Program Reviews

I think that everyone should experience this island and this way of travelling at least once in thier lives. My trip lasted two weeks but I gained so much from them and wished I could stay longer. It would be impossible to pick one experience to share! Instead, I will say that the Kampung and all it's inhabitants are welcoming and have immeasurable hospitality, the Fuze Ecoteer team there are all so friendly and the project is run and coordinated so well.

First of all, I hope you will excuse me for my bad english. It is not my native language. We got a lot of memories from the trip, but the two most amazing things was the camping in the jungle and the caves. To have a night in the jungle and listen to all the sounds are wonderful. And to eat food, which was prepared in bambu, with leaves as the plate. And I will never forget the feeling when crawling under A big rock in the caves.

We really enjoyed our time at the Perhentians, a corner of paradise. The project was fun and we loved the program that involved a Robinson-Crusoe-like 3 night stay at the most beautiful desert beach where we helped protecting the turtle's hatchlings before delivering them in the sea! Turtle surveys were also very cool as you could snorkel and see turtles up close as well as amazing corals and fishes. We also cleaned up a beach from all the litter and that was also very satisfying, especially when locals would pass by you and thank you! We loved Malaysian food (the program also included a dinner night out at some of the locals') and Malay people, very welcoming and lovely!

I could write an essay about my experiences but I wont. I have had a brilliant 2 weeks working with the Animal Keepers and Vet. The keepers are very patient and try hard to communicate in English. Accomodation and food is good and you definitely won't go hungry. I was a bit shocked that there were air cons in each room.

The staff, keepers and volunteer coordinators truly care for the animals wellbeing here.

I was lucky enough to help work on the baby sun-bears indoor enclosure and see her transition to this bigger cage.

The volunteer coordinator is very helpful, especially weekend day trips and transport. Seeing I was at WRC by myself for the first week this was very helpful and reassuring.

I actually wish I was staying an extra week. You definitely need to stay more than one week as you really get the hang of things.

An amazing two weeks spent with amazing people! Definitely would have regretted staying for less, and if I didn't have to return home for work and university I would have stayed a lot longer!

Although the amenities are a bit basic (cold showers, wooden house with gaps everywhere for the creepy crawlies to come in - ahh!), I felt very safe and it was well worth it for the experience. As long as you're prepared to get into the activities and don't mind some hands on action then you will love this.

Activities are well thought out, prepared and the staff are always checking that you are happy and having fun. I love knowing that I was part of something bigger, if only for a short time, because the difference Fuze Ecoteer is making in this community is truly tremendous! I would love to come back in a few years and see what it will have become.

I volunteered at the wildlife centre Joga for two week in January and it has been an amazing to work with the staff and meet and learn about all the incredible animals they have here. The mornings here start with a wake up call from the gibbons, macaques,orangutans and birds- what better way to start the day! The animal keepers are very welcoming and have answered any questions I have had about the centre, Java and most importantly the animals themselves, this is also true of the project co-ordination Renea who has made me feel extremely welcome as well as being a great source of knowledge about the culture,traditions and language of Java and Indonesia.
You are provided with everything you need at the centre good accommodation, amazing food, great company and incredible animals, the local people are very friendly and accomdating and I settled into the way of life with ease.

They have over 150 animals at the centre and I loved meeting all of them, but my favorites were defintely the orangutans they are just incredible animals and are cared for very well at the centre. Enrichment for the animals is also a large and very rewarding part for the programme, stuffed bottles, bamboo fruits parcels and frozen treats are but a few of the food enrichment treats we gave to the animals, frozen treats being a particular favorite of hot and humid days.
I would definitely recommend the programme to anyone who loves animals, wants to learn and try something a bit different. My experience here has been one the most rewarding trips I have ever had and provided me with more confidence and experience to continue my studies and career in working with animals.

First off I want to say; Merapoh is an incredibly beautiful place, filled with wonderful people and even if you are not considering working there, you should visit none the less!

I originally signed up to stay at the Merapoh Community & Conservation project for 3 months; I soon found that that was not long enough. After another 3 months, I have decided that yet again I am not ready to leave, so will be returning in February, when the project reopens after the monsoon dies down.

