RWS Photo Blog - Splendour pictures of Borneo

Water Lizard - Biawak Air

2010-12-23T23:11:00.003+08:00

Photo of a tropical monitor lizard. The specimen below is likely an Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator salvator).

Monitor lizards, also known as biawak or goannas, genus Varanus, are members of the family Varanidae.

Photo taken at Kem Permai, Kuching.

Tropical Dove

2010-12-05T09:45:00.004+08:00

Photo of a tropical dove relaxing during her morning sun-bath. The bird in the photo look like a Bar-shouldered Dove (Geopilia humeralis) or a Peaceful Dove (Geopelia striata).

The photo is shot with 24x digital zoom, so the photo quality is not pleasing.

Red Powder Puff Flower - Sensitive Briar

2010-11-08T23:38:00.004+08:00

Close up photo of tropical red Powder Puff Flower or Sensitive Briar. On a closer look, Powder Puff flower look like a Mimosa Pudica flower.

Calliandra haematocephala is a fast growing shrub that can grow tall but also spreads wide. If desired it can be kept smaller by trimming. Interesting enough the leaves close at night.

The buds before the flowers open look like raspberries. This large shrub can
be grown indoor if trimmed and grown in a pot but it will be best if you can grow it outside in a warm climate.

Powder Puffs come in white as well. Power Puff originated from Bolivia.

Recommended reading:
* Photo of Dillenia Suffroticosa - Simpoh Air
* Ixora Petal And Water Droplets
* Pitcher Plants, Nepenthes, Monkey Cup

Chilasa clytia butterfly

2010-10-25T22:39:00.002+08:00

Chilasa clytia, a common tropical butterfly found in Borneo. If not for the gloomy weather, the photo shoot would be perfect. The Chilasa clytia was just perching still on a flower and the air was still. A steady shot but lighting was a let down.

About a foot away in normal macro mode (not zero macro).

I think the photo above is about 5x lens zoom.

A normal shot.

See my Flickr gallery as well for more tropical butterflies.

Dead Huntsman Spider

2010-10-22T14:33:00.004+08:00

Photo of a dead Huntsman spider.

Recommended reading:
* Wasp spider of Borneo - Argiope bruennichi

Borneo Red Ants

2010-10-20T21:52:00.002+08:00

Red ants or fire ants from Borneo.

The bodies of fire ants, like all insects' bodies, are broken up into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen, with three pairs of legs and a pair of antennae. Fire ants can be distinguished from other ants by their copper brown head and body with a darker abdomen. The worker ants are blackish to reddish, and their size varies from 2mm to 6 mm (0.12 in to 0.24 in). These different sizes of the ants can all exist in the same nest.

Recommended photos:
* Macro photos of red fire ants

Setora fletcheri slug caterpillar

2010-10-14T12:30:00.002+08:00

Photo of a maroon spiky Setora fletcheri slug caterpillar. The slug caterpillar's decoration is not just for show. At any sign of danger, each cluster of spines blooms into a bristly sphere. Glands at the base of the spines produce venom rich in histamines--liquid peril for any would-be attacker.

Setora fletcheri showing warning coloration and spines loaded with toxins that erect when the slug is disturbed.

Photo shot at JP Jaban farm, 14th Mile Kuching Serian Road.

Baccaurea angulata - Belimbing Merah

2010-10-12T22:54:00.006+08:00

Baccaurea angulata is a tropical wild fruit indigenous to Borneo. Baccaurea angulata is also known locally as Belimbing Merah, Belimbing Bukit, Gerumin Bereh (Bidayuh), Tampoi Merah, Uchong (Iban) or Belimbing hutan.

Elsewhere, this fruit is also called as Embaling (Sabah), Embaling bobou (Brunei) and Asem ketiak, pidau (Kalimantan).

Baccaurea angulata is also close relative of the Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola). Some may called it Red Angle Starfruit.

The Baccaurea angulata fruits have a tangy taste, both the aril and the skin. A seasonal fruit which is often seen from November to January, sold by roadside sellers and in native fruit and vege markets.

Ripen Baccaurea angulata are either in red or pinkish.

And when the season come, Baccaurea angulata is very generous with its fruits. The fruits are borne from the trunk and branches. Plentiful of them.

Baccaurea angulata may reach 8 m tall, profusely branched. Flowers (yellow) and fruits (red) colourful so may be planted as an ornamental. Fruits are angular and inside is white, juicy, sourish-sweet edible pulp.

Yellow Black Polka Dot Caterpillar

2010-10-06T01:23:00.005+08:00

A photo of tiny yellow caterpillar will black dots.

Note: Photo was cropped.

Recommended reading:
* Photo collection of Tropical caterpillars

Macadamia Integrifolia Nuts

2010-10-04T21:50:00.005+08:00

I get to hold a box of Macadamia Integrifolia Nuts, freshly flown from Hawaii. Would you believe it? Macadamia Integrifolia Nuts in Malaysia. And no, the nuts will not be roasted but destined to a nursery. Hawaii is the largest producer of Macadamia nuts.

Macadamia nuts (Macadamia integrifolia) are dry drupes containing a very hard seed-bearing endocarp. According to most botanical references, the outer husk represents part of the ovary wall or pericarp.

They are small to large evergreen trees growing to 2–12 m tall. The leaves are arranged in whorls of three to six, lanceolate to obovate or elliptical in shape, 6–30 cm long and 2–13 cm broad, with an entire or spiny-serrated margin. The flowers are produced in a long slender simple raceme 5–30 cm long, the individual flowers 10–15 mm long, white to pink or purple, with four tepals. The fruit is a very hard woody globose follicle with a pointed apex, containing one or two seeds.

The nuts are a valuable food crop. Only two of the species, Macadamia integrifolia and Macadamia tetraphylla, are of commercial importance. The remainder of the genus possess poisonous and/or inedible nuts, such as M. whelanii and M. ternifolia; the toxicity is due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides.

Macadamia tree cultivation and processing

The macadamia tree is usually propagated by grafting, and does not begin to produce commercial quantities of nuts until it is 7–10 years old, but once established, may continue bearing for over 100 years. The macadamia nut has an extremely hard shell, but can be cracked using a blunt instrument, such as a hammer or rock applied with some force to the nut sitting in a concave surface, or a custom made macadamia nutcracker can be used.

