Taming the wild cattle

Bunga, Salty, Yeoh and I left ITBC at about 10am Monday heading to Maliau Basin Field Studies Centre via Kimanis-Keningau-Sapulut Road. The view up the Crocker Range was stunning, I know Bunga and Salty missed it - they slept. We stopped briefly at Keningau and I bought something (which proved to be useless at least until today). The Sapulut-Merotai road is not too bad considering it is still unsealed. Journey, however, wasn't that cheerful. All three students of mine chosed not to talk (is language a problem?).

And there it was - not the cattle, but the logging activity - just next to the road. Clear underneath with some tall thin trees left behind, readily identified as binuang and laran, most of them.

Then there was the sound, some pebbles on windscreen - I looked at the side mirror, tyre was gone, like being peeled off the rim and sat like a dead snake by the roadside. The car stopped (it had to). It exploded and nothing was left that look anything like a tyre. And it was so hot.

Done with that - we continued and reach MBFSC at about 5pm.

Press Interview (Sin Chew & The Star)

Dear all,

Marlina Lasama and Donna Christine Simon will be interviewed by two National newspapers, Sin Chew Jit Poh and The Star. I hope they will be able to give a valuable interview, talk about their study and their hopes for the future.

Hamid.

On camping out in the bush

Guys, this is funny - I hope Bunga and Jan will not feel offended, but if you do, please remember that you are not alone. There are many-many people who are thinking that camping in the bush is an outing like what is shown on tv. TV lies a lot!

As Jan and Bunga (and some of you, in the future) will be camping out in the bush of Maliau Basin, I think there are somethings that we need understand.

Bunga suggested that we bring a stove and gas tank. Also, some charcoal. My answer is that we are not going to take them and we will make fire in the bush. Bunga shot back "what about if it rains?". She's right and so are you. 

This trip will be a trip like no other. It will be slow, wet and bad. Nothing resembling that of an outing at ODEC. We will walk and carry backpacks - only one backpack and we need to put everything that we need into that backpack. Don't bring two! Your front must be free from hanging bag - perhaps the only thing that can be out of the bag is a parang, to be hung from your waist. Both of your hands must be free all the time. Basically, we will take just enough clothing. A pair that will be always dry will be the one you will use for the nights. I will provide you with sleeping bags - I hope I can get those than be rolled into a very small ball. You will be sweating like you never did before. Therefore, you need energy and need to be fit. From now on, go jogging. Do it religuously, twice a day, morning and late afternoon. Start at the stadium for the first 5 days and try to complete 10 laps following the outermost lane. Slowly - we will never run in the bush. The idea is to tone your muscles. After that do it along the roads within the uni - I suggest you start from the stadium and follow the road uphill, turn right towards chancellory road till you get to the T junction and turn right to the IPMB road until you reach the end of the h-way - don go down to IPMB. Then jog back the same route. Please note that the first few days your feet will be aching - but carry on. You'll be alright, better be prepared than sorry.

Hamid.

Paitan's giant croc

There were 4 of us; Janet, Katherine, Dr Pushpa and I, Farid drove the white D-Max departing ITBC mid morning on Monday Aug 18th. This was the first trip to Paitan for Janet Hor - an honors candidate who braved to take on the crocs of Paitan. It sounded eerie - only it shouldn't. Kat studies the weaver-ants this year - the man-eating ants!  We have not made arrangements in Paitan for anything - boat, boatman, rental rates nothing. The only thing I was sure about was that we were going to stay overnight at Marudu Inn and NOT at Hotel California (also in Kota Marudu). We checked in and off we went to Kanibongan. Somehow this place sounded familiar and made me think that it has connections with Paitan. But it hasn't. Kanibongan does not connect to Paitan but sure it has crocodiles, right under the bridge at the Tamu. We were told "You want to work in Paitan, you go to Paitan, mate" - Fair Dinkum, we did.

