The Big Tree

Do you ever encounter a very big tree when you walk inside the forest? I mean a natural forest. I found many but not so big though but still they amazed me. When i went for a field work at Danum Valley, Lahad Datu, Sabah way back in 2003, that was my first time saw a big tree in that virgin rainforest. It was great to see those big tress still standing firmly on the ground.

In my village we did not have any forests left so no big native trees standing. Its all open up for agriculture, by the local communities and also by the oil palm companies. Quite frustrating but what can i do about that. Our village located in lowland areas and its really suitable for agriculture and agriculture is our way of living. But then, if we put a sustainable practice of agriculture by put aside forested areas in our village for non-timber forest products collecting, we may still have some forests left. However, it is not our practice. Our elders seems to be very productive with utilizing all the land that they have and develop it into a sago farm or paddy field. Hmmm... that is our way of life.

Okay, i left you guys with two of big trees that i found during my field work with Raleigh International November - December last year in Pitas, Sabah. This two trees are the hard word trees. They are AMAZING right??

I love this trees... Let's HUGS A TREE!!!!

Message from the Borneo Rainforest_12.12.12

Mr. Crab wanted to say HI....!!!

Photo taken at Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society, Kota Kinabalu

I would like to apologize for being silence for soooooo damn long. I did not meant to but i really did not have sources to be written here for that period of time. I am too much with the community job until i did not have time for my own passion, the nature. So, please forgive me. Therefore, i ask Mr. Crab to wave it's huge left hand to say HI and SORRY for you. I met him at the one and only wetland conservation centre left in the middle of Kota Kinabalu City in Sabah, North Borneo. This was during the environmental education programme for teachers organized by EPD and SEEN members early this month. 

Proudly here to announce to you guys that i am BACK to my PASSION. By Oct 1st, i will officially back to my previous nature of job CONSERVATION. I get back my title as a CONSERVATIONIST. As for now only the title but the knowledge, skills and experience, i need to get them all back as soon as i get back on track. If you ask me if i am happy? Hmmmm.. I am not really sure yet because since 2009 i left this field and i began to love my community work. Will see how i get going and i will share my adventure along my work with the mother nature began October 2012. 

Wish me luck guys! I need your prayer. May God bless me and guide me along this path. Amen.

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Happy Mode!!!...

The Juvenile White-Crowned Hornbill Again!

Did i promise in my previous post that i will share my findings about this juv hornbill when i get back from my trip? Yep, i did promise but my apology for not update as soon as i get back. Okay, here is the video i compile based on my last visit on 13th April 2012. The hornbill still depend on people to give food. Hmmm... anyway, we still need to teach it to find its own food. To let it survive in the wild.

But, i am sorry for the very blurry video because i only have digital Sony camera. Uhuks... Anyway, i still get the best of this lil' hornbill. The flight feather is changing into the new feather but the tail is still no new feathers.

 

Till Then!

With the Juvenile White-crowned Hornbill

So long after my last update on our trip to the forest last month. Here is some story to share. This is an amazing bird. I never had a chance to be so close with hornbill (except in the cage of zoo) before. So, this experienced is kinda amazing and precious one for me.

This young hornbilll was found by one of our staff in the rocky stream not far from our field station (camp). It failed on (not sure how many tries) it's trial to fly. Fall into the stream and our boys caught it. While the mother up on the tree making sounds alarming the young one. But they get it and brought it back to our camp.

Referring to our staff, it was really scared and tried to flew away at the beginning but after they feed it with some bananas, it start to calm down and stay quietly at our canteen.

At the same day we have visitors (researchers) from Smithsonian Institution, and we refer to the Birds of Borneo Field Guide Book, trying to id it and get more info about its distribution, behaviour etc, we find out it eat fruits and some insects as well as frogs.

So, on the 2nd day, it start to feed on some beetle that we get from the mist nest (which we carried out some birds and bats mist netting as well). It start to do some stretch and cleaning the young furs. The little one seems to comfortable and at the same time prepare itself to flew away.

On the 3rd day, when i already left the camp, i get information from our staff it flew away. But only for a while. it came back a day later and asking for food! It perch on the high tree near the camp making sounds and our staff call it and it replies them. However, only one of our staff can get it on her arm and feed it. It will ignores others. So, they feed it frogs as well as insects and banana. Up till today, it keep coming over to the camp area asking for food. I am not feeling good about this because i really wanted it to be get back to the wild and survive there. Looking for its own food. The mother seems to be around but not close to the camp area.

Tomorrow, i will go to the camp and check on this lil fella. I already gave some advice to our staff to trained the bird to get it's own food. Here is my photo with this little fella which they name it ROMEO. (^__^)

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Till then!

Rose Ragai

Amazing Findings

Black and Crimson Pitta
Pitta ussheri

White - Crowned Hornbill
Aceros comatus

White - Necked Babbler
Stachyris leucotis