Macadamia Nuts in the Diet Lower Cholesterol

How many times have you said, "nuts to the diet." Well now perhaps it should be "nuts in the diet." It seems that macadamia nuts may be a good addition to the daily diet, particularly if you want to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Macadamia nuts like all non-animal foods contain no cholesterol. But they are remarkable in the fact that their fat contains over 86% monounsaturated fatty acids. The average macadamia nut will also add about 18 calories to your diet. Oil from the macadamia nut is used in the cosmetic industry because of similarities between the nut oil and human skin.

Recommended link:
* Fruits Called Nuts
* HAWAII MACADAMIA NUT ASSOCIATION

Agarwood Aquilaria Crassna Saplings

2010-10-02T01:13:00.006+08:00

Young Agarwood saplings between 3 to 4 inches in height and about one month old. The Agarwood species is of Aquilaria crassna, a resinous heartwood, used for perfume and incense. The resin is produced by the tree in response to infection by a parasitic ascomycetous mould, Phaeoacremonium parasitica, a dematiaceous (dark-walled) fungus.

When the Agarwood saplings reach the height of 3 to 4 inches, it can be transplanted into bags.

Photo taken at a nursery at 13th Mile Kuching-Serian road, just after the rain.

Agarwood is also locally known as Gaharu.

Kelpie and German Shepperd Puppy Faceoff

2010-09-30T23:36:00.003+08:00

A local Kelpie faceoff with a German Shepperd puppy. Neither want to lose.

The ancestors of the Kelpie were simply (black) dogs, called Colleys or Collies. The word "collie" has the same root as "coal" and "collier (ship)". Some of these collies were imported to Australia for stock work in the early 1800s, and were bred to other types of dogs (possibly including the occasional Dingo), but always with an eye to working sheep without direct supervision.

So I have no idea how a look alike Kelpie can found its way here, at Borneo.

Blind Cat

2010-09-12T13:10:00.003+08:00

Photo of a white blind cat. The blind cat belongs to my neighbor and they called the cat, Snowy.

A blank stare.

The cat use hearing to locate noises.

Recommended viewing:
* Orange Kitten
* Two cats and a string
* Newborn Kittens

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Yellow Spiky Caterpillar - Series #20

2010-09-04T13:05:00.006+08:00

A close up photo of a small pale yellow spiky caterpillar with an alien face (or is it Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle face), perched on a mango leave. This specimen look like my previous luminous green Euclea delphinii catepillar.

Here's the YouTube video clip of the above caterpillar:

Recommended reading:
* Giant Caterpillar - Series #19
* Furry caterpillar - Series #18
* Two caterpillars - Series #17

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Picasa Europe Photo Challenge Winners

2010-08-16T16:30:00.003+08:00

Google has announced the winners of Picasa Europe Photo Challenge. The task for the Picasa Europe users is to show off their best photo of architecture.

Below is the list of winners who showcase their architectural variety of the historical and contemporary buildings.
1. raphael.melloul representing French Picasa
2. ejwiersema representing Dutch Picasa
3. Jürgen Keil representing Germany Picasa
4. robert.mlynarczyk representing Polish Picasa community
5. josemariaguerrerovidal representing Spanish Picasa community.

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Paper Wasp foraging Dimocarpus malesianus fruit flowers

2010-08-05T01:32:00.000+08:00

Photo of Paper Wasp foraging among the Dimocarpus longan malesianus fruit flowers.

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Orange Kitten

2010-08-04T01:00:00.004+08:00

Local orange kitten spotted escaping from her cage to take a sun bath. The orange kitten looks scruffy and she should be given a water bath instead.

By the way, the kitten belongs to my neighbor.

Recommended reading:
* Newborn Kittens
* Two cats and a string
* Mix Breed Siamese Cats Napping

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Four-angled Bean Flower

2010-08-03T01:40:00.000+08:00

Photos of four-angled bean (or a winged bean) flower.

The Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus), also known as the Goa bean (kacang botol in Malaysia) and Asparagus Pea and Winged Pea (Lotus tetragonolobus), is a tropical legume plant native to Papua New Guinea. It grows abundantly in hot, humid equatorial countries, from the Philippines and Indonesia to India, Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka. It does well in humid tropics with high rainfall. There are also varieties that can be grown in most areas of the U.S..

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The cheapest BackBerry in town

2010-08-02T22:08:00.003+08:00

Yellow BackBerry. Yes, it's another toy from China.

Recommended reading:
* The cheapest Black Berry in town

nature | photo

Wisma SALCRA, Samarahan

2010-07-27T21:36:00.005+08:00

Wisma SALCRA, the latest landmark in the District of Samarahan. Wisma SALCRA cost about RM63.1 million.

SALCRA or Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority was formed in 1976 to enable and assist the State Government in achieving the objectives of the New Economic Policy (NEP), particularly concerning the eradication of poverty. SALCRA's function, thus is to develop and manage native lands and Mixed Zone Land for Oil Palm and Tea Estates based on “in-situ” concept.

The Wisma SALCRA building does pose one question: Is it a PRIORITY to build the so-called WISMA SALCRA which cost MILLIONS where as the MONIES should be given to the land owners.

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The World's Shortest Doorman

2010-07-21T23:33:00.004+08:00

Rahmat Santoso, in his latest twenties is probably the World's Shortest Doorman. He worked at Gran Senyiur Hotel in Balikpapan, Indonesia.

Photo: ahmadbayasut.files.wordpress.com

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Abdul Taib Mahmud - portrait of past and present

2010-07-14T00:44:00.004+08:00

Abdul Taib Mahmud, the Chief Minister of Sarawak. A portrait of past and present.

Photo taken during the Majlis Berambih Keluarga Persatuan Melanau Kuching.

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Pullman Hotel Kuching

2010-07-13T07:44:00.004+08:00

The first Pullman hotel in Kuching. Pullman Hotel Kuching features 389 spacious and contemporary rooms with panoramic city and river views.

The locals are saying that Pullman Hotel is "haunted". Observe the photo above, bottom left and you will likely spot a figure near one of the windows.

Photo shot from Pelita Car Park complex.

