Archive for Malaysia
Turtle Island
Posted by: | CommentsSoft warm moonlight silently dappled the palm fronds over the sandy beach and gleamed over the gentle sea. Far offshore a dark island floated against a velvet horizon. Kurt, the ranger, reminded us to be quiet, move slowly and avoid shinning lights on the sand. Above the sound of lapping waves we could hear a distinct scraping. Something was being dragged up the beach. Kurt encouraged us to move forward slowly and cautiously. Then we saw the turtle using its massive flippers to drag itself up the beach, clear of the high water mark.
Only to or three metres to the right we were aware of sand being launched in broad arcs through the moonlight. Here an earlier green turtle was just finishing her egg laying pit in the sand. It was a big hole. Large enough to hide her 1.3m long shell from casual view. This gave her the privacy to start laying her clutch of eighty white, soft skinned eggs that looked like ping pong balls. She seemed to be in a trance as we watched her lay her eggs into a deeper hole she had dug in the sand. Kurt carefully lifted out each egg as it was laid, placing it in a basket.
The distant tropical island of Selingan was far off the coast of Sabah, North Borneo, part of Malaysia. The island in the distance was one of the remote Philippines islands in the Sulu Sea. Here green turtles come to lay their eggs. But their eggs are eagerly welcomed by the giant monitor lizards that live on the island. Poachers also hunt for the eggs as delicacies. High above the palm trees sea eagles and other birds of prey patrol the beach waiting for the tiny hatchlings to emerge. Once in the water the hatchlings are food for fish. Despite the eggs being laid at night to avoid the lizards and the hatchlings emerging at night to avoid the birds the prospect for young turtles is dire. The predation rate is so high that only one in a hundred hatchlings reach maturity and the species is endangered.
Kurt and his fellow rangers run the conservation project on the island. They collect the eggs and bury them inside lizard proof enclosures. Laying turtles are carefully measured, tagged and monitored. On hatching each batch is gently released into the surf.
We were absolutely entranced and strangely excited to see the frantic crowd of tiny energetically flapping hatchlings race comically across the sand to plunge themselves into the surf. Everyone, including the widely grinning rangers, shared a sense of joy watching the babies instinctively knowing which way to scurry and the need to flap urgently into the embrace of the warm enfolding sea and sanctuary.
The conservation team save thousands of turtle eggs and release thousands of hatchlings every month. By providing this dedicated protection at the very early part of the turtles lives they give the species a huge boost. There is evidence that the numbers of these ancient animals are on the increase in Malaysian waters. If you want to know more look at this web site.
Eagles
Posted by: | CommentsTwo huge eagles with clasped talons spiralled and tumbled down through the blue sky to the rich green jungle canopy below. Moments before they reached the tree tops they separated and their massive wings lofted them swooping high up again to meet as specks in the sky. This was part of the mating ritual of the pair of white bellied eagles who nested in the trees near our flat in Penang. These magnificent birds mate for life and we often saw them soaring past our balcony on their way to hunt for food.
White Bellied Sea Eagle in full flight.
For a month or so we seldom saw the pair together. Only one would circle on the thermals over the forest to gain height. Then recently we watched the chick being coaxed to hop from tree to tree.
Eagles flying over the jungle
On its first faltering flights one parent flew along side with the other flying high. Occasionally the defending parent dived to drive off harassing Brahminy kites. These rich brown red birds with white heads were much smaller than the eagles but seemed threatened by their presence.
Brahminy Kites, about half the size of the eagles.
As the chick grew and its flying proficiency improved longer soaring flights and sharper turns were practiced. With a parent on each wing tip we were treated to aerobatic formation flying displays.
Brahminy Kites patrols the tree tops
Recently the chick, now just a little smaller than the parents, has embarked on solo forays over the jungle. Amazingly it is still harassed by the kites which are half its size. It is not uncommon for the adolescent chick to be grounded by the kites and to wait in a tree top for a parent to glide over to provide air cover for it to make a short flight to the nest.
Adult eagle protecting the chick
Time will tell how the young bird will react to the kites when it is full grown and in command of the skies over its own hunting grounds. In the meantime we watch with wonder and admiration of these superb birds.
Bario Pictures
Posted by: | CommentsPictures of Bario in the Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak in Borneo, Malaysia
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De Havilland Twin Otter plane arriving at the airfield at Bario, Kelabit Highlands
Reception line for the opening of the 2010 Bario Food Festival. The whole community turned out to welcome dignitaries and visitors.
Kelabit women regard long extended earlobes and extensive leg tattoos as signs of beauty. These practices however are taken up less enthusiastically by the younger generation.
The rich farmland high on the cool plateau in the Kelabit Highlands in Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia is home to the famous Bario organic rice. The Kelabit people, who were once head hunters still live in modern longhouses. These are wooden link houses built on stilts. Long communal verandas can either be open for meetings and festivals or closed in as cooking areas.
Margaret chatting to some of the older ladies still living in the longhouses. Their families have graduated from university and lead successful careers in the coastal areas of Sarawak, in other parts of Malaysia or in other parts of the world.
We enjoyed the Food Festival, chatting to the local Kelabit and Penan people, sampling jungle food and admiring the hand crafts. In the evenings we were inpressed by traditional music, singing and dancing.
Catherine a very friendly Penan woman who looked after us at the evning festival meal of wild boar and jungle vegtables. Having fun with visitors from Indonesia, just a few kilometers from Bario, who had been invited to the festival.
We were invited, along with Chris and Sarah, to plant cinnamon trees on the war memorial hill. The Memorial is to a group of British and Australian soldiers who parachuted into central Borneo to set up local resistance fighters to disrupt the Japanese occupation of the island.