Working with the Batek is an incredible experience, their willingness to share their vast knowledge of the forest and its inhabitants is, at times, humbling. Communication with them can at times be challenging for non-Malay speakers, as they do not speak English, so I would advise doing some homework and learning some basic Malay before joining the project, if possible, to allow you to hit the ground running. That said, there are Malay speakers at the project already, so there will always be someone to help out if you can’t understand.

My six months working with Fuse-Ecoteer have allowed me to do some pretty incredible things; trekking, camping, caving just within Merapoh for a start. I have helped organise trips for groups of school children and university students, I have taken part in an exhibition in KL’s Eco Film Fest, all the time with accommodation and transport being provided. I have also been able to visit our other projects in Ipoh; where I was able to do white water rafting and I was given a chance to stay on the Perhentian Islands; where I spent days submerged in the crystal clear waters surrounded by fish of all shapes and sizes.

Dan and Pavin are both great guys who share a genuine desire to help people and to facilitate others to come and help too. Communication can sometimes be a bit lacking, but that is forgivable knowing how busy they both are. I’d also like to highlight Merapoh’s team leader Azee, who has done a fantastic job over the last six months, and I look forward to working with her again next year.

So to close, I’d like to thank everyone in the Fuse-Ecoteer family that has made the last 6 months so enjoyable, can’t wait to get the team back together and get started again in February!

Words cannot describe the first time you lay your eyes on a Tigers pug mark. You may have seen it many times in pictures or in documentaries. It’s still pretty impressive. But to have one right there in front of you, with the print so deeply embedded in the dirt leaves you speechless. Firstly, just knowing that you are walking down the same track that this magnificent creature walked along just days before is an honour in itself. Secondly is the feeling of pride, that you are on the front line of Tiger conservation, protecting one of nature’s greatest creations. It is an experience I never thought I would get to have. But thanks to Fuze-ecoteer’s intern programme, it is one that I shall never forget.

For me, ever since I was young; nature, wildlife and conservation have always been a passion. But finding a way to turn that passion into a career in conservation is extremely challenging. So if someone told me four years ago that I would be setting up camera traps, collecting data on animals such as Leopards, Sun Bears, and Elephants. Or that I would be spending my weekends camping with the Batek, one of Malaysia’s Orang Asli groups, learning about their culture and history. I probably would have laughed in their face. But life has a funny way about it.

Interning with Fuze-ecoteer has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and unforgettable experiences, in the field of conservation and community development. Whether that is teaching English to children who have dropped out of the education system, to being able to search for snares and traps or any other illegal activity plaguing Malaysia’s rainforests. Being a part of such an organic, grass-roots organisation that strives to make a positive impact, leaves you with a sense that you are a part of something incredible. Surrounded by people who are equally passionate only motivates you even more, which is why I decided to extend my internship for another three months. The trust and confidence given within this role is exceptional, where time and space is given to make a difference within the surrounding communities and environment.

We had a tiger walk during Eco Leadership Programme from 29 October to 1 November 2015. We set up mock camera trap, identify animals mark, learning about animals behaviour like sun bear, elephant etc.

Really happy to connect with mother nature and also doing great things in tiger walk, to increase awareness about the poaching activities near to the borderline of Taman Negara - Sg Yu Tiger Corridor.

Thank you Ecoteer and MyCat for the great effort.

I went into the Tiger Conservation work with no experience and not even being a massive nature girl.

I knew I wanted to do some voluntary work and experience a different, more personal side of asia, away from the package tours, sitting on a tour bus, following a yellow/red umbrella.

What I experienced at Merapoh, exceeded all my expectations!

We went jungle trekking to set up cameras traps and to look for pugmarks. My personal favourite was Sun bear prints on tree barks, love the way they slide down them! Other days we went caving, slept under the stars in the jungle, had amazing home cooked traditional Malay dinner at a family’s home, and taught English to the Batek tribe.

My week in Merapoh went by so quickly, but it was filled with so many memorable, magical moments. I honestly loved it and would recommend it to anyone.

The Merapoh team/ family were all lovely, supportive and knowledgeable. I truly hope that our paths will cross again. I thank them all for such an epic adventure!