FIFTH LESSON: HERPETOFAUNA INVENTORY

In April 2006, my boss asked me if I want to join the herpetofauna inventory which is led by Dato' Dr. Bob from Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. As usual I am very excited to learn something new, even though deep in my heart I was a little bit scared because I have snakes, lizards and frogs phobia. I can not stand with frogs because of its smooth and slimy skin. Meanwhile for snakes and lizards, because some of it venomous. However, I will never say NO because I need to gain this valuable experienced.

This is my first experienced stay in the camp, which I have to sleep on the hammock. I was really enjoyed that trip because I really like to stay inside the forest. Our camp was build next to the river and we take bath in that river. I still remember my first experienced caught a frog during that survey. It was Rana glandulosa and it's almost escaped from my hands because it is too slimy.

During that trip, I learn to identify frogs into species level. It was very tough at first because all names were new to me. However, I was lucky because there were two assistants from Sabah Museum join our trip and they taught me a lot on identification. Bro Pat really teaches me a lot and I admire his skills on herps identification and his work in the field is really fantastic. When we go for frogging at night, his ability on spotted the frogs or lizards or snakes were really amazing.

I also help them with lab work where we take all the frogs, lizards and snakes as a museum specimen. We prepared it as a wet specimen and take liver tissues for DNA purpose. Once, I was warned by Dato' Dr. Bob, when I lost the tag number for the tissue tube. He was really angry and warned me for always be alert and careful when handling specimen tag. He told me that, specimen or tissues tube without tag number is useless. So, be aware that every specimen has the information needed. From that moment, I always remind myself to be careful when prepared any specimens. He is so true about it.

This field trip teaches me a lot on basic things about herpetofauna study. Even though one day I will not become a herpetologist but the experienced and skills that I get is very valuable and can not be replaced.

I thank all of team members in this trip, RFI, CSY, NM, Pat and Fred for the interesting and priceless experienced and knowledge. The spirit and passion shows by Dato' Dr. Bob Inger on carried out this field work and his determination really touch me and encouraged me to keep on doing something that i have my passion on. He was 85 years old that time (year 2006). Age is really doesn't matter to him.

P.S. I don't have photos during this trip and i attach my photo with Dr. Bob during our BCTPF conference early last year.

SORRY FOR LONG SILENCE

I was a little bit busy lately and didn't have spare time to post new entry to my blog. I have problem with my blog settings where i can not publish photos in my blog entry. I keep trying to figure out what happen and will write more after this.

FOURTH LESSON: CROC’S SURVEY

An old man of Punan tribe that using their traditional accessories.
I took that photo at one of long house at Sg. Kakus.

Pity civets can not feel the freedom.

I try to play with the small-toothed palm civet but it keep moving around.

One Master student wants to do study on Tomistoma schlegelii (False Gharial) in our area. My boss asks me to assist her to carry out a three night surveys at Sg. Kakus, Sg. Sarang and Sg. Mayeng. I was very excited because it will be my adventures experience. Even though I don’t know how this lady (she is very skinny, though) will catch the crocs. Can she handle it? Hmm…all question marks come up in my head but the funny thing is I never ask my boss. Actually my boss is a crocs expert. That survey was not success because we failed to observe any False Gharial. However, we did observe about two bright eye shine of Crocodylus porosus but we didn’t catch it.

This lady is a little bit stubborn and not listens to our advice during the survey. At some point we come back very late in the morning. We start the survey at 9.30pm and come back at 4am. On the first night I had a stomachache and it was around 1.30am. But we didn’t go back because she still wants to continue the survey and I have to find the nearest place to do the business. Lucky I am not that choosy…hahahahaha.. Actually I don’t have any choice.

From that trip I learn to become a leader or person in-charge of the trip. I deal with the local people (Punan people) that we hire as our workers and also log pond camp staff for our accommodations. Then I realize that I have to be the one that make decisions and not to let the visitors doing things as they like if it is not follow the rules. Especially when it comes to safety of the team members. Safety comes first then work can be done smoothly.

This visits also my first visit to the Punan longhouse. It was amazing long house with the big belian tree in the “ruai” area. It is really unique and it is different from Iban longhouse. I was very excited and keep talking with Tuai Rumah. The oldest man in the long house shows me their traditional costume. He wears the ear-rings that made from the Clouded Leopard canine and the traditional jacket made from the Clouded Leopard skin. Tuai Rumah shares with us about the traditional funeral ceremony as well.

At the log pond camp we saw the local people (Bekatan people) stop and they bring along their “pet”. It was an Arctogalidia trivirgata Small-toothed Palm Civet. As usual I am the one that really excited and I get the civet and play with it. It was very tame and it’s about two years old. According to the owner, they get it when it is still a juvenile. They rescue if from the tree that has been cut down for timber purpose.

Even though it was only a short trip but I see lots of things in this survey. Seeing more people and get interesting stories.

THIRD LESSON: SUSTAINABLE USE OF FISH AND WILDLIFE WORKSHOP (SUFW)

Tumbina staff hand over to us the ostrich egss as a souvenier.