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The cheapest Black Berry in town

2010-07-12T14:41:00.003+08:00

This could be the cheapest Black Berry mobile phone in town. I mean Bleck Berry. And it only cost RM4.50 (with battery) before discount.

Photo shot at Asajaya bazaar in the district of Samarahan.

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Majlis Berambih Keluarga Persatuan Melanau Kuching

2010-07-09T19:00:00.007+08:00

Photos shot at the Majlis Berambih Keluarga Persatuan Melanau Kuching, held on July 10, 2010 at Wisma Melanau Kuching.

The Majlis program book.

The event stage.

The Melanau dancers doing last minutes practice to welcome the VIP guests.

VIP Guests - Left: Len Talif (PMK president). Center: Taib Mahmud (Chief Minister of Sarawak) and Right: Leo Toyad.

VIP Guests - Aidan Wing

VIP Guests - Left: Fatimah Abdullah. Right: Len Talif

Launching of the Persatuan Melanau Kuching's official website.

What is Berambih

Berambih is a Melanau word for a casual social gathering that may involve having a meal together. The event may involve a small celebration that includes a feast, cultural show and other social activities.

Acara berambih adalah acara perjumpaan antara rakan rakan, penduduk mahupun perjumpaan antara pemimpin dan rakyat jelata.

SEO: Berambih Melanau | makna berambih | maksud berambih | apa itu berambih

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Tropical Wild Mushroom, Fungi, Series 11

2010-05-27T07:43:00.004+08:00

A tiny mushroom found on the jungle floor at Mt Singai, Bau.

Recommended reading:
* Tiny Umbrella Mushrooms, Fungi, Series 10
* Orange cup mushroom, Fungi, Series 9
* Tropical orange mushroom, Fungi, Series 8

About Mt Singai

Mount Singai (1843 ft or 562 m) is located between Bau and Matang area, in Kuching. The locals usually visit this place on weekends to climb the long fleet of stairs till the top. This is where the Catholic Memorial & Pilgrimage Centre to be found. It is a popular weekend destination for devotees who seek solace and meditation with the Lord. The CMPC is located just halfway of the plateau. Access to the holy place is by foot only, from the mountain foot. 30 – 40 minutes is all it takes for a normal healthy person to reach the holy centre.

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SEO: Mount Singai | wiki singai | singgai | mushroom photo

Bunga Misai Kuching - Orthosiphon stamineus

2010-05-24T12:31:00.003+08:00

Orthosiphon stamineus or Misai Kucing (Malay for "Cat's Whiskers") is a traditional herb that is widely grown in tropical areas. The two general species, Orthosiphon stamineus "purple" and Orthosiphon stamineus "white" are traditionally used to treat diabetes, kidney and urinary disorders, high blood pressure and bone or muscular pain.

Also known as Java tea, it was possibly introduced to the west in early 20th century. Misai Kucing is popularly consumed as a herbal tea. The brewing of Java tea is similar to that for other teas. It is soaked in hot boiling water for about three minutes, before being added with honey or milk. It can be easily prepared as garden tea from the dried leaves. There are quite a number of commercial products derived from Misai Kucing.

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Dimocarpus longan malesianus fruit bud

2010-03-22T22:42:00.004+08:00

Up close photo of Dimocarpus longan malesianus fruit bud. The fruit bud is about the size of a matchstick head. Dimocarpus longan var. malesianus, locally known as Buah Mata Kuching, is a subspecies of longan that is better adapted to tropical conditions.

Longan fruit is consumed fresh, dried, frozen and canned. Fresh fruit is consumed to reduce fevers, and the dried fruit as a cure for insomnia. Leaves contain quercetin, with antioxidant and antiviral properties, and are used in the treatment of allergies, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Crushed seeds produce foam, which is used as shampoo. The wood is used in the construction of furniture and other articles. The tree is also planted as an ornamental.

SEO: Euphoria longana, Euphoria longan, Nephelium longana, Nephelium longan, Buah Lengkeng, Buah Lenggeng, Mata Kucing

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Shorea (Meranti) Nuts - Winged fruits

2010-03-08T21:22:00.006+08:00

Photos of Shorea matured nuts. The nuts is also known locally as buah Engkabang or Mengkabang. In Bidayuh, it is called Buah Bekawang.

Above: Look like a nipple fruit.

Shorea is a genus of about 196 species of mainly rainforest trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae, from the type genus Dipterocarpus. Dipterocarpus, is derived from Greek (di = two, pteron = wing and karpos = fruit) and refers to the two-winged fruit. The genus is named after Sir John Shore, the Governor-General of the British East India Company, 1793-1798. They are native to southeast Asia, from Northern India to Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Above: Four wings fruit

Many economically important timber trees belong to Shorea. They are sold under various trade names including "Meranti", "Lauan" (or "Luan"), "Seraya", "Balau", and "Bangkirai". Other products from Shorea spp. include Dammar and Illepe. Dammar is a resin collected from a variety of species. It varies in colour among the different taxonomic groups. Shorea wiesneri is listed in many website as an important source of dammar.

Note: The Shorea nuts was collected fro 13th Mile Kuching Serian road.

Recommended reading:
* Photo of Green Grapes in the Tropic
* Rambutan - Nephelium lappaceum
* Barbados cherry in Borneo
* Freak papaya from Borneo

SEO: Buah engkabang | bekawang | mengkabang | buah meranti

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Tropical White-breasted Waterhen

2010-01-27T12:25:00.004+08:00

Photo of a tropical Waterhen with a bounty making a dash to the bushes.

About White-breasted Waterhen

The White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) is a waterbird of the rail and crake family Rallidae that is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia. They are dark slaty birds with a clean white face, breast and belly. They are somewhat bolder than most other rails and are often seen stepping slowly with their tail cocked upright in open marshes or even drains near busy roads. They are largely crepuscular in activity and during the breeding season after the first rains make loud and persistent croaky calls.

In Sri Lanka, this bird is known as Korawakka in Sinhala Language. In Sarawak Borneo, this Waterhen is known as Manuk Keruak in Bidayuh Language.

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Freshwater Puffer Fish - Ikan Buntal

2010-01-06T14:02:00.005+08:00

Photo of live tropical freshwater Puffer Fish (Ikan Buntal). The Ikan Buntal was caught at the muddy Siar Beach, Lundu. Ikan Buntal probably belong to Tetraodontidae family.

