orangutans become more independent and skilled at finding their own food, they gradually spend more time in the forest and less time at the feeding platforms.

The center is located within the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, which covers over 10,000 acres of protected rainforest. About 60 to 80 orangutans now live freely in this forest reserve! Once orangutans are ready, they’re released into the forest to live wild lives. Some never come back to the feeding platforms at all—which is exactly what the center hopes for!

When we visited, we watched from a viewing platform as several orangutans swung through the trees and came to the feeding platform. It was incredible to see these amazing animals up close—their intelligence and human-like expressions were remarkable. We also saw the outdoor nursery area where younger orangutans practice climbing on specially designed structures.

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Right next to the orangutan center is the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, which opened in 2014. Sun bears are the world’s smallest bear species—adults only weigh about 60 to 150 pounds, which is about the size of a large dog! They get their name from the golden or cream-colored patch of fur on their chest, which some say looks like the rising sun.

Sun bears are also endemic to Southeast Asia, so they’re only found in this region of the world. They have several unique features: extremely long tongues (up to 10 inches long!) that they use to extract honey and insects from tree holes, large curved claws perfect for climbing trees, and a distinctive way of walking with their feet turned inward.

Like orangutans, sun bears face many threats. Their forest habitat is being destroyed, they’re sometimes hunted for their body parts (which are used in traditional medicine), and cubs are often captured and sold as illegal pets. The Sun Bear Conservation Centre rescues these bears and provides them with forest enclosures where they can exhibit natural behaviors—climbing trees, foraging for food, and building nests to sleep in.

We watched from observation platforms as the sun bears explored their forest enclosure. Some were digging in hollow logs looking for insects, while others were high up in the trees taking afternoon naps. It was fascinating to see how agile and tree-loving these bears are—they’re actually more comfortable in trees than on the ground!

Both of these centers do important work not just in rescuing and rehabilitating animals, but also in educating visitors about conservation. We need to protect Borneo’s rainforests if we want these incredible animals to survive.

Libaran Island

Our final destination was Libaran Island, located about 25 miles north of Sandakan in the Sulu Sea. We traveled there by ferry, enjoying the sea breeze and watching the coastline fade into the distance. Libaran is a small island—only about 450 acres—that’s home to a fishing village of about 450 people from the Bajau community.

Libaran Island is sometimes called “Turtle Island” because green turtles and hawksbill turtles come to its beaches to nest and lay their eggs. Sea turtles are ancient creatures—they’ve existed for over 200 million years! But today, both green turtles and hawksbill turtles are endangered species, meaning they’re at risk of disappearing forever if we don’t protect them.

Turtle Hatchery

The story of turtle conservation on Libaran Island is truly inspiring because it shows how a community can completely change its relationship with wildlife. For generations, the people of Libaran Island collected and ate turtle eggs—it was a traditional practice and an important source of food and income. Children in the village would even compete to find turtle nests first. Nearly every turtle egg laid on Libaran’s beaches ended up being eaten by people or by stray dogs.

Everything changed in 2012 when a conservationist named Alex Yee (who locals call “the turtle man”) partnered with the Sabah Wildlife Department to establish a turtle hatchery on the island. At first, some villagers were skeptical, but Alex worked closely with the community, hiring local people to become Honorary Wildlife Wardens and teaching them about the importance of protecting turtles.

Over time, as villagers learned more about sea turtle conservation and saw that eco-tourism could bring income to their community, attitudes changed completely. Today, instead of collecting turtle eggs to eat, the villagers protect them! When someone spots a turtle coming ashore to nest, they immediately notify the conservation rangers.

The transformation has been remarkable. Libaran was once known as “the graveyard of turtle eggs,” but now it’s a success story of community-led conservation. Since the hatchery was established, over 43,000 baby sea turtles have been released into the Sulu Sea. The turtle nesting rate has increased dramatically, and the Libaran conservation program has won multiple awards, including the ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award.

When we arrived on Libaran Island, we were greeted by Honorary Wildlife Wardens who showed us around the turtle hatchery. They explained the sea turtle life cycle and the challenges these animals face. We learned that:

• Female sea turtles return to the same beach where they were born to lay their own eggs—they can remember the exact beach even after swimming thousands of miles through the ocean!
• A female turtle digs a nest in the sand with her back flippers, lays about 100 to 150 eggs, covers them carefully, and then returns to the sea. The entire process takes 1 to 3 hours.
• Turtle eggs need to incubate (develop) in warm sand for about 60 days before hatching.
• The temperature of the sand determines whether baby turtles will be male or female!
• Only about 1 in 1,000 baby turtles survives to adulthood because they face many predators in the ocean.

We also visited the village and met with residents who taught us about their traditional crafts. Some villagers demonstrated how to weave mats from natural materials, while others showed us how they create decorative flowers from recycled plastic bottles—a creative way to reuse waste materials collected from beach cleanups.

We were able to watch rangers carefully collecting eggs and moving them to the protected hatchery where they would be safe from predators—and also releasing baby turtles into the sea! The rangers had brought out hatchlings (baby turtles) that had emerged from their eggs that day. The baby turtles instinctively scrambled toward the ocean, following the reflection of the moon on the water. We watched as they entered the waves and swam away into the vast ocean, beginning their long journey.

The experience at Libaran Island taught us an important lesson: conservation works best when it involves and benefits local communities. When people see the value in protecting wildlife and when they can earn a living through sustainable eco-tourism, they become the strongest guardians of nature.