APE Malaysia (Animal Projects & Environmental Education SDN BHD)

What APE Malaysia (Animal Projects & Environmental Education SDN BHD) does

APE Malaysia is a Malaysian-registered social enterprise, founded in 2007 and accredited under the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (originally SE.A in 2019, upgraded to SE.B in 2024). The organization designs and operates programs that embed volunteers, corporate contributors, and partner organizations within conservation project sites in Sabah, Borneo — primarily the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary for reforestation and the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) for animal welfare. Core operations span four revenue streams: paid volunteer programs (Borneo Wildlife Safari, Family Volunteering Adventure, Sun Bear Assistant 2/4-week tracks, Sun Bear Encounters), donation-based tree planting (Plant a Tree and ROAR for businesses at RM35–RM875 per sapling), merchandise (upcycled fire-hose pet toys, conservation-themed T-shirts), and a consultancy sub-brand (CREATE/ROAR CO2). Animal welfare delivery is built around an upcycled fire-hose enrichment model (Hammock Amok), developed in collaboration with AirAsia Foundation since 2016, that has produced 26,895 enrichment items across wildlife centers in Southeast Asia.

APE serves four customer segments with distinct economics: individual international volunteers and families (channeled through 14 agents in UK, Sweden, India, Japan, Australia, France, and Malaysia), students aged 12–17 via the Wild@Heart education program, corporate clients purchasing ROAR CO2 offsetting or staff-gift trees, and institutional wildlife centers/zoos (Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Zoo Negara, Kansas City Zoo, Como Park, Audubon, Henry Vilas, Sedgwick County) receiving enrichment programs and keeper training. Pricing is opaque on volunteer fees but disclosed on merchandise and tree donations. Distribution combines a direct e-commerce storefront, an international reseller/agent network, and direct enterprise engagement. To date, APE Malaysia reports 153,660 trees planted, 2,070 volunteers engaged, and 64 local families involved in its projects.

Underlying technology is operational rather than digital: a forestry execution stack (local planting teams at Kinabatangan), an enrichment manufacturing pipeline (fire-hose collection from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, fabrication of hammocks/swings/toys), and a habitat-corridor methodology underpinning the Lower Kinabatangan reforestation. Recent product extensions include wildlife canopy bridges developed with Langur Project Penang. The organization holds a 5-year MoU with the Sabah Wildlife Department (signed March 2021), operates without disclosed external funding or parent entity, and earns the bulk of its revenue from a mix of low-ticket donations, mid-ticket volunteer program fees, and B2B consultancy contracts — a hybrid nonprofit/social-enterprise model dependent on both donor goodwill and program fee economics.

Name

APE Malaysia (Animal Projects & Environmental Education SDN BHD)

Legal name

Animal Projects & Environmental Education Sdn. Bhd.

Website

https://apemalaysia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

APE Malaysia is a Malaysian social enterprise running conservation programs in Sabah, Borneo — including volunteer placements, paid tree-planting donations, corporate carbon offsetting, and upcycled fire-hose animal enrichment — serving individuals, families, students, corporates, and zoo partners through direct sales and a 14-country agent network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Watching & Encounters (Birding, Whale Watching, Primates) (THAJAIAC), Guided Wildlife Safaris & Game Drives (Sanctuary/Reserve-Based) (THAAAFAF), Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation programs
• Volunteer travel programs
• Habitat reforestation services
• Corporate carbon offsetting
• Environmental education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Petaling Jaya

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tree Planting (ROAR): Individual and business contributions for tree planting at Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. Trees are planted by local team and contributors receive GPS coordinates, photos, and tree type information.
2. Volunteer Programs: Fees for participating in volunteer programs including Borneo Wildlife Safari, Family Volunteering Adventure, Sun Bear Assistant, and Sun Bear Encounters at project sites in Sabah, Borneo.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including Quick Dry T-shirts (Pygmy Elephant, Sun Bear designs) and upcycled pet toys made from fire hoses. International shipping available.
4. Corporate Consultancy: ROAR for Businesses consultancy services helping companies with carbon offsetting, corporate responsibility projects, and sustainability integration.
5. Education Programs: Wild@Heart conservation education programs for students aged 12-17, including school trips to project sites.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

APE Malaysia designs and delivers conservation programmes embedded within partner project sites in Borneo. Its core offerings are volunteer programmes (Borneo Wildlife Safari, Family Volunteering Adventure, Sun Bear Assistant, Sun Bear Encounters), reforestation/tree-planting services for individuals and businesses (Plant a Tree and ROAR CO2), a conservation education curriculum for students aged 12–17 (Wild@Heart), and animal welfare and enrichment services for zoos and wildlife rehabilitation centres, complemented by CREATE environmental consultancy and Hammock Amok fire-hose upcycling.

