Page 246 - The Guide To Sarawak

244 NATURE
Sama Jaya Nature Reserve – Kuching’s green lung and an important centre for environmental education.
SAMA JAYA NATURE RESERVE
(Kuching Division)
The 38-hectare Sama Jaya Nature Reserve is the first multi-purpose urban forest park in Sarawak. Situated entirely within Kuching’s city limits at Tabuan
Jaya, it consists mostly of kerangas forest, providing
a valuable green lung for the city, education and recreation facilities for its people, and an important refuge for urban wildlife. The reserve is popular with locals thanks to its two jogging trails, a fitness trail, a reflexology pathway and the tranquil Hiroshima- Sarawak Friendship Garden. The visitor centre features a small Timber and Bamboo Museum, a Forest Biology Museum and an ethnobotanical garden.
Call (082) 364 575 for an appointment to view the
museums.
Open daily, 6.30am~6.30pm, including Sundays and Public Holidays
SEMENGGOH NATURE RESERVE
(Kuching Division)
Only 24km from Kuching, this 635ha reserve is the original home of Sarawak Forestry’s orangutan conservation programme. The legacy of its 30 years
of successful rehabilitation work is a thriving population of around 30 semi-wild adolescent and adult orangutans, who are now successfully breeding. They spend most of their time roaming the forest but frequently visit designated feeding areas for a free meal, where they can
be viewed by visitors. Although getting close to the orangutans is an unforgettable experience,
however tame they may appear they are still wild, powerful and potentially dangerous animals. A small visitor centre provides additional information about these fascinating primates.
Semengoh is also home
to the Botanical Research Centre (BRC), with ethnobotanical gardens, wild fruit orchards, a “Fernarium”, a Rheophyte garden, an orchid nursery and more. Five nature
trails and a plankwalk
allow visitors to view the various gardens. The trail trekking times range from 5-30 minutes and a plant identification system enables visitors to familiarise themselves with the trees and plants.
Orangutan feeding areas
Open daily, 9am~10am, 3pm~4pm.
T (082) 618 324