The small Ikan Buntal actually feel like a frog with soft tissue.

Closer shot of Ikan Buntal.

Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish. The family includes many familiar species which are variously called puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, bubblefish, globefish, swellfish, toadfish, toadies, honey toads, fugu and sea squab.

Recommended reading:
* Photo of Pristella maxillaris - X-ray fish - Series #2
* Tropical Transparent Fish - Glass Fish - X-Ray Fish
* Snake head fish photo
* Animal Oddity - Photo of Twin Tilapia Fish
* Animal Oddity - Photo of Barreleye Fish - Macropinna microstoma

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Photo of Siar Beach Resort

2010-01-01T23:05:00.004+08:00

Photo of Siar Beach, next to the Siar Beach Resort Lundu which is about one hour drive from Kuching.

Beach view facing a mountain shrouded with morning mists.

Siar beach at low tide.

Fresh water from the mountain flowing unto the beach at low tide.

A distance view of the mountain from Siar Beach.

The sea at the far end of the beach.

About Siar Beach Resort.

Siar Beach Resort occupies a secluded, peaceful and tranquility beach front with self contained bungalows units and basic facilities. Unfortunately, there is no white sand but sandy and muddy beach. Link to Siar Beach Resort home page.

Be sure to bring enough drinking water because when I stayed there, water supply (which is from the mountain source) was cut off during the night during a heavy storm. I suppose water supply is not an issue during fine weather. Bring your food rations as well as unless you prepared to drive back to Lundu town for a meal.

As for the beach, probably a one-star rating due to the fact that the main sea water body is far from the beach (approximately 500 meters away during low tide) in addition to the unsightly debris. And I cut my toe when I accidentally kick a submerged rock which was unseen due to the murky water.

Recommended reading:
* Photo of Sematan Palm Beach Resort

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Brown Praying Mantis of Borneo

2009-12-28T21:51:00.004+08:00

Photo of brown praying mantis. Common praying mantis that I came across are usually green mantis. The mantis below is probably the Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis).

Mantodea or mantises is an order of insects that contains approximately 2,200 species in 9 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. Most of the species are in the family Mantidae. Historically, the term "mantid" was used to refer to any member of the order because for most of the past century, only one family was recognized within the order; technically, however, the term only refers to this one family, meaning the species in the other eight recently-established families are not mantids, by definition (i.e., they are empusids, or hymenopodids, etc.), and the term "mantises" should be used when referring to the entire order. A colloquial name for the order is "praying mantises", because of the typical "prayer-like" stance, although the term is often misspelled as "preying mantis" since mantises are predatory. In Europe, the name "praying mantis" refers to Mantis religiosa. The closest relatives of mantises are the orders Isoptera (termites) and Blattodea (cockroaches), and these three groups together are sometimes ranked as an order rather than a superorder. They are sometimes confused with phasmids (stick/leaf insects) and other elongated insects such as grasshoppers and crickets.

Brown Praying Mantis video clip

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Giant Caterpillar - Series #19

2009-12-24T13:59:00.004+08:00

A close up photo of a giant tropical caterpillar. I short of calling it fat caterpillar.

Look at those spikes.

Photo shot at Jalan Stakan, Kuching.

Related posts:
* Furry caterpillar - Series #18
* Two caterpillars - Series #17
* Furry caterpillar - Series #16

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Furry caterpillar - Series #18

2009-12-15T11:01:00.004+08:00

This photo is the 18th series on caterpillar. This subject is furry with lumps of yellow brushes (yellow markers) on its body. This could be the Tussock Moth larvae.

Related posts:
* Two caterpillars - Series #17
* Furry caterpillar - Series #16
* Black caterpillar with white stripes and blue spikes - Series #15

SEO: Tussock Moth caterpillar | Tussock Moth larvae

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Bintulu Port Quay Crane Accident

2009-12-11T19:37:00.002+08:00

Photo of a newly acquired Quay Crane buckled under its own weight in an accident at Bintulu Port.

The RM21 million quay crane was supplied by peninsular based company IMPSA (M) Sdn. Bhd and about to be transported from a barge to Berth No.4 when it suddenly collapsed around 10.30a.m on Thursday.

The lower part of the crane structure was badly damaged in the incident. No injuries were reported in the mishap and operation on Berth No.4 will be temporarily closed according to the port authority in a statement on Thursday.

Photo source: UDN / Voon Siang Pin

More photos of Bintulu Port

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Anacondas in Asia

2009-12-11T01:25:00.005+08:00

Baby Anacondas spotted in Asia, Melaka Zoo that is. I wonder how Melaka Zoo will handled the Anacondas when they matured into a giant snake.

About Anacondas

Anacondas are large, non-venomous boas found in tropical South America. Although the name actually applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer only to one species in particular, the green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, which is one of the largest snakes in the world, and (together with the reticulated python of southeast Asia) arguably the longest.

Related posts:
* Fake photo of Legendary Nabau, Borneo giant snake

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Light Brown Moth

2009-12-10T11:42:00.004+08:00

Close-up photo of a Light Brown Moth. Look like a light brown apple moth.

Moth photo taken in the street of Melaka town before my camera's batteries drain out.

Related posts:
* Moth on a tropical red ginger plant
* Trapped moth
* Moth on a rambutan fruit, Series #6
* Wild sex - Mating moths photo

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Black Crow

2009-11-16T10:33:00.005+08:00

Photo of a black crow with red eyes perched on a papaya tree. Look like the crow is possessed but it's not. The bird could also be a Common Raven aiming for the ripen papaya fruit.

Above: cropped photo of a black crow.

Above: Photo taken at house's back yard with 12x digital zoom.

The true crows are large passerine birds that form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-sized jackdaws (Eurasian and Daurian) to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents (except South America) and several offshore and oceanic islands (including Hawaii). In the United States, the word "crow" is used to refer to the American Crow. The crow genus makes up a third of the species in the Corvidae family. Other corvids include rooks and jays. Crows appear to have evolved in Asia from the corvid stock, which had evolved in Australia. A group of crows is called a "murder," though this term usually appears in poetry or similar literature rather than ordinary usage.

