Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo: Home of Orang Utan

Tanjung Puting National Park and Biosphere Reserve is located  in Central Kalimantan, in Kalimantan Island or also known as Borneo Island. The indigenous population is Dayak tribe which is still faithful with animist belief. 

Tanjung means a peninsula, administratively is part of Kotawaringin Timur with its office in Sampit and Kotawaringin Barat with its office in Pangkalan Bun.

The Park covers swampy alluvial peninsular between Kumai and Serunyan River and Sekonyer River in the north . And since 1978 the southern boundary has been extended until Serimbang River to Segintung Luar River.

The Park has various vegetation types, such as dry land where species like Shorea spp, Mysristica, iron wood can be found and the swamp forest, mangrove and coastal forest.  And the most famous fauna live here are Orang Utan (Pongo pygmaeus) and probiscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus). Both primates were discovered during Dutch colonial era in the 1930s.  Both live in the swampy and dry land.  Other primates live here are: agile gibbon (Hylobates agilis), long tailes macaque (Macaca fascicularis) , ppig tailes macaque (Macaca nemestrina), red leaf eating monkey (Presbytis rubicunda) , silver leaf eating monkey (Presbytis cristata). Deers, civet, leopard, squirrel can also be found here. The most significant bird here is storm’s stork (Ciconia stormii), and there are other bird species that are most of them are endangered.

Visitors usually visit to see Orang Utan in its habitat and centered around orang utan rehabilitation center by cruising through Sekonyer river.  Below are the interesting spot in Tanjung Puting National Park:

  1. Tanjung Harapan which has information center, orang utan feeding, Orchid,  Herb, and trekking route to from Tanjung Harapan-Pesalat-Pondik Tangguy.
  2. Pesalat, reforestation area
    Pesalat is the second camp which can be visited by visitors or researchers. Activities can be done here : camping, trekking, herb garden and planting trees. 
  3. Pondok Tangguy
    This third camp visitors can see orang utan feeding, short trekking trail and long trekking from Pondok Tangguy-Pesalat-Tanjung Harapan.
  4. Pondok Ambung
    This third camp usually visited to observe wildlife, night trekking and tower.
  5. Camp Leakey is the last station for visitors in Sikonyer river route, This is a must-visit camp in Tanjung Puting National Park. Visitors can see orang utan feeding, trekking and information center is available here.
  6. Camp Leakey
  7. This is a must-visit camp in Tanjung Puting National Park. Visitors can see orang utan feeding, trekking and information center is available here. 
Now Buluh Besar river is also developed for tourism, is part of Tanjung Puting National Park located at Teluk Pulai Resort, here visitors wil sail the natural forest along the river, deer sanctuary, wildlife observation along the river.
 
Arut Tebal is another river in the national park located in Sungai Cabang Resort, which has white sandy beach, turtle conservation and release baby turtle.