If you walk slowly and carefully in one of the trails in Kinabalu Park or Poring Hot Springs, you might be able to see the smallest squirrel in Borneo – the plain pygmy squirrel (exilisciurus exilis). Endemic to Borneo, the plain pygmy squirrel moves like Speedy Gonzales in cartoons, zig-zagging up and down a tree with such speed that it seems to be flying, more than climbing. Measuring a little more than 10cm if you include its tail, it is the smallest of three species of pygmy squirrels in Borneo. Another species is the black-eared squirrel (nannosciurus melanotis), which is distributed in Sarawak and Kalimantan.
Due to its small size and its brownish fur colour which lets it blends in among the tree trunks and branches, it can be difficult to spot the plain pygmy squirrel. More often, the squirrel is heard before it is seen.
Can also be seen at Danum Valley, Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Sukau, etc.
Also known as Least Pygmy Squirrel.
Lost Borneo’s first sunset of the year 2010.
at Garama River, Sabah, Malaysia 1.1.2010
Sourced from The Star online
Sunday January 31, 2010
Buffalo and pig fine for couple who had illicit sex
KOTA KINABALU: Four buffaloes, a pig and RM2,000 – this was the fine a court imposed on a man and his wife’s colleague for having an illicit affair.
The two were convicted by the Penampang Native Court here on Friday under customary native laws, after the man’s wife filed a complaint against them last year.
During the hearing, the woman claimed her husband had become indifferent to her after he enrolled for a degree course at a university here in 2006. She claimed she later found him and her colleague living together in a house in the city, and that when she confronted them there, her husband was clad in shorts while his lover was in a sarong.
The court fined the man RM1,000 and ordered him to pay compensation of a buffalo or RM1,500 to his wife, a pig or RM500 to his two sons and another buffalo or RM1,500 to his Kampung Langkuas folks in Papar.
He was also ordered to pay RM200 in monthly expenses for his two sons by the three-man bench comprising Penampang district officer William Sampil, and native chiefs Johney Molijo and Adrian Sikawah.
The man’s lover was fined RM1,000 and ordered to compensate his wife with one buffalo and her village in Keningau district with another buffalo.
Sampil, in delivering the ruling, said although the man and his lover claimed they were “best friends” in their defence, the court found strong evidence of their intimate affair.
Name: Western Tarsier / Horsfield’s Tarsier
Scientific name: Tarsius bancanus
Distribution: Sumatra, Borneo
One of the most difficult animals to spot in Lok Kawi Wildlife Park is the Western Tarsier. Located at a corner of the small primates enclosure, the two Western tarsiers are usually hiding at the back of the cage, and with its small size and brownish fur colour, it blends in perfectly with the tree branches. However, it is worth the effort to try to find it because in the wild, it is even more difficult to spot. I have only seen a wild tarsier once, in Gunung Mulu National Park, on the way back in the dark from Deer Cave back to the Park Headquarters.
At first glance, the Western Tarsier looks like a reject alien from Steven Spielberg’s ET movie or a ghost, especially when it rotates its head 180 degrees to look at you from the back. In fact, the Malay name for this monkey is kera hantu, or ghost monkey. The Dusun people of Sabah, however, have another name for it – tondirukut which is derived from rukut-rukut, a word meaning “mixture”. According to a Dusun story, when God created life, he had some left over parts from the other animals, and not wanting to waste, the tarsier was created from these parts. That is why the tarsier has the eyes of an owl, the ears of a bat, the tail of a monkey and the limbs of a frog.
Its huge eyes, which do not reflect light, (and hence will not show up that easily on a night drive) are its most interesting feature. The eyes weigh more than their brain, and if our eyes were the same in proportion to the Western Tarsier’s size, our eyes would be as big as apples. Besides helping it to see well at night (since it is a nocturnal animal), the eyes serve to scare off predators. Upon detecting a predator, a tarsier closes its eyes until the predator is almost directly on top of it, at which point, it opens its huge eyes and bares its sharp teeth. I can imagine even the fiercest predator running away in shock at this sight.