Product overview

APE Malaysia operates as a programme portfolio rather than a single unified product, offering volunteer, education, and reforestation programmes centred on endangered wildlife and habitat restoration in Borneo. Core offerings include tree-planting services (Plant a Tree, ROAR CO2 for businesses), wildlife volunteer programmes (Borneo Wildlife Safari, Family Volunteering, Sun Bear Assistant, Sun Bear Encounters), an education programme (Wild@Heart for students), and animal welfare/enrichment services. Complementary sub-brands include CREATE consultancy and the Hammock Amok fire hose enrichment initiative. The organisation also sells merchandise (Pets4Wildlife upcycled pet toys and Quick Dry T-shirts) through its shop to fund conservation activities. All programmes are implemented at partner project sites including the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary and the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ROAR: Reforestation project for businesses to offset travel emissions and demonstrate eco-friendly commitment.
• ROAR co2
• Hammock Amok
• Wild@Heart
• Pets4Wildlife

Products and services

• Plant a Tree (Individual ROAR) A reforestation programme allowing individuals to purchase saplings planted by APE Malaysia's local team at the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary to reconnect fragmented forest corridors. Each contribution returns GPS coordinates, photos, tree type, and personalised certificates for the purchaser.
• ROAR CO2 (Corporate Reforestation) A corporate carbon offset and reforestation programme enabling businesses to plant trees at the Lower Kinabatangan region in Sabah as part of their ESG and sustainability commitments, including for offsetting travel emissions or gifting trees to staff.
• Borneo Wildlife Safari A multi-day habitat restoration and wildlife volunteer programme based in a village within the Kinabatangan River wildlife sanctuary in Sabah, Borneo, delivering conservation activities alongside APE Malaysia's local team.
• Family Volunteering Adventure A family-oriented habitat restoration and wildlife conservation programme along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah, centred on tree planting activities and wildlife engagement for families.
• Sun Bear Assistant A 2-week or 4-week volunteer programme at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in which participants work with keepers on husbandry chores and create enrichment items for sun bears undergoing rehabilitation prior to release.
• Sun Bear Encounters A shorter-duration encounter programme at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre focused on sun bear welfare and conservation awareness.
• Wild@Heart Education Programme A comprehensive, professional series of conservation education programmes for students aged 12–17, including school trips to APE Malaysia's project sites.
• Animal Welfare & Enrichment Services Animal welfare services including enrichment programmes and keeper training workshops delivered to zoos and wildlife rehabilitation centres, supporting both captive and wild-animal welfare.
• CREATE Consultancy A consultancy service offering conservation and environmental education advisory services to organisations seeking to embed sustainability in their operations or programmes.
• Hammock Amok Fire Hose Enrichment Programme A volunteer-based fire hose enrichment programme that, in collaboration with the AirAsia Foundation, fabricates and distributes enrichment items for wildlife at rescue centres across Southeast Asia.
• Pets4Wildlife Upcycled Pet Toys Upcycled pet toys made from retired fire hoses sourced from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department and upcycled seat belts from AirAsia aircraft, sold via the apemalaysia.com shop to support conservation work.
• Quick Dry Conservation T-Shirts Conservation-themed cotton Quick Dry t-shirts featuring Pygmy Elephant and Sun Bear designs, sold to fund APE Malaysia's programmes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 153,660 trees planted creating wildlife corridors in Lower Kinabatangan
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

