Proboscis Monkey Pictures from Sabah Borneo

Here are some Proboscis Monkey pictures from Sabah Borneo I took during one of my many trips here.

This is my photography attempt at a portrait of wildlife. Therefore, I chose the very unique Proboscis Monkey or Dutch-Man Monkey, which can only be found on the island of Borneo.

This place is located in a private conservation area called Labuk Bay, about an hour’s drive from the town of Sandakan in East Sabah.

Proboscis Monkey From Sabah Borneo

Having visited Labuk Bay in Sabah for the first time, I assumed that the monkeys would be far away. To my surprise, one of the younger monkeys was brave enough to approach me while I was trying to photograph them.

He casually made his way to the wooden railing that prevented people from entering the main feeding area. Looking totally unafraid, he climbed up and sat on the railing, looking at me.

I suspected he wanted some food, but a keeper eventually came and gave him a piece of cucumber.

However, these delicate creatures have very sensitive stomachs and can only eat limited foods that are mostly available in their habitat.

So, do not even think of feeding them, especially when you see them at the Kinabatangan River in Sabah. They will most likely end up dying of stomach complications in the long run.

The main picture above shows the proboscis monkey eating a fresh cucumber. The following images show this strange monkey with a large nose and a pot belly.

They are copper-bronze in colour and usually travel in packs with one prominent leader, the alpha male. Protected by the state government, it is illegal to own or rare them.

They are also known to be among the hardest animals to keep in captivity, so you will not see them in zoos.

Proboscis Monkey Photographs

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Full frontal profile.

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Notice the crown of the hair.

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Eating a cucumber.

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Off-profile shot.

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The side profile with the direct sun hitting.

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Fancy hairdo.

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Female proboscis monkey looking down.

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Full shot of the proboscis monkey.

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Yawning.

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Eyes closed.

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Still young, but already matured.

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Smiling for a photo.

The picture above shows the proboscis monkey smiling and is my favorite shot. This is also a juvenile, as its nose has not fully developed.

When you are here, you will surely see the various ages of these primates, which can be attractive to photograph.

Conclusion

For wildlife and nature lovers, Sabah is one of the places that I recommend exploring, as there are many options throughout the place. Birds, elephants, monkeys, and even nocturnal animals can be found around the Sandakan area.

One popular place to see them is the Kinabatangan River Safari. Many services cater to serious wildlife watching, and many conservation areas are easily accessible.

I hope you enjoyed my Proboscis Monkey pictures from Sabah, and if you have any comments, please ask them below in the comment form.

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0 comments

Ciki 13/04/2011 6:17 am

gorgeous shot! super well captured! I LOVE the yawning one.. so cute;)

Ted Nelson 13/04/2011 6:36 am

What a beautiful soulful creature. Thank you for capturing it with your spectacular photographs and sharing.

iamthewitch 13/04/2011 6:53 am

Gorgeous pictures!! Very clear and sharp, love it!

zoja 13/04/2011 4:31 pm

Very good pictures, I never see monkey in real life, only on TV and the Internet,your monkey has an interesting red hair:)

Jeremy B 13/04/2011 9:14 pm

I can't decide if they are ugly or cute. I think I have to go with ugly. Fascinating creatures though!

The Dude 13/04/2011 9:22 pm

You open a link & then you see that first pic of that site… Cool!

The first pic is already awesome!

Malaysia Asia 13/04/2011 9:30 pm

Cumi & Ciki – Thanks and yes, the yawning was because I was clicking away until he got bored! lol.

Ted – Thanks a bunch! I hope to capture more on my next trip at the end of April. Will share them here.

iamthewitch – Mei, thanks and will try to do more shots end of the month!

Jeremy B – Hahah, I have to agree with your statements as some find them adorable while others see them in a different light. But overall, they are indeed unique in their own special way.

The Dude – Melvin, thank you so much! I wanted to try something different here. It's always blog blog blog.. so I thought, lets try Pic Pic Pic…

Regards,
David

Kelly Lewis 14/04/2011 1:46 am

You know, I used to love monkeys… and then I got jumped by one. Haha.

Barbara Weibel 14/04/2011 2:17 am

Hi David: Love these photos. Well done! You know how they identify whales by the shape and condition of their tails? I wondered if they identify these creatures in the wild by the individual shape of their big noses. 🙂

Jillian 14/04/2011 2:49 pm

Funny little noses on those guys!

Laurel 14/04/2011 2:55 pm

David, wonderful photos, I love how you caught the light in their eyes! I have a primatology degree (study of monkeys) and these guys are among my favorites. Also, thanks for mentioning to not feed the monkeys. I would hate to see them die of something that is totally preventable.

inka 14/04/2011 5:24 pm

What extraordinary pictures. They look so huamn.

Christy @ Technosyncratic 14/04/2011 9:33 pm

These are really phenomenal photos – they capture the little monkey so well. And that nose is just adorable! 🙂

Camemberu 15/04/2011 1:50 am

Amazing photos! And such luck to have this precious species come up to you totally unafraid and trusting!

Malaysia Asia 15/04/2011 6:46 pm

Kelly – Awww, and where did this jump happen?

Barbara – Apparently they do, the bigger the nose, the more senior and powerful they are. That's why the dominant male has the largest one.

Jillian – Wait till you hear about their strange habits.

Laurel – You're most welcome and I hope you are planning on coming around here for more research? Yes: Never ever feed any wildlife!

Inka – They are, very rare and only found in Borneo.

Christy – Thanks and hopefully I will get more better pictures of the Proboscis on my next visit there.

Camemberu – Thanks Cat, trust me, at first I was afraid, then we became friends 🙂

Todd at Visit50 29/06/2011 4:20 am

Hi David, great photos! I just got back from Malaysian Borneo and found it made an impact on me as well. I wanted to introduce you to my website section devoted to Proboscis Monkeys, which includes my recent 2011 proboscis monkey photography:

http://50and50by50.com/2011/06/borneo-proboscis-monkey-up-close/