Wildlife Conservation & Ecology
Where Science and Conservation Meet
Field Experiences
A picture is worth a thousand words, please enjoy~ More to come...
Santubong National Park gazetted on 28th February 2007 with 1,410 ha in Kuching division; approximately 52 minutes drive from campus UNIMAS, Kota Samarahan. Santubong National Park formed a Santubong Peninsula surrounded by privately owned forest and kerangas forest with sandy soil. It takes 3 to 4 hours to reach the peak with 811m asl accompanied by few slopes with Monkey Ladders. Santubong National park has a shut-off time by 3 pm, which is recommended for all trekkers to depart from the peak for security purposes to avoid trekking in the dark. We spend a night at the peak of Santubong twice. It was an unforgettable experience. We spend around 6 hours to reach the peak for the first time while Dr. Azlan waited for 3 and a half hours which he managed to take a nap. It's challenging for us to climb the monkey ladder while raining. Dr. Azlan nearly fell to the cliff during this trip when he tried to go to the 2nd peak of Santubong, which terrified us, luckily a rotan saved him. During the 2nd trip, we hiked with Victoria, Emelie, and Anasthasia, who physically fitted. They used around 3 hours to reach the peak, but it was a hotter night compared to the first trip. Mt. Santubong is the most challenging mountain for me among my sampling sites, where I need to be physically fit on both hand and leg muscles. However, You can reach the other side of Santubong with a boat ride from Permai Rainforest Resort or Kampung Buntal. We spotted hornbills, a group of proboscis monkeys, and a pair of bearded pigs during our visit.
--Sally
Starting from F10.
Kubah National Park covered an area of 2,230 ha since 11th May 1989, overlook Mount Serapi with 911m asl. It is well known for its diversity of palm trees and herpetofauna; various pitcher plants can be seen above 600m asl. Lower Montane Forest can be seen above 700m asl. Kubah National Park is located 53 minutes away from campus UNIMAS, Kota Samarahan. The peak of Mt. Serapi with a telecom tower can be seen from Kuching town during good weather. Five trails are available: Rayu Trail, Belian Trail, Waterfall Trail, Summit Trail, and Selang Trail. Rayu trail is the longest trail, takes approximately 3 hours 20 minutes leads to Matang Wildlife Centre. Kubah is like a second home for us, which we visit every two weeks to replace bait for more than 2 years. We met many foreign visitors during the stays in Kubah's hostel; it was a great experience to exchange our stories. Off-trail in Kubah National Park could be challenging with steep slopes, plenty of palm trees, with some fallen logs that restricted you. I have two final year undergraduates batches to work in Kubah National Park on attractants and road effects that do really cheer up my trips.
--Sally
Camera trap sensor testing
Journey to the peak
After two weeks
Gunung Gading National Park (GGNP) is situated in Lundu town, 69km away from Unimas. "Gunung" means mountain in the Malay language; Mount Gading achieved a peak with 965m asl heading to Batu Berkubu. GGNP gazetted as a protected area role as a conservation area for the world's largest flower, "Rafflesia" in 1st August 1983 but open for public by 1994. We successfully hiked to the peak of gading four 4 times, yet this mountain peak is kind of depressing without any scenery; Batu berkubu trail was so exhausting. One of our companions didn't bring enough water with her and wasn't physically fit. Had added some excitement during our last trip to Batu berkubu trial; we hiked for more than 13 hours from 6 am until 8:30 pm. Gunung Gading National Park is well known as a water reservoir for residents in the land, yet the detection of medium to large mammals in this park was surprisingly low compared to other areas in Western Sarawak.
--Sally
Borneo Highland straddles along with the Penrissen range that borders Kalimantan provides the continuous forest with the peak reaching 1350 m asl at Mount Penrissen. Ambient temperature below the transition zone (900m asl) fluctuates from 21C to 31C, while the temperature stabilizes above 900m with 17C to 21C. At the peak, the temperature appears to stabilize uniformly from 15C to 17C throughout days and nights. Along the highland to the submontane gradient, leaf litters are abundant due to the slow decomposition rate. The composition of epiphytes and ferns is abundant, with smaller trees resulting in decreased canopy cover.
