Thank you for volunteering at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Sabah.

We really appreciate your decision to help wild animals.

At the Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC), you will get up close and personal caring of the smallest bears in the world: working to clean their dens and creating environmental and food enrichment.

In addition to enriching the sun bears living conditions, you will learn about sun bears in the stages of rehabilitation and the process of releasing them back into the wild. Working alongside local people will enable you to experience and understand our Malaysian culture. You will also have time off to explore the beautiful surroundings of Sepilok and nearby towns and wildlife sanctuaries such as the world famous Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary.

We thank you for assisting in our mission to protect wildlife!

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC)

The mission of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sabah, Malaysia, is to promote sun

bear conservation in Borneo through animal welfare, conservation, rehabilitation, education and

research - giving captured sun bears a better home and restoring their right to live in the wild, by:

❖ Creating the capacity to confiscate, rehabilitate and release suitable orphaned and ex-captive

bears back into the wild & providing an improved long-term living environment for captive bears

that cannot be released.

❖ Educating the public and raising awareness about this species.

❖ Achieving increased protection for sun bears and their habitat through ongoing research,

increased knowledge and awareness, and further protection of habitat.

Day 1

ARRIVAL & WELCOME

Airport Pick up from Sandakan Airport

Welcome dinner in Sandakan and briefing

Overnight in Sandakan

Day 2

ORIENTATION

Transfer to Project Site: BSBCC (approx 30 minutes from Sandakan)

Orientation, health and safety talk & tour of centre.

Day 3 -13

PROJECT DAYS

Working hours at BSBCC: 0800 hours - 1700 hours. 2 days off.

Husbandry

This involves cleaning cages and feeding. You will rotate working with different sun bears

depending on the needs of the bears. You may not work with sun bears on a daily basis. Some daily maintenance work such as general maintenance (eg: painting) may be included

Enrichment

The idea of enrichment is to stimulate the animals and improve their living conditions as much as possible to mimic their natural habitat. Volunteers will be involved in designing & preparing

enrichment. The effectiveness of the enrichment items on the sun bear behaviour will then be

observed.

Construction

You may be asked to design and work on small construction projects to improve the night dens /

enclosures. This may include assisting in building new exhibits and extensions to improve the

facilities, or improving existing exhibits by adding furniture / painting.

Education

There is an education centre and library at BSBCC. Volunteers may be asked to talk to school

children and visitors at the centre about sun bears. You may also be asked to prepare displays and update the blog or do data entry of the Bear Behaviour Record & the Weekly Record

NOTE

Not all activities will be included on your itinerary. Changes to the activities will occur subject to

weather conditions, school calendar, community and project requirements. Activities not listed

above may also be added if deemed suitable / necessary by the project coordinator.

Day 14

DEPARTURE

Check out and transfer to Sandakan Airport.

Airport Pick up from Sandakan Airport

Welcome dinner in Sandakan and briefing

Overnight in Sandakan

Transfer to Project Site: BSBCC (approx. 30-minute drive from Sandakan)

Orientation, health and safety talk & tour of centre.

Working hours at BSBCC: 0800 hours - 1700 hours. 2 days off.

Husbandry

This involves cleaning cages and feeding. You will rotate working with different sun bears depending on the needs of the bears. You may not work with sun bears on a daily basis. Some daily maintenance work such as general maintenance (eg: painting) may be included

Enrichment

The idea of enrichment is to stimulate the animals and improve their living conditions as much as possible to mimic their natural habitat. Volunteers will be involved in designing & preparing enrichment. The effectiveness of the enrichment items on the sun bear behaviour will then be observed.

Construction

You may be asked to design and work on small construction projects to improve the night dens / enclosures. This may include assisting in building new exhibits and extensions to improve the facilities or improving existing exhibits by adding furniture / painting.

Education

There is an education centre and library at BSBCC. Volunteers may be asked to talk to school children and visitors at the centre about sun bears. You may also be asked to prepare displays and update the blog or do data entry of the Bear Behaviour Record & the Weekly Record

NOTE

Not all activities will be included on your itinerary. Changes to the activities will occur subject to weather conditions, school calendar, community and project requirements.

Activities not listed above may also be added if deemed suitable / necessary by the project coordinator.

Pack your bags and memories! Check out and transfer to Sandakan Airport.