Related posts:
* Borneo Frogmouth Owll
* Freak papaya from Borneo

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Two caterpillars - Series #17

2009-10-30T11:36:00.005+08:00

Photo of two tropical caterpillars on a leaves.

Left: Yellowish spiky caterpillar. Right: Gray furry caterpillar.

Please help to identify the species. Thanks in advance.

Related posts:
* Furry caterpillar - Series #16
* Black caterpillar with white stripes and blue spikes - Series #15
* Black Yellow Spiky Caterpillar - Series #14
* Green caterpillar with fake eyes - Series #3

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Green Angle-wing Katydid

2009-10-23T09:31:00.004+08:00

Exotic photo of green grasshopper or Angle-wing Katydid. The family Tettigoniidae, known in American English as katydids and in British English as bush-crickets, contains more than 6,400 species. It is part of the suborder Ensifera and the only family in the superfamily Tettigonioidea. They are also known as long-horned grasshoppers, although they are more closely related to crickets than to grasshoppers. Many tettigoniids exhibit mimicry and camouflage, commonly with shapes and colors similar to leaves.

Tettigoniids may be distinguished from grasshoppers by the length of their filamentous antennae, which may exceed their own body length, while grasshoppers' antennae are always relatively short and thickened.

The males of tettigoniids have sound-producing organs (via stridulation) located on the hind angles of their front wings. In some species females are also capable of stridulation.

Related posts:
* Mating Locusts, Series #4
* Tropical Giant Locust, Series #3

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Tallest Bougainvillea In Miri

2009-09-24T15:30:00.003+08:00

Photo of the tallest Bougainvillea (pokok bunga kertas) plant in full bloom. The photo was taken from a room at Park Hotel, Miri.

The tall Bouganinvillea used a pine tree as a support. The pine tree could be over 100ft tall.

From far, the pine tree look like it was infest with a blooming parasite plant.

Above: Shot taken from underneath the plant.

About Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea (pronounced /ˌbuːɡɨnˈvɪliə/) is a genus of flowering plants native to South America from Brazil west to Peru and south to southern Argentina (Chubut Province). Different authors accept between four and 18 species in the genus. The plant was discovered in Brazil in 1768, by Philibert Commerçon, French Botanist accompanying French Navy admiral and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville during his voyage of circumnavigation.

They are thorny, woody vines growing anywhere from 1-12 meters tall, scrambling over other plants with their hooked thorns. The thorns are tipped with a black, waxy substance. They are evergreen where rainfall occurs all year, or deciduous if there is a dry season. The leaves are alternate, simple ovate-acuminate, 4-13 cm long and 2-6 cm broad. The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six bracts with the bright colors associated with the plant, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white, or yellow. Bougainvillea glabra is sometimes referred to as "paper flower" because the bracts are thin and papery. The fruit is a narrow five-lobed achene.

nature | photo

Borneo Beetle - Series #5

2009-09-09T22:52:00.000+08:00

Photo of an unidentified beetle from Borneo crawling on a young flower pod.

Related posts:
* Tropical Orange Blister Beetle - Nemognatha
* Black Blister Beetle | Nemognatha Photo
* Tropical Luminous Bug
* Wild Sex - Leave Beetle Mating

nature | photo

Common Huntsman Spider - Series #6

2009-09-08T22:41:00.003+08:00

A photo of a tropical common Huntsman Spider underneath a leave mat.

Related posts:
* Spider with missing limbs
* Common Huntsman Spider - Series #3
* Wasp spider of Borneo - Argiope bruennichi
* Common Huntsman Spider - Series #2
* Tropical spider - Series #1

nature | photo

Coop Fest 2009 Sarawak

2009-08-09T21:40:00.004+08:00

Photo collection of cultural dance performed during the launching of the Cooperative Fest 2009 in Kuching, Sarawak. The event was organized by Suruhanjaya Koperasi Malaysia (SKM) Sarawak and officiated by YB Datuk Peter Nyarok Entrie, Menteri Muda Pertanian Negeri Sarawak.

The Cooperative festival logo.

The cultural troupe from the local performing arts school.

Left: A girl in a traditional Bidayuh costume. Right: A girl in a traditional Orang Ulu costume. Her elongated ears are fake.

The Ngajat dance led by the Iban warrior.

Iban maiden in a graceful dance.

An Indian lass.

A Malay lass.

Left: Orang Ulu maiden. Right: Malay maiden.

Orang Ulu dance.

The photos above refer to the cultural show before the event was officiate by the Minister. During this event, various activities was held near the Kuching Waterfront, which include Cooperatives exhibition, cooking competition, flowers arrangement competition, poco-poco, stage show, Traditional Ratu Kebaya pageant, etc.

The Coop Fest 2009, Sarawak was held from August 07 until August 09, 2009.

nature | photo

Mating Locusts, Series #4

2009-08-06T16:02:00.005+08:00

This is the 4th series on topical locusts. Shown below is a mating locust couple. Different postures, different places but the same couple.

Smaller male on top.

Note the tiny spike on their limbs.

Mating locusts on a fern stem.

Related posts:
* Tropical Giant Locust, Series #3
* Tropical Giant Locust, Series #2
* Tropical locust

nature | photo

Surau at the Sarawak Dun Complex

2009-08-02T20:53:00.002+08:00

Photos of Surau at the new Sarawak DUN Complex.

The Surau, an annex building of the new Sarawak DUN Complex. Photo by HPE.

The Surau ceiling top. Photo by HPE.

The Surau architectural designs. Photo by HPE.

The Surau wall. Photo by HPE.

nature | photo

Borneo Frogmouth Owl

2009-07-31T10:09:00.008+08:00

Photo of mysterious tropical Borneo Bird. The bird is probably a family of falcon, eagle or the Borneon Bristlehead. The bird for unknown reason build a nest on a jackfruit branch which is expose to the weather element .

UPDATES:
* Responses from my Flickr gallery confirmed that this bird is a juvenile FrogMouth Owl (or Bornean Frogmouth - Batrachostomus mixtus).

Video clip of the mysterious bird

Lucky Bird

My mum informed me that she spotted this bird and try to explain that is look like an OWL but not exactly an owl. This mysterious bird is definitely not an owl. Anyway, after taking a few shots of the bird, I buy some 4Digit lottery on the number 0310 (imagine O=0, W=3, L=1 and a 0) and it strike first prize ! yay ! Enough prize money to buy a few units of DSLR or smartphones.