This forest gradient provides an array of habitat ranging from mixed dipterocarp forest to submontane cloud
the forest that harbors interesting species. The peak of Mout penrissen took us the least time to reach (around 2 hours), plenty of leech as vampire waiting to suck your blood with big stones along the trail and wasn't maintain by the authority. However, the cold weather accompanied by mists will soothe your tiredness. We were lost during our first trip to the peak, and it took us around 6 hours along with rains and thunder; we managed to get a tour guide (Uncle Siang) for the rest of the trips, which definitely ease our works and explored more area. Uncle Siang is the ex-worker in Borneo Highland who deployed all ladders along with trial to the peak. The ladder is slippery and shall be careful when climbing, and you may reach Kalimantan, Indonesia, without a passport in this forest patch. Batu Panggah, also known as a cursed stone that looks like a human face, came along with an interesting Bidayuh village story. Uncle Siang always commented that I'm fat, but with big feet that can protect me from falling, he is always nice and professional. But I just couldn't catch up with his speed until the end of the trip.
--Sally
who are you? hahax
it's view of Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Bako National Park was the first gazetted national park in Sarawak in the year 1957. We installed camera traps along with beach forests. We had suffered from mosquito attacks during the trips. Jellyfish can be seen along the beachside, but sadly, we cannot swim due to crocodile sighting. According to the ranger, six crocodiles can be spotted every 1 km in Sungai Bako. We deployed camera traps along beech forest, which insect repellent is a must-bring item, long-tailed macaque around the park stole our food (included beer) from the fridge depressed our trip. However, the sunset from Bako jetty and headquarter is breathtaking.
--Sally
Pelagus is located along the Rajang River, approximately two hours ride by express boat from Kapit town. Iban longhouses populate this area, and the only transportation is via the river. There is a protected area where part of it is an abandoned resort (Pelagus Regency Resort) that has been gazetted and is now called the Pelagus National Park. Some hunting activity and collection of natural resources such as the rattan and timber can be seen here.
Baleh is accessible by both land and river. The transportation mode is improved with the existence of logging roads into the area. Most of the riverine forest is still in pristine condition, although there are already traces of old and new logging activity. The river water becomes clearer towards Ulu Baleh; however, it becomes murky when it rains. The Ibans populated Baleh, but the Kenyahs dominated the parts nearer to the border of Indonesia Kalimantan.
Much of the Baram region is highly remote, although logging roads and rivers are used as the main access to the villages. The forest in Ulu Baram is certified for logging, and logging activities are still going on now. There has been large-scale logging and subsequent creation of oil palm or monoculture acacia estates within the surrounding area. It is also the habitat of the Hose’s Civet (Mathai et al., 2010). Hunting activities are not only done by the villagers here due to the ease of access by 4WD. The differences between virgin unlogged forest and logged forest can be observed with the size and types of vegetation. Orang Ulu (Kenyah, Kayan, and Penan) dominates these areas and the villages are normally resides by the rivers.
Audrey did her MSc sampling by walking line transects here for more than a year. Thaqi and I did our final year project with the project titles: diversity of birds and study on wildlife through camera trapping, respectively. Saremas oil palm plantation has its own primary school, mini market, guesthouse, and workers hostels. It was a unique experience since we need to travel for more than 12 hours to get there. Four-wheel drive was stuck in mud during raining season. We spotted a sambar deer during our first visit to Saremas, and Dr. Azlan was so excited that he sat on the window of the car to get a better photograph of the sambar deer. The cook provided us good meals every day; however, the hot weather in oil palm plantations had driven us crazy. This is the starting of my journey as a zoology student who started to learn to survive in the forest, figure out the proper and comfortable wear for me, way to remove entangled bats from mist net taught by Mr. Trevor, way to light up the fire, ways to communicate and cooperate with your team and all field techniques. Those were memorable trips for me with friendly and professional workers.
