Rock Climbing

I like adventure so i like to try new things especially outdoors activity. It has been a while i try to join my friend go for mount climbing in Bau. I have no idea how it will be look like and what should i do. Climb up the rock. But how difficult it will be? I don't have height phobia but at some point i do have some nerves too when i look down. I am not worry about it because i still can control it.

Even though i still not sure, how this activity will be going on but i am really excited. I miss a lots of things while i am here in my uni. I miss to go into the forest and be close to the real nature, where i can see the wild animals and breath the fresh air, i miss my aerobic class, where i can stretch my muscle and enjoy the fast music, i miss my joging activity at Bintulu Promenade, where i always see the beautiful sunset and sunrise...so many things i miss about my previous activities. But, everythings should be fine because i will have a chance to do another things while i am here.

I already visit the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre and it is a good start for me. This weekend will be rock climbing at Bau. It will be interesting and fun. Challenging too.

Can't wait to go.

Wild Cats (Leopard Cat)

This is a photo of leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) that i took a few months ago during our visit to one of the plantation in Bintulu. I love wild cats very much and my first proposal for my project was to study the populations of wild cats in Sabah. But then i have to think it over again when my ex-lecturer in UMS told me that it is very difficult to catch this elusive animals. I do some research on other study and after think of it deeply, i decide to give up with wild cats and change to small mammals (rats, squirrels, treeshrews, shrews) and it does related with wild cat too. Why? Because small mammals is one of the food source for wild cats.

Back to the picture above. This leopard cat was kept by one of the oil palm manager at his house. His house is inside the plantation area. Based on his story, there were a few others that have been taken from the plantation area and kept by him but some of it get back to the wild and never return to his house. This in the only one that left with him at the moment. It is not tame and it keeps showing his teeth to me when i tried to get closer to him and took his photos. Actually, when the natural forest is cleared for the plantation, this animal lost their nesting habitat as all the trees is cut down. However, they do foraging inside the plantation. Based on the study that have been done by Rajaratnam in Sabah, a lot of leopard cat recorded use oil palm plantation as their foraging site. He do his study using telemetry and did follow where this animal go.

In May this year, i have a chance to assist group from UTAR to do small carnivore trapping in the tree plantation area. During the night we went for a night survey via spotlighting. We spot a few individuals of the leopard cat. It does prefer an open area with a little bit canopy to stalk for it's prey. This is what happen inside the tree plantation because some of the young acacia not having a closed canopy.

I am still in love with this unique and interesting animal and i am still hope that i can work on this animal again in near future.

SEMENGGOH WILDLIFE CENTRE-PART 2

We stand at the viewing point and observed the orang utan feeds on the fruits that given by the park's staff. However, it was only two individuals that appear, a mum and it's young one.

I am lucky that i can get the photos of this unique creature feeds on the fruits even though my camera is not that good.

This is the exit from the feeding site trail.

Hehehe..i got the chance to took a photo at the entrance with the sign board. I was alone but i am lucky there is a nice guy help me to take my photo.

I was a little bit bored today and i am thinking of having a walk. Then, i decide to drive to the nearest park. I really missed the smell of the forest and i must go somewhere. Even though i almost get lost until i call my friend and ask for the direction. When i arrive there, i was really excited and happy. I was alone but i am not feeling lonely though.

When we are at the feeding site, i was doing some other observation too. I saw two Prevost's squirrels, two plantain squirrels, one unid treeshrews, one giant squirrel and one yellow vented flowerpecker. I was really excited when i saw the giant squirrel. It was my first time saw it in the wild and i will never forget today's experienced. The most memorable one is when it just rest on the tree branch with it's hand and legs hanging. It's just look very cute and i wish i can hold it..hahahaha...wild animals is always wild.

When i get back, i have a chit chat with the park warden and he told me a little bit info about the orang utan that they have in the centre.

At the end, i get back my spirit of being in the jungle and i feel refreshing from my short visit to this centre. Will looking for another place to go for jungle trekking after this.

SEMENGGOH WILDLIFE CENTRE-PART 1

This is a mini gallery in the centre but when i was there it was closed. When i ask the other staff, they told me that the person in-charge is not around.