So now it's time to pamper myself. Should I treat myself with a new unit of NIKON D90, a BlackBerry or purchase another 1,000 Gaharu seedlings?

SEO: Juvenile Owl | Frogmouth Owl

nature | photo

Sarawak Rivers Board

2009-07-29T01:23:00.004+08:00

Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) or locally known as Lembaga Sungai Sungai Sarawak (LSSB) the care taker of Sarawak Rivers is seriously lagging in dissemination of information to the public. Fortunately, the information I referred to is non critical but related to the recent activities held at Sarawak River, namely the Sarawak Regatta as well as the Sarawak River Night Floats.

NOTES:
If you have Googled for "Sarawak Rivers Board" home page and instead landed in this blog, you should be heading to their home page at http://www.srb.sarawak.gov.my/Home_page.htm. Oh yeah, forget about srb.com.my (their webmaster forgot to redirect the page to srb.sarawak.gov.my).

Up until July 27, 2009, there is no information on the mentioned events which were very important considering that the events was held to mark the opening of the new Sarawak State Legislative Building (DUN) and the sitting of the Malaysian Rulers Conference.

SRB (or LSSB) was the organizing body for the two big events that warrants more publicity to the local public as well as international audience. It is necessary for them to update their website with the upcoming events considering that the participants from various government bodies spent thousand of ringgit decorating their floats or training their regatta teams.

See the image on the right. Their last update on the website was on March 2009. Based on Google result page, their official website is positioned on the lower part of the first page. Let's see if this post can hijacked that position.

Related posts:
* River of Garbage in Asia

SEO: Laman web Lembaga Sungai Sungai Sarawak | Sarawak River Board website | Sarawak Rivers Board | SRB.GOV.MY |

nature | photo

Fireworks during Sarawak DUN Complex opening

2009-07-28T11:13:00.005+08:00

Photo of fireworks during the opening of new Sarawak DUN Complex. The fireworks display was the finale after the end of procession by various kind of decorative boat float.

A cute float from Kuching Port Authority, which graced the front page of Borneo Post.

Sarawak DUN FireWork - Photo by smilephotowork.blogspot.com

Sarawak DUN Fireworks - Photo by smilephotowork.blogspot.com

Video clip of the fireworks display during the opening ceremony of the new Sarawak DUN.

SEO: Pertunjukan Bunga api Sarawak DUN | Firework waterfront | Firework and float

Sarawak Regatta 2009

2009-07-26T17:07:00.006+08:00

Sarawak River Regatta 2009 will be held on Monday July 2009. On the same day, the new Sarawak DUN complex will convene it first state assembly meeting followed by the Sarawak River Float to be held in the evening.

More photos will be uploaded after the event.

This Sarawak Regatta 2009 was organized by the Sarawak Rivers Board.

SEO: gambar regatta sarawak | sarawak regatta picture | koleksi regatta | album regatta | kuching regatta | regatta sungai sarawak

Sarawak River Float 2009

2009-07-25T01:44:00.005+08:00

Sarawak River Float 2009 will be organized on July 27, 2009 to commemorate the official opening of the new Sarawak DUN Building by the Agung and in conjunction with the sitting of Malaysia Ruler's Conference in Kuching.

The River Float will starts from the Toll Bridge (Tun Sallehuddin Bridge at Tanah Puteh) passing the new DUN Building and the Astana. The best viewing point will be from the Kuching Waterfront. Be there before 8pm on the 27th of July 2009.

Various organizations will participate in the events, including Kuching Port Authority, ASSAR, Sarawak Energy (SESCO), Samling Group. Naim Cendera.

Float from Sarawak Energy (SESCO). Their theme is of course, electricity power grid in addition to the alternative energy, i.e. wind power (turbine). On the side of the boat is an Iban motif.

Float from the ASSAR group. The float motto is "Sarawak's Premier Oil, Gas & Chemical Integrator Corporation". On their boat, you can see gas tank, laboratory tubes, and oil tanks.

Float from Kuching Port Authority. At the bow of the boat is decorative hornbill head, hornbill wings at side of the boat and at the stern, a cat (which represents Kuching).

Float from Naim Cendera promoting their housing product Naim Homes. Photo from PhotoBorneo.com

Photos to be uploaded soon.

About Sarawak

The Sarawak River or Sungai Sarawak is a river in Sarawak state of Malaysia. It is an important source of water and transportation for the inhabitants in southwestern Sarawak. It is also used in water-related sport activities such as the annual Sarawak Regatta which attract tourists from all over the world.

The Astana, the official residence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak, Governor of Sarawak, is located on the north bank of the river.

SEO: bot hiasan sarawak | Perarakan Bot Berhias Sarawak

Photo of Sarawak DUN Building

2009-07-24T15:42:00.005+08:00

Photo of Sarawak new Dewan Undangan Negri (DUN) Building (Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Hall), the latest landmark in Kuching.

The new Sarawak DUN Building is costing the state government about RM296.5 million.

Entrance to Sarawak DUN Complex ~ BinaPuri

The majestic Sarawak DUN complex ~ BinaPuri

Atrium of Sarawak DUN ~ BinaPuri

Sarawak DUN Chamber ~ BinaPuri

Construction of Sarawak DUN Complex - CMSB

Night shot of Sarawak DUN Complex.

The new Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building. Photo by Rafiq Mirza

Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Sarawak. Photo by canonreflex

Sarawak Parliament. Photo by Asif Imtiaz

Perahu Tambang. Showcasing the old and the ultra modern. Photo by famptoP

DUN under the bright blue sky. Photo by framptoP

SEO: Koleksi Gambar DUN Sarawak | Galleri Gambar DUN Sarawak | DUN baru Sarawak | Komplex DUN Sarawak |

Night Photography Without Flash

2009-07-19T15:23:00.002+08:00

Finally: a flash camera without all the usual problems, especially for night photography. By using a flashbulb that emits ultraviolet and infrared light (neither of which the human eye can detect) instead of visible light, New York University's Dilip Krishnan and Rob Fergus have come up with dark photography that will neither blind your subject nor produce the unwanted glare of a harsh flash in the developed photo.

