Meet Gaya Island Resort's Resident Naturalist: Justin Juhun

When wandering through the verdant rainforest which enclaves Gaya Island Resort, the best person you want guiding you through Sabah, Borneo's natural wilderness is Justin Juhun, our Resident Naturalist.

Born in Tawau, a town located on the south-eastern coast of Sabah, Justin was raised in a family of wildlife enthusiasts. From an early age, Justin's daily responsibilities ranged from hand rearing orphaned infants, bottle feeding them whenever necessary and nursing them to a full bill of health. Throughout the years, he has nurtured more than 50 local wildlife species and has dedicated his time and energy into honing his skills to recognize animal behavioral patterns and understand the needs and wants of those that can't communicate verbally to him. Just some of the wildlife which Justin has dealt with include Orang Utans, Borneo Pygmy Elephants, Borneo Gibbons and Maroon Langgurs.

Justin is as eager as we all are for the resort to open and we decided to ask him a few questions of what we can expect to see when we visit Gaya Island Resort and also to give us a little bit of insight to the man who will help us explore Borneo's natural secrets.

Gaya Island Resort opens soon. Are you looking forward to the opening and bringing guests through the surrounding rainforest?

Definitely. I cannot wait to share the beauty of Gaya Island rainforest with guests from all over the world.

How long have you been a naturalist for?

In ’96 I got my first job working on an Orang Utan conservation project, if you want to count that as my official start as a “naturalist”. But in fact, I have spent most of my life in the beautiful jungle while making a lot of contact and developing my experience with wild life.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Seeing and experiencing the progress and success of the conservation projects I am involved with is the most rewarding thing in the world.

Can you tell us what makes Sabah, Borneo such a special place to visit?

Sabah is very fortunate to be so rich with natural resources, from the sea to the mountain. We have the majestic Mount Kinabalu where a lot of wildlife reside and also possesses a collection of unique flora species, and also we have the island of Sipadan which is a dream for all divers.

What type of unusual flora can be found around Gaya Island Resort?

There is a type of tree called Aquilaria, which is listed as a Prohibited Species. It has great commercial value as it produces agarwood, the resin-containing heartwood obtained from old and infected trees. The argarwood is used as incense and in luxury oriental perfumery. Logging is of course absolutely not allowed! However I can tell you if you burn the heartwood, the smell is heavenly.

What, in your opinion, is one thing that everybody who visits Sabah, Borneo should do?

There are so many things to do! But if I must choose one, I will say to visit Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

Tell us what you believe makes Gaya Island Resort such a special place to stay at?

The unique experience that we offer: From the location of the resort, the fun activities, the amazing nature surrounding, and the warm Sabahan hospitality.

Justin's answers provide us just a small insight to what awaits us when we step onto Pulau Gaya and he will help to enhance your experience by bringing you on various different walks, educating you along the way and also helping you to discover a botanic reserve exceptionally rich in endemic plants. As you accompany him, Justin will share some of his amazing stories which are just waiting to be told, including the one where he once spent four hours trying to resuscitate a sick Bottlenose Dolphin. With his help, the dolphin managed to make a full recovery before returning to the sea.

When he's not saving dolphins or trekking through the rainforest, Justin dedicates his time to taking amazing nature photographs of everything that he encounters. He also happens to be a pretty good musician and you may find him backing up the natural ballads of the forest with the gentle strumming of his guitar.

Justin, thank you for all your advice and we can't wait to see you at Gaya Island Resort.