Educate The Young

Do they really understand why they need to understand about their environment? Of what they have around them and appreciate it?

Hug a TREE....why? for what?

It is our responsibility to educate our young generation to understand more about the nature. We need to inspire our young generations to become life-long stewards of their mother nature. Educate our children to understand the consequences their choices and behavior have on their surroundings.

Rufous-collared Kingfisher (Actenoides concretus)

Actenoides concretus is confined to the Sundaic lowlands, from south Tenasserim, Myanmar, peninsular Thailand, Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore (formerly), Kalimantan, Sumatra (including offshore islands) and Java, Indonesia and Brunei.

This species occurs in the middle stratum and understorey of lowland and hill forest up to 1,500 m (1,700 m on Borneo). It inhabits only closed-canopy forest, but can occur in regenerating logged forest.

Threats Rates of forest loss in the Sundaic lowlands have been extremely rapid, owing partly to the escalation of illegal logging and land conversion, with deliberate targeting of all remaining stands of valuable timber including those inside protected areas. Forest fires have also had a damaging effect (particularly in 1997-1998). The magnitude of these threats may be allayed by this species's tolerance of hill forest, which is under less pressure from logging and agricultural conversion.

Repeated surveys across the range is essential to estimate population trends and rates of range contraction. Ensure the protection of remaining tracts of primary lowland rainforest throughout the range.

2009 IUCN Red List Category (as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN): Near Threatened

*References BirdLife International (2001).

Ferns or Moss? What do you think?

I write a few posts about mosses before. Just a reminder to all readers, i am not a botanist (Pssst...I fail my botany paper during my uni). So, it is so clear that i didn't know much because since my uni i sort of "hate" plants. Okay, not a good start huh....That's why i still want to find something interesting about plants. Maybe from there i can build bit by bit my interests in them. Malay proverbs said "Tak kenal maka tak cinta"... So i have to get to know more about plants then.

In this photo you see it quite large but actually this is a very tiny plants. I think one tree (lump of leaves) is about 1cm. It is very small. That's why i thought it was a moss.

So.........what is this?

Photo of Photographer

Just for fun......i like this photo very much...I am taking other photographer photo....

Nice one huh?....(^_^)

Another Interesting Insects

A Cricket?

Hmmm......Not sure....

An Ants?

Hmm....looks like the Giant Ant but with wings? Not sure.......

Black-and white Bulbul (Pycnonotus melanoleucos)

Pycnonotus melanoleucos is confined to the Sundaic lowlands, where is it known from peninsular Thailand, Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore (formerly), Kalimantan and Sumatra (including Mentawai Island), Indonesia and Brunei. In is generally scarce, although it is sporadically fairly common in parts of Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. It may undertake nomadic movements.

This species occurs in broadleaved evergreen forest (including selectively logged forest), mixed-dipterocarp forest, secondary growth and forest edge, from lowlands up to at least 1,830 m. It is also recorded from luxuriant gardens and cultivation, peatswamp forest and overgrown plantations. Its nomadic tendencies suggest a degree of specialisation in foraging niche, although further research is needed to determine its habitat requirements.

Threats Rates of forest loss in the Sundaic lowlands have been extremely rapid, owing partly to the escalation of illegal logging and land conversion, with deliberate targeting of all remaining stands of valuable timber including those inside protected areas. Forest fires have also had a damaging effect (particularly in 1997-1998). The magnitude of these threats may be allayed by this species's tolerance of hill forest, which is under less pressure from logging and agricultural conversion. However, as a nomadic species, it may be more susceptible to the effects of habitat fragmentation.

Conservation measures proposed Conduct ecological studies to improve understanding of its precise habitat requirements, particularly the causes of nomadic movements, as well as levels of persistence in secondary and fragmented habitats. Conduct repeated surveys within the range to determine current distribution and abundance, as well as assess population trends and rates of habitat loss. Effectively protect significant areas of suitable forest at key sites, in both strictly protected areas and community led multiple use areas.

This scarce and pooprly known species is currently considered Near Threatened, as it is suspected to be declining moderately rapidly throughout its range as a result of continuing habitat loss.

2009 IUCN Red List Category (as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN): Near Threatened

BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Pycnonotus melanoleucos. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org/ on 13/10/2009

**As i read through the information that i found, this bird is quite interesting. There are still a lot more to learn and understand about it (before it is too late). Actually this was my first experienced seeing this bird this close. It is always an exciting and amazing experience.

Odonata: Damselflies

The Damselfly (Suborder Zygoptera) is an insect in the order Odonata. Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, but the adults can be differentiated by the fact that the wings of most damselflies are held along, and parallel to, the body when at rest.