Dark photography uses a camera that takes photos with an invisible flash of infrared and ultraviolet light points to a smarter way to take photos in the dark.

On their own, IR and UV exposures produce photos that have strange, unrealistic coloring. But Krishnan and Fergus have taken care of that as well. Their system processes IR and UV exposures into true color, by combining two photos taken in quick succession into a superior final image.

Their camera first takes a photo with an IR/UV flash, which produces an image that has clearly illuminated detail, but the wrong color palette. Following this first shot, the camera immediately takes a second shot with no flash; this one gives the camera the right coloring, but, without enough illumination, has a grainy, blurry look. Finally, Krishnan and Fergus's software merges the two photos into an image that has both fine detail and correct hues.

Moth on a tropical red ginger plant

2009-07-10T21:28:00.002+08:00

Photo of a brown moth on a tropical red ginger plant.

Related posts:
* Wild sex - Mating moths photo
* Trapped moth
* Moth on a rambutan fruit, Series #6
* Moth on a Ginger Flower
* Yellow moth with black stripes

Spider with missing limbs

2009-07-03T08:30:00.004+08:00

Photo of a tropical spider with missing limbs.

Related posts:
* Common Huntsman Spider - Series #3
* Wasp spider of Borneo - Argiope bruennichi
* Common Huntsman Spider - Series #2
* Tropical spider - Series #1

Lady's finger - Okra

2009-06-29T21:29:00.003+08:00

Photo of water droplets on an Okra, or Lady's finger.

Okra (pronounced US: /ˈoʊkrə/, UK: /ˈɒkrə/), known by many others names, is a flowering plant in the mallow family (along with such species as cotton, cocoa, and hibiscus), valued for its edible green fruits. Okra's scientific name is Abelmoschus esculentus; it is occasionally referred to by the synonym, Hibiscus esculentus L.

Okra is often known as Lady's Fingers outside of the United States, and gumbo in parts of the United States and English-speaking Caribbean, based on a corruption of the Portuguese word "quingombo," which is in turn a corruption of the word "quillobo," the word for the plant in some parts of eastern Africa.

The name "okra" is of West African origin and is cognate with "ọ́kụ̀rụ̀" in Igbo, a language spoken in Nigeria. In various Bantu languages, okra is called "kingombo" or a variant thereof, and this is the origin of its name in Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French. The Arabic "bāmyah" is the basis of the names in the Middle East, the Balkans, Iran, Afghanistan, Greece, North Africa and Russia. In Southern Asia, its name is usually a variant of "bhindi" or "vendi."

In Borneo, the Malay called Okra as Kacang Mior or Kacang Bendi or simply Kacang Lendir (slime).

Furry caterpillar - Series #16

2009-06-28T21:43:00.002+08:00

Newborn Kittens

2009-06-19T19:19:00.002+08:00

Photo of little newborn kittens. The newborn kittens were only couple of days old and their eyes are still shut close.

Look at the claws.

The nose seems a little bit big.

Notice the newborn whiskers.

Related posts:
* Two cats and a string
* Mix Breed Siamese Cats Napping

Tropical Cyan Dragonfly - Series #4

2009-06-18T23:43:00.004+08:00

A tropical cyan dragonfly. Most dragonfly's wings are see-through.

Below: cropped photo of the dragonfly big eyes. Click image for larger view.

Related posts:
* Dragon Fly - Series#3
* Tropical Dragonfly - - Series #2
* Tropical Red Dragonfly - Series #1

Tropical Mud Crab

2009-06-13T00:44:00.006+08:00

Photos of a tropical mud crab crossing a tarmac road at Kpg Sebayor, Semarahan.

Close up photo of a tropical crab. Look at those red pincers. Click the photo for a larger view.

Crossing pincers.

Crab photo a further distance.

Common Huntsman Spider - Series #3

2009-05-28T20:51:00.000+08:00

A photo collection of tropical common Huntsman Spider caught with a bounty, a dead butterfly. Click on the photo for an enlarged view.

The Huntsman guarding its catch.

Dead butterfly beneath the Huntsman

Huntsman moving away with a dead butterfly

Similar posts:
* Animal Oddity - Photo of Largest Huntsman Spider
* Wasp spider of Borneo - Argiope bruennichi
* Common Huntsman Spider - Series #2
* Tropical spider - Series #1

Split Headed Piglet - Photo

2009-05-27T22:26:00.001+08:00

Pig with one head (look like a split headed to me), two mouths, two noses and three eyes

Farmer Liu Shuping presents a newly born piglet with one head, two mouths, two noses, and three eyes in Xi’an, China, on March 7, 2007.

Related posts:
* Animal Oddity: Photo of Seven-Legged Pig
* Monkey-faced Piglet - Photo
* Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-headed Pig

Animal Oddity: Photo of Seven-Legged Calf

2009-05-25T00:13:00.003+08:00

A seven-legged calf was born at Steamboat Veterinary Hospital. The Black Angus calf was delivered by Caesarean section. The calf lived only 10 minutes. One of the seven legs had two hooves. The calf had two spines but just one head. Photo by Matt Stensland

Related posts:
* Animal Oddity: Photo of Seven-Legged Pig
* Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-headed Pig

Animal Oddity: Photo of Seven-Legged Pig

2009-05-22T14:16:00.000+08:00

A pig was born with seven legs in a town north of Manila, Phillippines in 2001. Named Kambal, meaning twins in Tagalog, the male pig has been attracted daily visitors following his birth. ~ JON PAULINO/AP

Animal Oddity: Photo of Four-earred Cat

2009-05-21T12:43:00.001+08:00

Valerie Rock's four-eared cat, Yoda, isn't the only unique multi-eared feline around. ~ Olsen/AP

Lilly, a six-month old black and white house cat with four ears is seen was a sensation at a home for animals in Murnau, Germany, in 2004. ~ Rehle/Reuters

Animal Oddity - Photo of Giant Stick Insect

2009-05-20T12:39:00.000+08:00

Curator George Beccaloni of Britain's Natural History Museum holds a giant stick insect named Phobaeticus chani, meaning "Chan's megastick." The 22-inch insect was recently confirmed as the world's longest. But giant bugs aren't the only oddity in the Animal Kingdom. ~ AP/Natural History Museum/HO

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Albino Pink Elephant Calf
* Animal Oddity - Two-nosed Bunny
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-headed Albino Rat Snake

2009-05-19T12:35:00.000+08:00

Rat snake! Not only it is albino skinned, it is two-headed as well.