Its large bat-like ears also helps the tarsier in detecting prey. Insects make up a large part of the tarsiers’ diet, although they are also carnivorous and will eat lizards, snakes and bats. Like a blind kung fu master, the tarsier closes its eyes and then pounces on its prey.
Thanks to its long hind legs, the tarsier can leap up to 2 metres. During a jump, it twists its body like an Olympic platform diver doing a turn and stretches out its long fingers to grasp a branch. Its long tail is used for support and balance.
Unfortunately, the tarsier’s ET-like looks and furry body makes it a popular choice for a wildlife pet. Please take note that a tarsier requires live food, and if not properly taken care of, they will often injure and kill themselves due to stress.
In conjunction with the coming Chinese New Year celebrations, a special night bazaar cum fun fair is being organized at KDCA from the 22/1 to 21/2.
Besides the usual shooting galleries, mini zoo and haunted house attractions at usual fun fairs, there are also food stalls and stalls selling other products (including a very modern washlet!) and a concert featuring local artistes and fire-twirling performers.
Entrance is free, but tickets are sold for the various fun fair attractions.
KDCA is located in Penampang district, about 15 minutes drive from Kota Kinabalu city centre.
Sourced from The Star online 22/01/2010
By SHARON LING
KUCHING: A lorry driver survived a crocodile attack by poking the reptile in its eyes repeatedly when it refused to let go of him.
Mathias Winston, 37, from Kampung Semada Belatok, had gone to the river for a bath at about 6.30pm on Wednesday when the five-metre-long crocodile struck.
Lucky escape: Mira caring for Mathias who was treated for injuries (inset) to his hands and legs at the hospital in Kuching Thursday.“While I was having my bath the river seemed to be clear. Then suddenly, a crocodile bit my legs from under the calm water.
“I tried to prise open the crocodile’s jaws but it would not let go. I then poked its eyes until it released me,” he said at the Sarawak General Hospital here where he was being treated for injuries to his hands and legs yesterday.
Mathias wrestled with the creature for about 10 minutes at Sungai Semada, Balai Ringin, near here before screaming for help.
His wife Mira Dehim, who was cooking in their house near the river, heard him and rushed to his rescue.
“I ran to the river bank and was shocked to see him being attacked by the crocodile. I grabbed his hand and tried to pull him out.
“I thought he was going to die as the crocodile was so big,” she said, adding that this was the second such incident in the village.
In 2008, a villager was attacked by a crocodile but survived with injuries to his hips, thighs and ribs.
In the old days, mention Borneo and words like “intrepid”, “dangerous” and “wild” might come up. It was definitely not a place that you would take your children to visit. Parents worry about their children a lot. They might worry that the young ones would contract a mysterious disease from the jungle. Or end up at the wrong end of the food chain of Borneo’s giant snakes and crocodiles. Or get kidnapped and adopted by an orang utan and forced to live in the jungle like Tarzan. And then there’s the worry that headhunters might take a liking to a cute foreign kid’s head.
None of those things really happened of course (not to a tourist, anyway). Borneo is as safe as Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. The only giant snakes and crocodiles that you wil see in the city are in the zoo. And headhunters only exist in museums now.
In fact, in this modern day and time, Borneo could not be safer. There are 5-star resorts with kids-friendly activities and kids room in Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Brunei and all major cities in Borneo. Children can frolic in the pool while their parents relax and leave their children in the able hands of the resorts’ trained staff. If the food here is not to their liking, there are plenty of restaurants serving Western, Japanese, Korean, and Italian food. And then there’s the always dependable McDonald’s and KFC. Air-conditioned shopping malls provide a welcome respite from the tropical weather.
While all the above-mentioned comforts puts the kids at ease, the main reason for coming to Borneo is to explore the bountiful nature that this island is blessed with, and it is these natural attractions that will leave a happy memory in your child’s head. There is one man-made theme park in Brunei, but it is the “natural” theme parks that will make the children even happier.
