Work Travel: India

 

In February this year, I had a chance to travel to India for work. I was attending a training sponsored by the Indian government. The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) organised the training, held at the Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserves in Karnataka. About 39 countries participated, and most have big cat species. At first, I was a reserved participant because the federal ministry was focusing on officers from Peninsular Malaysia, since we didn't have big cats in Borneo. We only have medium- and small-sized wild cats. The largest cat we have is the Bornean Clouded Leopard, weighing about 12 to 25 kg, and males are usually larger than females. The photo below shows all five wild cat species on Borneo Island. 

Photo: Gehan 

When I was there, I had the opportunity to learn about different efforts and initiatives by the Indian government, especially on managing conflicts with tigers and elephants. Although it focused on big cats, it also covered elephant conflicts. They do many things, including enhancing monitoring systems using available technologies, enforcing laws to combat illegal poaching, building staff capacity, and using creative ways to conduct awareness campaigns and education that can lead to behaviour changes among the public. 

Briefing at one of the patrolling stations in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

We had the chance to experience the wilderness when they brought us into the tiger reserve to observe wild tigers. We were fortunate to observe two individuals at two different locations within the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve. Besides tigers, we also saw other wildlife, including peacocks, spotted deer, gaur, and elephants. I will create different posts to share a few photos of wildlife that I observed during this trip. 

The K9 Unit conducted their demonstration on one of the days.

I enjoyed the trip very much, although the schedule was very packed and we could barely stick to it. We were always running late, and we ended the day very late almost every day. Towards the end of the trip, I was exhausted and couldn't really focus during the presentations. It feels like my body was there in the room, but my mind was nowhere to be found. 

Overall, I was grateful to the Ministry of India for sponsoring this training and to the Malaysian Ministry for giving me this opportunity to participate and letting me see how wildlife protection and conservation are carried out in India and other countries. 

My New Project in 2026: Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Project

I didn't realise it had been a year since my last blog post. In this post, I want to share the project I'm working on now. Two projects were delayed for years, and I had to take them because I had no choice but to say yes. So I will not talk about those two projects, because they feel like a pain in my ass too. I will only talk about one project I love, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to work on it. 

The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Project

This year, I have the opportunity to work on the sun bear project. The sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) is the world's smallest bear species. Look at the photo below to see how the sun bear differs from other bear species in height. In contrast, the polar bear is the tallest among the eight species.

Photo Credit: Wildlife Nomads

Meanwhile, the map below shows the species' distribution across continents. The light green shows the sun bear's geographic range, which includes Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

Photo Credit: Bear Species in Asia

Under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2016), the sun bear was categorised as Vulnerable. The last assessment was conducted on 5 February 2016. After 10 years, we are unsure of the sun bear's current status across its range. Over the last ten years, I am sure the sun bear's habitat has changed significantly due to development in each country. Other threats include poaching and illegal trade.

Photo Credit: Wildlife Nomads

This year, the project aims to close some gaps, including the distribution map of sun bears in the state and population estimates. It involves desktop studies and field sampling to collect occurrence data in our national parks and adjacent community forests. Knowing I will not be able to do this work alone, I have been networking and seeking active collaborations. I registered and became a member of the IUCN SSC Bear Specialist Group in April and the International Bear Association (IBA) in May this year. Through these collaborations, I hope to achieve more and secure the support I need to strengthen bear conservation initiatives in Sarawak. 

More updates coming soon! 

Frog Bioacoustics Survey Continues [Maludam National Park]

Photo taken at the Maludam National Park HQ

Our second field survey is at Maludam National Park, one of the state's peatswamp forests. Our first survey was conducted in August at Kubah National Park. See this entry, Studying Frog Calls in Sarawak Totally Protected Areas. This project has five study sites: Kubah National Park, Maludam National Park, Batang Ai National Park, Tun Ahmad Zaidi Nature Reserve, and Pulong Tau National Park. We have three more sites to survey after Kubah NP and Maludam NP.

Hylarana raniceps observed on the pandanus plant.

Peatswamp has the least diversity of frogs. We recorded only two advertisement calls of two frog species, Hylarana raniceps and H. baramica. The total observation results include only four species of frogs, two of which are listed above, and the other two are H. glandulosa and Limnonectes paramacrodon.

On the boat with our field equipment. 

What are my challenges this time? This national park is a PEATSWAMP where saltwater crocodiles live. We conduct our surveys at night, so I feel insecure almost all the time. My flight and fight mode is always ON within those two to three hours of our night survey. Even when I bathe after our night survey at our field station, I still feel like the crocodile is eyeing me. The other challenge is to stay stable on that moving longboat. I require minimal movement and talking from my team members, but it is particularly challenging on the boat. Besides, we can not reach some locations where we hear these frogs making calls or where the frogs are seen deeper inside.

