Revisit Batu Anchau

Was hoping for a Banded Langur or a Silver Leaf or probably Borneon Gibbons again? This time, we tried the Batu Anchau trail. About 1.35 km from the Park headquarters, it takes about an hour to reach by foot. There were sightings of several birds along the way but none of what we really hoped to see.Next time maybe. Off the trail and further.

But the outing was rewarding as always, this time with beautiful plants and views.


Rattan


Fungi


Clusters of Nepethes ampullaria


Orchid


Taking advantage of the low tide on the way back

5th December 2009 morning

.........The colors of a rainbow so pretty in the sky..............





How low the tide and super clean the beach was and still is!

Conservation Education Programme 2009

A conservation talk was conducted end of October in 4 plantations, 2 Primary Schools and an Iban Village end of October. The main aim was to create more conservation-conscious people in Bintulu. With only one National Park in this town, people are still ignorant about the importance of conservation. Hopefully little programmes like this will help save the wildlife and the environment from further unnecessary destruction.

Among the Fruitful Outing ever!

Luckily we didn't end up cancelling because of the heavy rain the night before. Initial plan was to cover Turtle Beach I but Auldry was a first timer, so we decided to go for shorter trails allowing more time to check out interesting things along the way.

From the Park Headquarters, we crossed Sungei Likau via the suspension bridge to reach the Plankwalk. From this point, one can either walk straight along the Main Trail or turn right to the Mangrove Plank Walk. We took the latter. About 450m from the headquarters, we were marveled by the tough looking root systems of the mangroves..Reminded me of a friend inquired on the age of this forest type, which none of us in the Park knew but hopefully someday we will be able to determine that.

At the end of the Plankwalk, we continued covering the Circular Trail of about 1.7km (also distance from the headquarters), which later connect to the Main Trail. The trees in the Lowland Forest here seems to be in its fruiting season. Some were unique.

Looking like a vase, it's a fruit, smells like Guava

Coral-look-alike roots germinating from this fruit

Also, a Dwarf Lowland Toad known as Malayan forest toad, which rarely exceeds 5cm in length

Meeting the Main Trail, we continued trekking to the View Point. At about 700m of the Main Trail, i got attracted to a sapling. Unsure of the species but they were lots of them. The Mother tree must have been one of those huge ones around the area. Still taking time to capture the best when suddenly there were sounds of breaking branches!Looking around, we took sometime to locate until we saw something or someone settling on a branch with both hands hanging onto other branches, of a tall tree located few meters off the Main Trail. At first, we thought it must have been the common Long Tailed Macaque until i noticed the arms longer than usual of the Macaques! Screaming to myself "OMG!!it's gibbon!!"

I thought i saw two but one was actually carrying a baby. So, there were three then. The Park recorded sightings of them but all this while, myself have been able to HEAR them only..so to be able to WATCH them LIVE, that close, swinging, screaming or possibly courting?and i just couldn't help disturbing :-D (but there's a baby present so courting may not be right, i guess it was a family outing then) Simply amazing!!!

Gibbons spotted around 0930 on 22nd November 2009, few meters off the 700m Main Trail.

The primate's playground, Dryobalanops aromatica (Kapur) tree


Also nearby, Wild Ginger

Yet to reach the View Point, we've been lucky enough to see so much! The viewpoint looks back to the beach and Park Headquarters and there's a shelter with three picnic tables.

Going back to the station, again blessed, we spotted a Woodpecker. I only remembered the red color head but the input wasn't enough to identify which species.

That day was indeed special. Animals making themselves visible, sighting of the gibbons was definitely the highlight!They made my day!(even up to this moment) :-D

Wild Boars

Initially it was like any other day..tourist come and go..and then came two representatives from the District Office inquiring more about the Park on available accommodations. So there they were at Hostel 2 surveying...inspecting on the usual, the rooms, the sharing toilets...until they discovered more when the Hostel back door was opened!

Surprise...!surprise...!At least 10 individuals of the Sus barbatus of various sizes roaming around searching for food or....maybe risked themselves as food?:D

According to Abang Awang (Park Staff) who accompanied the guests, that was his first ever encounter with LIVE and that close. Abang Rahim (Park staff) also claimed that those days when there were no roads yet, it was indeed easy to spot them around the Headquarters, but this close now.....probably there's just more food here?






Fresh footprints of the Wild Boar found at the beach in front of Hostel on the very same day

Rain, rain...

It's that time of the year again when Mother Nature gets slightly tempered, pouring rain more than usual. That marks the arrival of the Landas season normally lasting up to the month of February or may just exceed looking at the unpredictable weather condition these days.

The sea is rough here with tide sometimes reaching almost to the edge of vegetation. Not forgetting debris from the sea stranded on the beach created an unpleasant view. Logs, bottles were some of them.

But the good thing is that there is an increasing number of waterbirds landing at the beach. At least 10 individuals (of the Plover species) seen yesterday.


A Selunsur log found stranded on the beach yesterday


Scattered debris of crushed leaves, twigs somehow look nice here

Rain or shine, the Park still is open... Adventurous?Come explore during Landas!

First Visit

Some time ago, the Park welcomed an informal visit from the Permanent Secretary to Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism, Datu Ose Murang and wife.

Other than admiring the fascinating coastlines, they were guided to a short trekking into the forest by Park staff, Abdul Rahim.

A photo to remember a good day by