Children can easily spend a day just playing in the beautiful islands and beaches off the northern coast of Borneo. Sapi Island, only 15 minutes away by boat from Kota Kinabalu, has shallow waters and plenty of tropical fishes. Marine sports like parasailing and banana boat are safe for children.
Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Springs is a gentle introduction to the jungle for kids. The trails are easy to walk, and if you stick to the well-used trails, there are no leeches.The canopy walk, a suspension bridge above the forest, is as thrilling as any ride in a theme park.
No child can resist seeing the adorable orang utan and funny-looking proboscis monkey, whether they are in zoos or (even better) in their natural habitat. Shangrila Rasa Ria’s Nature Reserve in Sabah, and Semenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre in Sarawak are two places where you can see the orang utan easily. A river cruise is the best way to see the proboscis monkeys and children will love the boat ride. A cruise along Garama River is often described by tourists as better than the man-made jungle cruise at Tokyo Disneyland.
So, if you are looking for a fun place to take your kids this holidays, why not come to Borneo, nature’s solar-powered theme park?
Ratings: ** The waterfall is not spetacular, but is worth a visit if you have time while at Poring Hot Springs.
Lost Ratings: *** Usually deserted on a weekday, while you can swim with the locals on the weekends.
Many foreign tourists who visit Poring Hot Springs usually just go to the Canopy Walk and then soak in the hot springs before going back. But there is much more to Poring then just these two attractions. There is also the Butterfly Farm, Tropical Garden, Rafflesia Garden and two waterfalls – Kipungit and Langanan.
While it takes two hours to trek to Langanan Waterfall, Kipungit is much more accessible. It is only a 15-minute walk from the Canopy Walk ticket gate. After a short hike up to the canopy walk, visitors can refresh themselves at the cold waters of the falls. This is especially so during holidays when the hot springs can be crowded, and the falls is one of the places where you can escape from the hordes of tourists.
The Kipungit Waterfall is not that high, but the waters can still look beautiful especially after a heavy rain the night before. The waterfall is surrounded by the tropical rainforest, and the cold, (but not icy-cold) waters is a great place for a swim or a frolic in the waters. The pool at the foot of the falls is not very deep (An adult can stand up above the waters), but care should still be taken since the place is deserted at times and you will find yourself being the only one there. It can be quite spooky then.
On the way to the falls, the White-crowned Shama, a bird related to the magpie robin, is very often spotted. The pill millipede can also sometimes be seen along the trail to the waterfall. Other not so popular creatures are the tiger leech, but you would be very unlucky (or lucky) to encounter one.
There used to be a natural liana swing at the waterfall, but unfortunately, the liana has broken off, either due to strong winds or a very heavy person sitting on it. There is also another fun surprise at the Kipungit Fall, but this is one surprise that I would like to keep to myself for the time being…
Sourced from BBC News 14/1/2010
By Doreen Walton
Science reporter, BBC News
Science reporter, BBC News
A female of the new species was spotted snacking on mistletoe
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A new species of bird has been spotted in the rainforests of Borneo.
Leeds University biologist Richard Webster first glimpsed the bird from a canopy walkway 35m above ground.
The spectacled flowerpecker, a small, wren-sized, grey bird, was feeding on some flowering mistletoe in a tree. On one sighting it was heard singing.
The bird has white markings around its eyes, belly and breast. It has not yet been given a scientific name because so little is known about it.
Dr David Edwards, a tropical ecologist at the University of Leeds, identified the bird as a new species from photographs.
“It’s like a dream come true,” he said. “I’ve spent all these years, decades, watching birds and all you want to do really is discover a new species to science.
“All that tropical field work has paid off, all the mosquitoes, the leeches, the rainstorms and the mud have been worthwhile.”
The team caught sight of the birds several times in the days following its first appearance.
They were working in the Danum Valley Conservation Area in Sabah, Malaysia, last summer.
“The discovery of a new bird species in the heart of Borneo underlines the incredible diversity of this remarkable area,” said Adam Tomasek, leader of WWF’s Heart of Borneo initiative.
The findings are published in Oriental Bird Club’s journal BirdingASIA.
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