First we went to Kg. Sulit, Paitan Kecil - mimang sulit mo pigi sana... I met two teenagers who were relaxing on a large boat eating sunflower seeds. They didn't know much about everything and said yes to most my questions. Not much help there. Farid drove back to Paitan bridge and immidiately we saw a couple of boats down the jetty. One, blue in color, two old ladies with bubu udang and the skipper, a long-haired fair-skinned man in his 30s. The older said that the boat would be busy, husband was ill (a very polite refusal).

+ Possible to hire your boat, Mr?

- Where to?

+ Just around here along this Paitan, looking for crocs.

- Bah... you don't fool around with this thing, ye know. They are no good, ye know. You brave, eh?

- We are from the uni in KK, these are my students, we are studying crocs...

+ UMS, eh? You people don't know nothing. These guys chase people, chase boats, chase torchlights.. ye know, before you can get away, they get you first...

- We are not going to catch them...(cut)

+ You want to go, you bring our people, ye know. My tribe, two of them...

- OK, we can do that, let's talk...

+ You haven't seen one down the river yet, 100 feet!

- Really?

+ You know nothing, ye know, you won't miss it... 100 feet!

- Sure! I won't miss a 100 feet croc. You take care there, mum, hope your husband gets well soon. Bye!

A hundred feet croc! No joke.

Let me tell you a little bit of Paitan croc's reputation. Since 2000, they launched 4 attacks. Fatal human attacks involved a headman of Kebulu and a schoolboy. Man's torso was found 15km downstream three days later. Boy was never found. A schoolgirl was grabbed before the eyes of her father who dive for the croc's head and jabbed its eyes. The girl was released and now in school. Still there bearing permanent scars. Another was a cattle, killed but not eaten. Croc was shot and fled into the water.

So, a 100 feet croc might not be too long a shot after all.

Amid.

hey!

hello,

Its been a long time since there's any news from all the wildlifers....
welcome to all the new members and good to hear from those old members!!
by the way, how's the LI experience gain by the other ex-3rd year students?
hope that all of you had an great experience just like ka han and me...
see you guys at the convocation!!

Welcome to New Wildlifers!

Hi everyone!

A warmly welcome from me to all the new wildlifers. Do share something with us here! And I am always available for any question from you. All the best!

Best regards,
Ka Han

New Members (and Old members)

Dear all,
I have invited my new students (undergrads) this year into this group. They are Janet (Hor Chai Suan), Lee Siaw Ling, Suzie (Khor Shwu Shin) and Julie (Yap Bee Suan). Another two will follow soon.

Those of you out there, please feel free to communicate with us, or please tell me if you do not want to be a part of this group anymore (sad...).

hamid.

Industrial Training at KK Wetland Centre (KKWC)

Hi wildlifers~

I am having my Industrial Training at KK Wetland Centre (KKWC), also known as KK City Bird Sanctuary (KKCBS) before. It is my 3rd day here and it's my pleasure to drop by to share a little bit of my experiences. As a Conservation Biology based student, I am under supervision of an Environmental Education officer which we will give talk about KKWC, mangroves, as well as the biodiversity here to students, teachers and public. Besides talk, of course there will be Interpretative Walk to get closer with the real mangrove environment here. Today we have session for bird-watching. We have been briefed on methods, identification, etiquettes , etc. before we went to the mangrove area for bird-watching using binocular. I have saw many types of birds but only managed to identified 10 species such as Purple Heron, Little Egret, Intermediate Egret, Great Egret, and White Collar Kingfisher. One of the endangered species of birds in Asia, Lesser Adjutant Stork was seen here before. Besides, we were told that about 10 fireflies were brought from Klias by one of the IBTP's lecturer.

It will be a good experience for visitors especially who loves the nature. For all wildlifers who are interested to come, KKWC is open from 8am-6pm everyday except Monday.

Is toad a frog?