The list of all the orang utan inside this centre started as early as 1973. It was there before i was born. A few generation alerady and the youngest is just born 13 days ago.

There is also a vet clinic in the centre.

Before we went to the feeding site, short briefing has been given by the park staff. This is just a reminder for us so that we will follow the rules such as, we can't bring bottle of water or fruits that may attract the orang utan and it will leads to attack the visitors.

It is about 200m trail to get to the feeding area and the trail is very nice.

The DABAI

Dabai is really famous in Sibu area. The price is really expensive when the starting of the season. Here is a picture of my sis climbing up the dabai tree to get the fruits. She is so brave and sometimes she hurt her chest but she just take it. The height of the tree is about 15m high and it doesn't have a big branches to step on.

This is teh tool that my sis use to cut the fruits from the tree. It is as sharp as knife and quite heavy for me. If i hold it for a long period my hand will get tired and some more have to use it to cut the fruits.

This is how this fruits looks like with the stalks and so on. I am not good in describing it (that's why i failed y botany course..:p)...

When we get back home, we got about 5kg of dabai fruits and i brought back to Sibu about 2kg. The rest maybe my sis sell it since the price is quite good now.

The DURIAN

This is the durian tree at our orchard. This year the fruit is quite good but my mum already spend about one month plus to look after this fruit trees. If she didn't do that, all of the fruits will be eaten by monkey (the long tailed macaque).

Under the trees my mum put up one small hut for our dog. We have to keep our dog near the fruit tree because if we did not do it, for sure the monkeys will come over and take the fruits. They didn't scared to come near unless we put up some fire and dogs bark will chase them away.

On the day i arrive, i have a chance to taste the first two of the durians fruit that we have. It was just started to fall. If i didn't going back before i went to Kuching maybe i will not have a chance to taste our durians this year.

Hehehe..this is our loyal dog that help us to take care of our durian's. Pity him, we have to tied him because if not he will run away to our aunt's house not far from our orchard. But, he seems to be fine when we kept him in his own small hut.

Kicking Back Alive

I arrive at UNIMAS on Monday and i was very tired after a long drive from Sibu. I am lucky that i arrive safely at UNIMAS after about seven hours drive. However, it was not that lucky after i can't get room at the hostel and i have to stay at my friend's room. Not much to do because all my stuff is still in the car and i can't unloaded it yet. The next day, i tried to get my own room and at last i get the single room at the same hostel with my friend. Again, it was a long and tired day for me because i have to unload my luggage alone. There is no other student at the apartment i am in. Maybe they all have classes. I do it by phase and the room is really dirty. I wonder why there is students that really not care to look for everything that have been provided by the university. If they look after it nicely, all the locker, bed, table etc will still in a good shape. Hmm..i thought higher learning student will have higher standard of thinking and will not doing vandalism. But, this is our young generation attitude.

Only the third day i can start focusing on what i have to do. Starting to do writing and do some reading. It is really the silent and alone space can give me more concentration and focus on my work. I realize that it is not a wrong choice for me to sacrifice my three months salary and go back to my student life. It is almost one week now and i am happy being here and my head is clear from burden of my office works.

SIBU

I drove back to Sibu alone today. My plan is to get back to see my parents first before i register at my university next Monday. I arrive at my sister's house around 3.30pm and then we visit our uncle's house for Hari Raya. My last visit to his house is in 2005. Wow..it's been a long time i didn't visit them.

I call up my friend and we plan to meet-up tomorrow. She is my ex-workmate and ex-housemate back in 2007. She is the one that really support me in finishing my study and i am glad to have her as my friend. I can't wait to see her tomorrow. Currently, she is doing her PhD and her spirit and determination in education is really high even though she is already married with two wonderful kids. I will not stop in continuing my study as well. If i get to finish my Master and i got the opportunity to pursue to another level, i will grab it. Hmm..but when i think about my old parents, it will make me thinks twice. Whatever it is, i will do whatever i want to do as long as i still put my parents in my heart. Will never forget their sacrifices in bringing me up until i become what i am today. Thanks Mom and Dad!