Gaya Island Resort Marine Centre team rescue endangered Proboscis Monkey at sea

Gaya Island, Borneo, Malaysia, 16 January 2014

This evening at 4.30pm Gaya Island Resort, guests and team members were equally awestruck when a proboscis monkey was spotted bobbing in the sea close to the resort’s Malohom Bay.

Resident Marine Biologist Scott Mayback and Naturalist Justin Juhun were soon enlisted to help bring the animal back to shore by boat. “We got close to the proboscis monkey and it immediately hopped onto the boat. It was obviously very tired from the swim and happy to be rescued.

As the team neared the shore, the monkey then jumped onto the beach, staying for awhile to regain strength before it disappeared back into the jungle. Investigating the event after, naturalist Justin Juhun, who spends much of his time on the resort grounds observing habits and protecting the Gaya Island resident wild proboscis monkey harem, pinpointed it as the 15-year old dominant male of the harem. “When we found the monkey, it had scratches on its nose signifying that there was some tension with the young males in the harem.

''Eyewitnesses also saw these other males driving this monkey away. It then ran into the sea to escape. The incident is no cause for alarm as it signifies a healthy relationship within the harem.”

The endangered proboscis monkey, identifiable by its large, pendulous nose, is endemic to the island of Borneo. It was a short but exciting episode for guests and team members of Gaya Island Resort to witness nature at its most exhilarating, enabling all to experience the magnificence of the proboscis monkey and bring home the need to protect them.

Gaya Island Resort
Situated on Pulau Gaya within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park in Borneo, Gaya Island Resort is a natural sanctuary nestled in the hillside of an ancient rainforest. The 121 villas respect Sabahan elements and blend harmoniously with the natural environment while interiors are designed with a contemporary elegance. Integrated within the mangroves is Spa Village Gaya Island offering programmes that reflect the region's healing practices from the specialised rice scrubs and masques of the Kadazandusun to the age-old practices of the Bajau sea nomads. Discoveries, authentic experiences and closeness with the natural world all prevail across the YTL Luxury Resort’s land and seascape, offering travellers and
families an escape that is distinctively Borneo.

About YTL Hotels
YTL Hotels owns and manages a prestigious collection of award-winning resorts, hotels, boutique experiences and Spa Villages in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, France and the UK, including Pangkor Laut Resort, voted the world’s best resort in 2003.

In July 2012, the company added Gaya Island Resort, a luxurious resort on the exotic tropical island of Borneo to the fold, while December 2012 saw the unveiling of The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur, the second heritage jewel in the group’s Classic Hotel collection.

With each new experience that it unveils, the company strives to embrace and highlight the natural essence of culture, character and tradition of its surroundings. YTL Hotels is the hospitality arm of YTL Corporation Berhad. Visit www.ytlhotels.com for more information.