Hello,

Dear Dr. Hamid, Tang (Tang Huoy Min) here .
I choose to write this post because I read a book today, which tells about the naming of toads and frogs.
I remembered that Dr. ask me a question during my progress report presentation, saying that if toad and frogs are 'frog', why is toad called 'toad'?
Well, here's the answer....
"The terms frog and toad can often be confusing, mainly because there are no real scientific rules to distinguish between two".
This statement are copy from book "Wildlife & Natural Resource Management by Kevin H. Deal (1998)".
Dr. please add me. My email address is mihon218@gmail.com

Kalimantan Tengah and freshwater fishes

Hi guys,
I am writing this up before the heat of my Kalteng memories fade. So, I just came back from Kalimantan Tengah (Kalteng) via Banjarmasin and actually stayed in the city of Palangkaraya for 3 nights. The land journey from Banjarmasin to Palangkaraya took about 5 hours - despite only 200km in distance. The road is less luxirious, I might say. The scenery is just like Beaufort, minus the many houses in Beaufort. It is a huge stretch of peatland all throughout. I slept for about an hour in the bus, when I woke up, it was all the same: flat, and degraded peatland all over. The rivers are huge. I crossed the longest river bridge in Indonesia, the Barito Bridge, stretching 1.2km over the Barito passing a small island in the middle where the foundations are.

What I want to share is the fact that how freshwater fishes are consumed in Kalteng. Climbing perch, snakehead, catfishes. In fact I had seven meals at the Dandang Tingang Hotel in Palangkaraya (3 brekkies, 2 lunches, 3 dinners), except the brekky this morning, we had ikan patin without fail! You better enjoy your roti canai and teh tarik with all of your hearts, because if you were in Palangkaraya for 3 nights, you might miss them a lot.

If I have time, I'll share some pics, too.

Hamid.

Flooding in Klias

Harnitta & Nasirah (and Fairus & Hafiz),

I talked to Zul just now, water is still high and rain is still doing its bit. I think I will have to pass the Klias trip to F and H - I don't think I can handle this one by having to go to Serudong and Klias. It is OK if I don't go, kan?

What you guys need to do is to keep asking for news about water level from zul and decide to go.

I hope this can be done when the water is still high but low enough to take the party to the jetty at Sg Api-Api.

Zul's hp is 0198323371

Hamid.

Snake Island trip

Hi all,

If you can't find the tidal charts, there are 2 copies in IPMB - one at the Pejabat Am and another at the Boathouse.

Cindy - please prepare 20 sample jars filled with 5% buffered formalin to preserve your samples, plus 20 empty jars and a litre of formalin just in case you are able to get an abundance of biofouling samples.

Is there a tentative plan for 17 & 18 Jan? What time do we leave KK?

Thanks.

Pushpa

Klias Snake and other directive

Guys,

This cute little serpent was captured in the swamp of Klias (Yes, where your toilet was!) near the last pondok. It was seen by Dr Fairus twigging itself as camouflage (apparetly, Fairus didn't care about his trick!).

I don't know what it is in Latin but it is only 8 cm and I think that is as big as it gets.

To Harnitta and Nasirah, one of the fishes we photographed from the fishermen was IDed as Clarias nieuhofii - a new record from Sabah! Your job now is to try your luck to find Clarias pseudonieuhofii!!!  

Clarias nieuhofii - it is different from all Clarias by having ventral, caudal and anal fins not separated.

The crockers, quickly find the latest tidal chart for 2008! We need to go to Beringgis and Klias soon!!!

Hamid.

happy new yer

Hi guys!

Happy new year! January and February will be my busiest months yet - so guys, please keep me informed of things you want to do these coming two months.

I've had a good nice break and could have the looongest break I ever had, or at least if felt like a long one. Take it from me, if you wanted your break to be a long one, don't go anywhere. Eat sleep, eat sleep... Trust me, it'll be long.

Hamid.