--Sally
Sampling in Kuching city is challenging as we have to walk on the roadside and keep a lookout for passing cars and weirdos/ suspicious people. We've met a 'curious' man where he literally grabs our equipment and looks through the binoculars and the range finders. Fortunately, he left soon after. The public always gave us a curious look as we were walking around the city with equipment. But it is all worth it once we have spotted a few myna's nests and observed their unusual behavior by protecting their nest from other birds. It is fascinating to walk through the city, observe birds (sometimes the public reactions), and collect our project data.
--Frances
Located at the lower part of Batang Lupar river in Sri Aman, Ulu Sebuyau National Park comprised mainly peat swamp forest with a known abundance of crocodiles. Sebuyau river is the main river that passes through the park from the southeast to the west. Camera traps were set in Ulu Sebuyau National Park to document and study species existence in the area.
Similajau National Park gazetted for its beautiful and unique geographical features of the coast, and golden sandy beaches harbor various vegetation types of littoral fringe, heath, and mixed dipterocarp forest. Diverse species could be sighted and recorded in Similajau National Park, which also inhabits both the estuarine and saltwater crocodile. Camera traps were set to document species richness in this protected area.
Gazetted in 2013 and located in Bintulu district, Meluang National Park is surrounded by oil palm plantation and far from human settlement. Various animal footprints could be seen along the previously logged roads within the national park, having a mixed dipterocarp forest habitat, a haven for species. Camera traps were set within the national park in understanding the survival of species and tolerance to disturbances.
Located in Miri is the Sarawak's largest natural lake, which covers an expanse area of 10, 736 hectares. Loagan Bunut National Park encompassed an area of mixed peat swamp forest, harbors diverse species of both terrestrial and aquatic. Each year, when the water level at Tinjar river is low, the lake drains completely leaving a vast area of dried and cracked mud which happens between February until July. Camera traps were set throughout the national park for species inventory. The hostel was accompanied by numerous ghost stories, I visited Loagan for the first time and was scared by villagers nearby the park which they actually wished me "good luck". Trevor couldn't sleep well during the last trip to this park, Trevor, Thaqi, and Asna did the last visit to this park two days after the incident of drowned students which accelerate their trip. The water in this park is in yellow color which is strongly not recommended for cooking and it brings you the feeling with thorns poking after shower, this park is still operate depending on the generator which has a cut off time at 11 pm with no network coverage. Animal calls and ~~~~ stories will company you throughout the night. Asna actually deployed her camera traps without record of GPS, Trevor and I accompanied her to retrieved them with the help of cutting sign on trees. It was crazy and absolutely challenging.
--Sally
Pueh National Park is newly gazetted in January 2015 achieved a peak of 1550 m above sea level. We spent two days to reach to the peak. The first trip was at June of 2016 and was tiring, we started to hike at 12pm due to some miscommunication, the heat and non-cover stairs (>500 steps) before the entrance of forest were killing us. Melynda vomited during the hike. We started to build our first base camp at 1730 hours with limited lights. Cold water in the mountain made us think twice before taking a bath, Melynda accidentally touched on sap of the tree which left a permanent scar on her hand. They shot one binturong during the first visit and one of our porter hurt himself with the "parang" which the wound was deep enough to see his bone.
The second trip we tag along 4 tour guides and spent three nights on the mountain, it was unforgettable and I surely enjoyed it than the first trip. It might due to I was mentally prepared for the condition in the forest. Our porters were perfectly trained, they actually built us a room, a kitchen and a table to play cards in a FOREST. They tied every wood together with just rotan and these are all built within couple of hours. Their dog (as shown in the picture) did followed us until the peak, such a faithful dog. The temperature at the elevation of 1200m asl was too cold for me which my legs were cramp during night. The boiled water can be cooled down within 20 minutes. I cooked the rice without rinse through it was terrified the others, the only source of our drinking water was from the waterfall which test sweet and cold. Yet, the water just too cold for me to touch to just to rinse through rice. I think it do taste the same? Haha... It was really an unforgettable trip for me during the second visit since I went with 5 man and was hard for me to take bath in the river. Shy~ shy~
--Sally
