#2 ~ The Research Project

What is actually bringing me up on this mountain? Well, allow me to introduce you to a special person that asking me to join her trip. I get to know a very nice lady and she is a great person, Missy Roberts. She is doing her PhD on genetic study with small mammals as her target species mainly treeshrews and squirrels. To be more specific, she is studying the altitudinal difference within a species on Mount Kinabalu and Mount Tambuyukon, Sabah. I met her for the first time during her first visit to Sabah with her supervisor Dr. Jenn during my tenure at Forest Solutions Malaysia S/B (FSM) at Kota Marudu. Getting to know people with same interest and same passion is a blessing to me. Why? Because I can talk anything and share everything about what we think and what we do in the forest.

After quit my job at FSM, I take a break for about two weeks before I join in her research project. Missy and her friend Miguel arrived in Sabah on 19th Feb and stay at Kota Kinabalu for two days before head off to Kinabalu Park at Kundasang on 21st Feb. Missy and I will set a traps at Mount Kinabalu, meanwhile her friend, Miguel with his technician will set up a traps at Mount Tambuyukon at Monggis, another 3 hours drive from Kundasang.

The Tomahawk & Sherman Traps that we use.

This is how we place the traps; under fallen log, on fallen log, beside streams etc etc. 

We will use two different types of traps known as Tomahawk (60 units) and Sherman trap (20 units), so total traps are 80 traps. Since this is the altitudinal study, we will set traps at different altitude across the height of this mountain. 1st altitude at 1,700m a.s.l at Kinabalu Park (KP) headquarters, 2,200m a.s.l at KM2, 2,700m a.s.l at KM4 and 3,200m a.s.l at KM6.

So this is a little bit info about the research which I may not share the details here. I will tell you more stories about my experience when I am up on the mountain in my next post. Stay Tune! Till then!

#1 – Conquering Mount Kinabalu the Series

It has been a while I am not writing anything in this blog. I traveled a lot these past few months and doing so many interesting adventures with nature. I love what I am doing even though it’s did not give me a good return in term of salary but the exposure and learning experience is priceless.

Photo taken in front of the Kinabalu Park Office

Mount Kinabalu…. Did you ever heard about it yet? If not, then allow me to bring you walking through my journey up on the mountain started from 21st February until 19th March 2013.

Let’s talk about the mountain first because I really want you guys out there to be familiar with this mountain before I continue with my whole journey.

Mount Kinabalu located on the Borneo Island, the third largest island in the world. The Borneo Island comprise of three different countries, Indonesia (Kalimantan), Brunei and Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak). On which land of these three countries is this mountain located? Well, it’s located in Sabah, Malaysia which is also known as the Land Below the Wind. There is 13 peaks of this mountain (which I already forget the names most of it and I apologize for that) with the Low’s Peak is the highest peak with 4, 095 m above sea level. So with this height, it makes the Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in South East Asia (I am proud of it, I am telling you, very very much proud!) Locals that lives in this land believes this mountain have its own story (like a myth stories, a legend). The local community resides around this mountain is the Dusun people. So, who took care of this mountain? The entity that becomes the guardian of this mountain is the Sabah Parks. Almost all the staff that working with Sabah Parks is the Dusun people, one of the indigenous people of Sabah.

The Mount Kinabalu is one of the famous attractions for the mountain climbers, naturalist, researchers and photographers. Just to let you know, Sabah is very famous with the nature attraction for tourist. If you want to see nature, you must put Sabah in your list and of course Mount Kinabalu (ehem… am I doing my job as Malaysian by promoting this Mountain? I think so!). Wanna know more about Mount Kinbalu? Just Google it and you will find thousands of people taking about it and to let you know too, there is about 70,000 climbers climb this mountain annually. Therefore, I am sure a lot of people write a story about it with astounding photographs.

I think this is the beginning story of my journey. Keep an eye for my new posts about this marvelous journey on this mountain. I have lots of stories to share. Till then!!!...

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!