Fast Facts Date of Establishment- 1964. Area covered- 9.880 acres. Location- The sanctuary is located in the eastern part of Malaysia on Sabah Island. Know Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary! The Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary is located on Sabah Island in the eastern part of Malaysia. The sanctuary was established in the year 1964 for the rehabilitation of the baby orang utans, who have been orphaned or have been injured by hunters. The sanctuary covers an area of around9.880 acres that mainly comprises of rainforests. The orang utans are trained here by experts so that they can survive on their own. They are taught to swing, climb, feed etc. After they are fully trained, they are set free in their natural habitat. One can also see various other types of animals like lizards, snakes, hornbills, spiders, tortoises, bugs and many more. Accessibility The sanctuary can be easily reached by road. The sanctuary is only 25kms from Sandakan and can be reached only is 20minutes.