Furthermore, the hindwing of the damselfly is essentially similar to the forewing, while the hindwing of the dragonfly broadens near the base, caudal to the connecting point at the body. Damselflies are also usually smaller, weaker fliers than dragonflies, and their eyes are separated.

**I can't took a good photo of damselflies. I have tried almost fifty shots but this is the only two that shows clearly how this insects looks like.

Orange-breasted Trogon (Harpactes oreskios)

The Orange-breasted Trogon (Harpactes oreskios) is a species of bird in the Trogonidae family. It is found in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes, humid, lower-to-middle elevation evergreen forests, swampy forests, open dry forests, bamboo forests, thin tree jungles, and sometimes among clumps of trees near forests. (Wikipidea)

This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000>10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. (BirdLife International, 2009)

Ginger's Flower (Globba sp.)

Just wanted to share some more interesting picture that i have taken during my recent trip to the rainforest of Borneo. I posted some of my favourite wildlife photos in my Facebook but only my facebook friends are able to view it. One of my friends told me that i am lucky to be able to see these unique and amazing creature. That's why i think i have to share it here in my blog or my FB so that i am not too greedy and selfish, keeping it for myself. I didn't lost anything if i share besides i am happy coz i can share...........

Interesting.................

What do you guys think of this creature? I am not good in insects though....i find out this is really interesting creature to share....this was the first time i saw this species. Is this grasshopper? or....??

Banded Palm Civet (Hemigalus derbyanus)

Small to medium-sized carnivores, civets are in the Viverridae family which includes genets, linsangs, and mongooses. Civets vary in size and form, but most present a catlike appearance with long noses, slender bodies, pointed ears, short legs and generally a long furry tail.

Banded palm civet is similar to banded linsang (Prionodon linsang) but banded linsang is smaller with entirely banded tail and spots on the body in addition to barring.

This is a juvenille banded palm civet that the local people captured. He actually tried to get the mother of this "unlucky" little civet but unfortunately he missed her. Mostly local people in this area eat civet's meat. After the mother run away this man saw this helpless little civet and captured it.

This local people tried to kept this little guy as their pet but he have problem with it. It do not eat fruits such as banana that he gave to it. Why? It is because banded palm civet is not frugivores. Their diets are earthworms, insects and other small animals both invertebrate and vertebrate.

When he saw me interested with this little guy, he ask me what this animal normally eat? I told him that info. Finally he decide to give it away to me. I was very happy and thinking of donate it to our mini zoo at KK. On my last day at that village, i was waiting for him to give me this little civet. However, he told me it was escaped because his kids forgot to closed the cage door.

Anyway, i have other feeling about it. People at this area have a very bad habit. If they have something they will not give away freely. They want some token out of it. I will not do it because if i buy it, this will give them some demand on getting more wild animals to be sold as a pet. This happen before. The other guy from this village kept Bornean Gibbon as a pet. One teacher teaching in that village saw it and he admired this gibbon very much. He offered him about RM500 for that gibbon and he just sell it. Not only that, the other guy from the adjacent village own a Malayan Porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) and wanted to sell it with the price RM30.

Even how i really wanted this animal to live freely in the forest i still not gonna buy it from them. There is still a way that can make this people aware that it is wrong to sell this wild animal. They know it is against the Wildlife Enactment (law) but when there is demand they just get it. They need money to live their own life too. Therefore the only thing that i can do is by giving them awareness on why we need to let this animal stays in the forest. Especially the young/juvenile one.

It is still a long way to go. Working with human is not easy...................we have unique and different mind set...hmmmm...

Interesting Info About Civet

Don't you think that civet is one of an interesting animal? Here are some info on what civets can gave us......

Civet oil has been used in the perfume industry for centuries and has been recorded as being imported from Africa by King Solomon in the tenth century B.C. Once refined, civet oil is prized for its odor and long lasting properties.

Civet oil is also valued for its medicinal uses which include the reduction of perspiration, a cure for some skin disorders and claims of aphrodisiac powers. Although the development of sensitive chemical substitutes has decreased the value of civet oil, it is still a part of some East African and Oriental economies.

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Kopi Luwak are robusta or arabica coffee beans which have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Common Palm Civet. This process takes place on the islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago.

"Kopi" is the Indonesian word for coffee and "Luwak" is local name of this animal which eats the raw red coffee 'cherries' as part of its usual diet. This animal eats a mixed diet of insects, small mammals and fruits along with the softer outer part of the coffee cherry but does not digest the inner beans, instead excreting them still covered in some inner layers of the cherry.

Locals then gather the beans -- which come through the 'animal stage' fairly intact -- and sell them on to dealers. It is believed that enzymes in the stomach of the civet add to the coffee's flavour through fermentation of some type.

Read more info on Kopi Luwak here: Paradise Coffee