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Endemic to Borneo (the world's third-largest island, dividing the territories of Indonesia, Brunei, and Malaysia), the proboscis monkey, or long-nosed monkey, is one of the world's most unusual primates. They don't live in isolation but play together in large groups, commonly seen in the island's tropical forests and mangrove swamps, including the area around the Kawa Kawa River in Malaysia.
The proboscis monkey is the largest monkey species on the island of Borneo. They have the longest nose of any monkey species.
Proboscis monkeys are omnivores and eat a wide variety of fruits, leaves, insects, and small animals. They are social animals and live in groups of 10 to 60 individuals.
The long-nosed macaque is one of the largest monkey species in Asia. Males weigh 16–35 kg, while females are considerably smaller. The most recognizable feature of this species is their large, long, drooping nose, especially in males, and their reddish-brown fur. The male's nose is larger than the female's, measuring 18 cm, and is used to produce loud calling sounds. This long nose is a key feature that helps males attract mates during the breeding season.
Besides their distinctive appearance, proboscis monkeys also have the ability to ruminate. They will consume large amounts of food, and then, when they have free time, they will ruminate. Their favorite foods include leaves, flowers, and insects.
It is also thanks to this nose that proboscis monkeys can emit howls that can be heard tens of kilometers away.
They don't live in isolation but play together as a group.
To see the proboscis monkeys up close, visitors can travel by boat along the Kawa Kawa River, about 70 km from Kota Kinabalu city. To photograph these animals from high in the trees, visitors should prepare equipment with long-focal-length lenses.
At each stretch of the river where monkeys are spotted, the boat driver will slow down and stop close to the shore for about 15 minutes to allow tourists to observe and capture the moment. Note that tourists should not be too noisy as this may scare the monkeys away. Along the Kawa Kawa River, in addition to long-nosed monkeys, tourists can also enjoy observing other types of wildlife.
To avoid disturbing the monkeys' natural habitat, the boat only stops at the shore for about 15 minutes for tourists to observe them.
Many tourists were excited to see the longest-nosed monkey on the planet for the first time.
Proboscis monkeys are omnivores that eat a wide variety of fruits, leaves, insects, and small animals. They are social animals and live in groups of 10 to 60 individuals. Proboscis monkeys are considered endangered due to habitat loss and hunting.
According to the local guide, the proboscis monkey population has significantly declined and is listed as an endangered species in the Red Book. However, along the Kawa Kawa River, the long-nosed monkeys and other animals living in the riverside forests are untouched by human activity.
Long-tailed monkeys are drinking water and foraging for food along the riverbank.
There are not only proboscis monkeys, but also many other species of monkeys.
Baby monkeys face many dangers and can become prey to crocodiles, lizards, eagles, and pythons.
A riverine region with mangrove forests.
Along the Kawa Kawa River, long-nosed monkeys and other animals live naturally in the riverside forests, untouched by human activity.
Besides monkeys, along the Kawa Kawa River, visitors can also see a number of other wild animals such as storks, lizards, and birds.
Tourists are captivated by the large, brown monkeys with long noses that obscure their mouths, constantly swinging from branch to branch, picking flowers, and playing high in the trees.
Riverine landscape
