A rare and awe-inspiring encounter with an adult orangutan in Sabah’s Danum Valley has taken social media by storm, with a TikTok video of the moment garnering widespread attention.
The footage, posted by user @freddiejude_bri on April 1, shows the orangutan emerging from dense foliage onto a walking trail near the Borneo Rainforest Lodge.
The massive primate pauses, staring directly at the camera before shifting its gaze to a group of astonished onlookers, many of whom were recording the unforgettable sighting.
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The brief clip ends as the orangutan retreats, but not before leaving thousands of viewers mesmerised.
The video has since accumulated over 1.2 million views, 118,000 likes and 2,380 comments from amazed TikTok users worldwide.
Danum Valley, a protected conservation area, is one of the last strongholds for wild orangutans. While these primates are known to inhabit the region’s dense rainforests, sightings at such close range remain a rarity.
Many social media users expressed their admiration for the stunning encounter, with some calling it a “magical moment” and others highlighting the importance of preserving Malaysia’s rich biodiversity.
“Wow, lucky are those who were there at that moment! It’s rare for orangutans to show up there nowadays. Last year, we even rushed through the leech-filled jungle just to see one, but it was hiding up in the trees, playing peekaboo,” one user called shish2.0 commented.
“They usually look for food when they wander far out into populated areas. Orangutans usually stay deep in the forest. Call the wildlife department. If you have no experience, don’t try to handle them—orangutans are strong and can be dangerous,” Nr.Liz wrote.
Some users had fun with the sighting, joking that the orangutan was out celebrating Raya, while others humorously compared it to their siblings emerging from their rooms after long periods of isolation.
“Just like my sibling coming out of their room during Raya—everyone stares because it’s so rare!” Jipia commented jokingly.