I would like to thank Pak Nan, Ayak Sudin, Sanjay, and Rickey, our boatmen, who make our field trips so much fun. While we have nothing much to do during the day, Pak Nan took over with his jokes and stories. Their exceptional cooking skills and new menu that I hadn’t tasted before. They also advise us on where it is safe and what to do to avoid danger from being attacked by a crocodile. Thank you, Maludam. We will return! 

Am I Real Conservationist?

In my 20s, when I felt like giving up on
setting 100 cage traps to trap small mammals
in the plantation in Bintulu. 

I have been questioning myself recently. After nearly 20 years in this field, I would like to know whether I am a genuine conservationist. What contributions have I made? What skills and knowledge have I gained? What is my area of expertise? Have I received any awards or recognition for my work? 

What triggers this doubt? 

Recently, my supervisor asked me, "What is your contribution to the organisation after almost ten years of working here?" His question has lingered in my mind. It has led me to doubt my ability to carry out my work. I obtained my Master's Degree in Environmental Conservation last year and returned with high spirits and determination to contribute to wildlife conservation efforts in my state, Sarawak. 

Unfortunately, politics and differing views on work ethic have diminished my motivation and enthusiasm. It's incredibly frustrating!

Looking back on my journey fills me with gratitude for the incredible growth I've achieved! Participating in more than ten collaborative research projects across a variety of taxa—mammals, birds, insects, frogs, and plants—has truly deepened my passion for the natural world. This blog reflects my nearly 20-year adventure, showcasing my evolution along the way. Revisiting my entries here not only inspires me but also revives the bright spark of enthusiasm that fuels my love for nature!

To my colleagues and young women in conservation, let's keep pushing forward. It’s perfectly fine if we haven’t received awards or recognition; our small contributions truly matter! We matter!

Studying Frog Calls in Sarawak Totally Protected Areas

Kalophrynus heterochirus, the Variable Sticky Frog,
is making calls to lure the female, which is not far away.

I spent a week at Kubah National Park last month, recording frog calls and figuring out which species were calling during the dry season. The Frog Pond was almost completely dried up, with only a small pool left in the centre. Even so, we still managed to record some great frog calls, especially when the weather turned cloudy with a bit of rain or after a heavy afternoon downpour.

This was my first time recording frog calls, and honestly, it was much more complicated than I expected. Whether I got a recording really depended on the frog. Some frogs are extremely shy or simply don’t like people. These ones drove me crazy because as soon as I got close, they would go silent until I left. Others didn’t care at all that I was there. They just kept singing until a female showed up, and then, once their job was done, they hopped off together.

I used a portable recorder consisting of the Zoom F3 Field Recorder and the Sennheiser MKE 600 microphone. My ornithologist friend, Dr. Alison Styring, suggested this setup. Back in 2006-2007, I joined her for a dawn chorus recording using a Marantz recorder, but that model is no longer available in Malaysia. Honestly, I don’t have much experience with audio recording, and I’m still new to studying frog calls.

Ten species of frog and toad calls were recorded out of 18 species that were observed in different trails, streams and ponds that we surveyed. These ten species are the ones that are actively making calls during the duration of our trip. It is known that frogs produce calls for mating purposes, and only males are active in making these calls. Some species are very shy and secretive, which makes it challenging to locate them while making calls. Of course, they are also very good at camouflage and hide well in silence.  

We wrapped up our trip after six nights of surveys. I wasn’t completely satisfied because on the last night, I had trouble with the recorder connector. I felt relieved when I checked and saw that I still managed to record the call of the Tree Hole Narrow-mouthed Frog, even if it wasn’t the best version I had hoped for.

Taking this opportunity to thank Prof. Dr Indraniel Das from IBEC, UNIMAS and his PhD student, Izneil, for teaching us the standard protocols for frog bioacoustic study. As well as my team members, Akas Bit and Broddy Mien, Kubah NP and Matang WC staff for making this fieldwork possible. Thanks so much, team!

All the photos were taken with a Huawei Mate 10 Pro. It’s not a high-end mobile phone, but it does the job well enough.

Time to Make a Come Back

 

The little monkey in me is jumping in joy!

Hey everyone!

I think my silence is too long from this blog. It took a while for me to make a comeback after my last post in March. Yes! I made it to grad school in the US. It was a tough road that I rode but a meaningful one. It keeps me grounded as a person and know what I am worth. 

Since arriving in the US on June 5, it has been quite a struggle for me. However, I was trying my best to keep going. I am grateful for every person who never stops encouraging me and supports me in every way they can. I owe you guys so much, but I know you will get an abundance of blessings from above.  

That is all for today. I will try to keep this blog updated frequently. 

Till then,

Rose