This is the first event that we organized which is related to the community awareness. During this workshop, I get to know more people since I was a new staff join the Conservation team. It was held on the second month after I join the team (I love to call this department TEAM because it was a great team). The feed back from the longhouses is very impressive and we have the chance to get to know them better. It was a success event that our team organized. I was appointing as a photographer and I know I am not good in it. I just take a shot of any occasion that I think worth to take but sometimes I took very bad photos. However, making mistakes is one way of learning (that is what people say) but until today I can’t took any good photos. Maybe I have to accept that I don’t have talent in taking photos even though my friends teach me on set up the mode of the camera. It is just because I can not tell which one is sharp and other things like contrast etc.

During the event, I learn how to communicate with the local people. Even though my Iban language is very bad but I can understand them. It is just I don’t know how to speak Iban fluently. Not only that, I was learn to work in a team with other conservation staff. I can’t remember much but it was a great experienced in order to make me more confident to meet and get to know new people.

After the workshop we had a tour to Taman TUMBINA and it was my first time went to TUMBINA. When I saw how interested these local people saw the animals in TUMBINA, what about their young generations in future? Do they will have a chance to see it in the wild or captivity? This is a challenge for us to make sure that we will play our part in this challenging world.

SECOND LESSON: CAMERA TRAPPING

Photo: I set the lures for the camera trap

When first time I met this guy, he was not that friendly. I call him Bel and he is local Sarawakian that runs the camera trapping project. Even though he looks very serious at first but when get to know him and work with him, he really put every single sweats on his works. I learn a lot from him and almost in all mammals project we are doing it together.

My first experienced working with him was joined his trip set up camera traps in Tubau. It was a funny experienced because I didn’t know what we are going to do. My first thought about camera trap was, we sit behind the tree inside the forest and waiting for animals to pass by and we snap that camera. What a simple thinking was that and when I saw how they set up camera traps inside the forest then I start to think how science is really advanced and techniques keep changing over time. After trip to Tubau, he brings me to collect camera traps at Samarakan. It was really challenging when we have to walk almost three hours to get to that camera. Moreover, it’s only one camera and really feels not worth to walk that far just for one camera. Actually it’s really worth it at the end because the photo that we got from that camera is really precious and interesting. It was the first record of Marbled Cat in the plantation area.

After that I did joined camera trap field trip and it was really interesting. It is the best methods for doing survey for secretive and nocturnal mammals. The tricky part in setting camera trap is to choose the best site to set it. If we set it at the wrong site, we will end up with zero photos. However, the lures bait is really effective.

The most unforgettable experienced when I join camera trapping trip was when my first time join them to do inspection on the camera in the field. It was my first time and Bel did take my video. It was really funny. Can’t describe it well here but I almost ruin the camera. Hahahah…

Skills that I gain from the trip were:
1. Handling camera trap unit
2. Choose camera trap site
3. Set up camera trap
4. Inspection of camera trap
5. Using GPS unit to navigate camera trap site

I am lack in doing analysis of camera trap data. For sure I will learn about it soon. Thank you so much to my dearest friend Bel for teaches me a lot about camera trapping project. This is a very priceless experienced and knowledge that he shared with me.

FIRST LESSON: SMALL MAMMALS STUDY

Photo: The first time set up traps in plantation

Photo: Working hard collect all the traps after finish our trapping

Photo: First time doing small mammals skinning

 The first lesson that I learn when I join the company is doing small mammal inventory. Wow! How it will be look like? What will I do? There was one group from UTAR, KL coming over to do that study in our plantation areas. They are all Chinese girls and all are town girl with their lecturer, lucky a guy. What I learn through this trip was:

1. Set up wire cage traps inside the remnant forest and plantations block.
2. Identified the small mammals to the species level.
3. Take measurements of the animals; TL, HB, T, Wt, Ear, HF and assessed the reproductive condition.
4. Euthanized the animals and doing the taxidermy process. Prepare the animals for museum specimen.
5. Taking tissue samples for DNA study and clean the skulls and skeletons.

Step 1-3 and 5 is not that difficult for me but the 4th step is very tricky. My hand is very shaky when I hold the blades to dissect the animals. Even though I have experienced dissecting rats when I am doing my final year project in UMS but I didn’t do it for the same purpose. This time I have to make sure that I didn’t spoilt the skin and makes sure that the fur is not fall off from the skin. It was a very tough job to be done by a rough lady like me. I didn’t do it very well because I even can’t finish with one animal. I pass it to my friend and I only observed them doing it. However, I learn a lot from this trip. Now I know what it is feel when doing the real research inside the forest. It is not an easy thing to do. Before trip, we have to prepare all of our equipments in the field and for lab work. Then prepare logistics such as accommodations, transportation and foods. Besides, we are dealing with outsider that we have to serve them well. I don’t have problem when working in the forest because I came from village and I already get used to it.

The main problem is I don’t know how to mix up with those Chinese town ladies with their fierce lecturer. I don’t know how to communicate with them because my English is very poor. I look down on my own ability and lack of confident as well. However, those ladies are very friendly and I really can make friends with them. Until today, one of them still contacts me. During that trip, their lecturer help me on edited my proposal that I write for applications of master degree. He gave me some ideas what to put in my proposal.

At the end of that trip, I can say that it was the first lesson that gives impact the most in my work until today. Why? Almost all small mammal study that I’ve done these past two years was adapted from what I’ve learn from this trip. Therefore, I want to thank Dr. Han from UTAR for willing to teach me even though my knowledge at that time is zero. I want to thanks his students as well for teach me how to do skinning, stuffing and setting the voucher specimens. It was a valuable experienced that I get from this first lesson.

I thank God as well for send over these guys to share their knowledge with me.