31 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sabah Wildlife DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Government wildlife authority partner with signed 5-year MoU for reforestation and wildlife projects. APE Malaysia works with SWD for habitat restoration and conservation initiatives in Sabah.
• Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary project site for sun bear enrichment and rehabilitation programs. APE Malaysia volunteers work with BSBCC staff to create enrichment items and support bear welfare.
• AirAsia FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration since 2016 to mobilize fire hoses to wildlife centers. AirAsia AllStars participate in Hammock Amok enrichment creation events across Southeast Asia.
• Kansas City ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoo partner supporting orangutan habitat restoration. Video produced featuring Borneo Wildlife Safari experience for zoo education programs.
• Langur Project PenangcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on urban wildlife conservation including Malaysia's first residential road canopy bridge in Penang. APE Malaysia provides expertise for wildlife crossing infrastructure.
• WWF MalaysiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization partner supporting wildlife and habitat protection initiatives in Malaysia.
• Zoo NegaraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMalaysia's National Zoo where APE Malaysia contributed to enrichment center development and keeper training workshops with international zoo partners.
• Orangutan Species Survival PlanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation breeding program partner for orangutan protection and habitat restoration efforts.
• Ministry of Energy and Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partner for natural resource conservation and environmental initiatives.
• The Great ProjectscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based volunteer travel agency promoting APE Malaysia programs to international volunteers.
• Oyster WorldwidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based volunteer organization recruiting volunteers for APE Malaysia conservation programs.
• Good TravelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwedish travel company promoting sustainable volunteer experiences with APE Malaysia.
• Volunteering SolutionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndia/UK-based volunteer travel agency promoting conservation programs in Malaysia.
• EXO TravelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMalaysia-based travel company offering APE Malaysia programs to travelers.
• Travel RootsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based travel company promoting volunteer experiences with APE Malaysia.
• Global Work & TravelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian travel company promoting conservation volunteer opportunities.
• Borneo Sandakan ToursminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMalaysia-based tour operator offering APE Malaysia programs.
• Asian TigersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides storage for fire hoses and assists during packing for Hammock Amok events.
• ANIMONDIALminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimal tourism and wildlife conservation organization partner.
• Tre LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation technology partner supporting APE Malaysia initiatives.
• BSBCC JapanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapanese representative promoting sun bear conservation programs.
• ALIORE Worldwide WorkshopsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrance-based organization promoting conservation workshops and programs.
• KonexerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMalaysia-based partner organization.
• Como Park Zoo & ConservatoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoo partner supporting conservation initiatives.
• Henry Vilas ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoo partner with documented volunteer experience supporting APE Malaysia programs.
• Audubon ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoo partner supporting conservation initiatives.
• Sedgwick County ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoo partner supporting conservation initiatives.
• XploregaiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner organization.
• Apsara Ethical GiftsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEthical gifts partner supporting conservation efforts.
• Bringing Back Our Rare Animals (BORA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRare animal conservation initiative partner.
• Team RakyatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community partner organization.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Projects Abroad: Projects Abroad is a large international volunteer travel operator offering conservation placements alongside other categories. They compete directly for the same international volunteer market segment and use similar destination-site recruitment channels.
• Biosphere Expeditions: Biosphere Expeditions runs citizen-science conservation volunteer programs across species and habitats worldwide. Its model — paying volunteers embedded in genuine conservation fieldwork — closely mirrors APE Malaysia's Borneo Wildlife Safari and Sun Bear Assistant programs.
• GVI (Global Vision International): GVI is a leading voluntourism and conservation travel operator running wildlife, marine, and community programs across multiple continents. Like APE Malaysia, GVI monetizes through paid volunteer placements, partner-site delivery, and international recruitment channels targeting impact-driven travelers.
• International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ): IVHQ is a major volunteer abroad platform offering conservation, wildlife, and environmental programs in multiple countries. It competes with APE Malaysia for budget-conscious volunteer travelers and serves as an alternative channel for impact-driven tourism.
• GoEco: GoEco is a volunteer travel company specializing in wildlife and conservation programs across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Its program portfolio and customer base closely overlap with APE Malaysia's volunteer recruitment strategy.
• Frontier (Frontier Conservation): Frontier runs conservation volunteer and research programs globally, with similar focus on habitat restoration, biodiversity monitoring, and wildlife research projects. Both organizations operate volunteer-driven conservation models with comparable target customer segments.
• Earthwatch Institute: Earthwatch runs citizen-science expeditions where paying volunteers contribute to field research and conservation. It targets similar individual and corporate sustainability audiences as APE Malaysia, particularly for wildlife and habitat monitoring projects.

Broad incumbents

• WWF Malaysia: WWF Malaysia is a large, established conservation NGO operating broadly across species protection, habitat restoration, and policy advocacy. It is both a partner of APE Malaysia and a broader incumbent in the same conservation space, with much greater resources and donor reach.

Emerging players

• Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC): BSBCC is the specific wildlife rehabilitation center where APE Malaysia runs its Sun Bear Assistant and Encounters programs. While APE Malaysia operates the volunteer experience, BSBCC holds the underlying conservation IP and bear husbandry, making it both a partner and a potential disintermediation risk.
• SEE Turtles: SEE Turtles connects paying volunteers with sea turtle and broader wildlife conservation projects worldwide. It overlaps with APE Malaysia's voluntourism model and target customer — conservation-minded travelers seeking meaningful wildlife experiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/apemalaysia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apemalaysia

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about APE Malaysia (Animal Projects & Environmental Education SDN BHD)