Imagine this...i was walking on the very narrow path in the rainforest of Tanjing Puting National Park in Borneo..just getting a feel of the jungle..on my first day..and i suddenly come across this incredible creature in front of me!! A beautiful Orangutan..standing up-right and gazing at me curiously !! This is my first sighting of an Orangutan ( 'Pongo pygmaeus') in it's own habitat!!
He then started to walk directly towards me !! Notice how he is walking using his fists! I started to take pictures non-stop..and my guide tapped me on the shoulder and gently asked to get off the path !!
As i went into a side path..he simply came and sat down in front of me..only about 25-30 feet away!! My guide just told me to keep crouching down. He whispered in my ears, 'Uranus'!
Uranus is one of the big males of the area..and he was a dominant male not long ago..
He was so relaxed and gave me so many poses...notice his cheek-pads...i was too thrilled and excited to even breathe!!
He groomed himself non-nonchalantly...just observe his amazingly long feet which are so human-like!!
They are actually like our hands with long fingers...which enable Orangutans to grasp branches of trees as they move along gracefully among them.
I was mesmerised by his expressions and his mere presence..so up-close and intimate!
After a good ten minutes he decided to walk away..and he seems to wave me good-bye!!
He has such beautiful and luxuriant hair..and the ochre colour is so striking!
Uranus gave me one final look..as he sat on the same path i had walked just a few minutes back! Just look at his rain-forest habitat!!
I was so moved by such a sudden and close encounter with one of the great apes of our world that i just sat there breathless!!