Leonard Sonnenschein, president of the World Aquarium in St. Louis, holds We, a two-headed albino rat snake, in 2006....before putting up the reptile for auction on eBay.

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Albino Pink Elephant Calf
* Animal Oddity - Two-nosed Bunny
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-headed Pig

2009-05-18T12:29:00.000+08:00

Rudy, the two-headed pig, became the pride of Edgewood, Iowa in 1997. Most two-headed pigs are stillborn or die shortly after birth.

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Albino Pink Elephant Calf
* Animal Oddity - Two-nosed Bunny
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of One Eye Kitten

2009-05-17T16:45:00.000+08:00

Cy -- short for Cyclops -- was a kitten born with one eye and no nose in December 2005. The kitten, a ragdoll breed that was one of two born, died after a day. Its sibling was born normal and healthy. (Traci Allen/AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Deformed Frog - Series #2

2009-05-15T16:41:00.000+08:00

Several species of frogs with developmental abnormalities have been found across Minnesota and into neighboring Wisconsin, South Dakota and Quebec over the years. (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency/AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-headed Tortoise - Series #2

2009-05-14T16:39:00.000+08:00

Held by its owner, this tiny two-headed tortoise was the result of a rare phenomenon that occurred during the embryonic stage of development. The tortoise apparently functioned normally.
(Obed Zilwa/AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Conjoined Crocodiles

2009-05-13T16:37:00.000+08:00

These conjoined baby crocodiles were born at the Samut Prakarn Crocodile Farm on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, in June 2001. Joined at the bottom part of their body, the reptiles have eight legs and two tails. (Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Mating Flies - Series #5

2009-05-12T20:11:00.000+08:00

Fifth series of macro photo on mating flies.

Similar posts:
* Housefly Sex, Series #2
* Adventure of two flies (Fi and Fo)

Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-faces Kitten

2009-05-12T16:33:00.000+08:00

Cobra Macini feeds his two-faced kitten in Inverness, Fla. The kitten, one of a litter of five, was born two days ago and is expected to survive, according to local veterinarian. Wade Phillips. The animal was born two weeks premature and has two mouths that feed one esophagus, four eyes and two noses. (Cathy Kapulka/ Citrus County Chronicle/ AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Albino Alligator

2009-05-11T15:56:00.000+08:00

A rare albino alligator cools itself at the Los Angeles Zoo at the start of the zoo's summer promotion Out of the Swamp, Aug. 3, 2006. The promotion will give visitors a glimpse of the illusive alligator and educate families on the importance of swamps. (Nick Ut/ AP Photo )

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of White Buffalo Calf

2009-05-10T15:00:00.000+08:00

A rare white buffalo calf tags behind its mother at Val and Dave Heider's farm in Janesville, Wis., Sept. 8, 2006. It was the third white buffalo born on the farm. About 50 American Indians, who regard the animals as sacred, held a drum ceremony over the weekend to honor the calf. (Dan Lassiter/ The Janesville Gazette/ AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Four-legged Chicken

2009-05-09T14:58:00.000+08:00

Henrietta, a four-legged chicken, was discovered at Brendle Farms in Somerset, Pa., Sept. 21, 2006. (Rob Gebhart/Daily American / AP Photo )

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Mating Flies - Series #4

2009-05-08T20:09:00.003+08:00

The fourth series of macro photo on mating flies.

Similar posts:
* Housefly Sex, Series #2
* Adventure of two flies

Mating Flies - Series #3

2009-05-08T19:54:00.004+08:00

This is a third series on macro photo of mating flies.

Similar posts:
* Housefly Sex, Series #2
* Adventure of two flies (Fi and Fo)

Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-faces Calf

2009-05-08T14:56:00.000+08:00

This calf, which was the product of artificial insemination, was born with two faces Dec. 27, 2006, on a Virginia farm. She breathes out of two noses and has two tongues, which move independently. (Jean Farley, Wytheville Enterprise Via Bristol Herald Courier/AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Four-legged Duckling

2009-05-07T14:53:00.000+08:00

A rare mutation has left Stumpy, a duckling at Warrawee Duck Farm in Copythorne, Hampshire, England, with two legs behind the usual two. Here is Stumpy on Feb. 17, 2007. (Barry Batchelor, PA/AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Eight Legs Frog

2009-05-06T14:50:00.000+08:00

A waitress holds up a frog with eight legs in a restaurant in Quanzhou, in southeast China's Fujian Province, Feb. 28, 2007. The restaurant's owners, who normally serve frog's legs as a dish, have decided to spare the unique animal. (AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Giant Shortrake RockFish

2009-05-05T14:39:00.000+08:00

This March 2007 photo released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows Chris Wilson of NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, holding a 38-inch ruler up to a giant shortraker rockfish. The 44-inch, 60-pound female shortraker rockfish was caught 2,100 feet below the surface, south of the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea.
(Karna McKinney, NOAA Fisheries/AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Six-legged Calf

2009-05-05T14:37:00.000+08:00

A six-legged calf, born on the farm of Brian Slocum of Litchfield, Neb., April 29, 2007. The calf also has both male and female reproductive organs. (Kearney Hub/Katherine Thomas/AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-nose Calf

2009-05-04T14:34:00.000+08:00

A cow in Wisconsin was born with two noses. Owner Mark Krombholz didn't notice until he fed her a bottle of milk. "It's a functioning nose because the middle of her second nose, the flap would go in and out when she drank out of the bottle like that," said Krombholz. "It was kind of funny. It caught my eye right away, so I kind of laughed at that." Lucy, born May 4, 2007, will be a pet and breed if she's able, according to Krombholz. (ABC News)

WATCH: Lucy, The Two Nosed Cow

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Giant Hogzilla

2009-05-03T14:29:00.000+08:00

In this photo released by Melynne Stone, Jamison Stone, 11, poses with a wild pig he killed near Delta, Ala., May 3, 2007. Stone's father said the hog weighed a staggering 1,051 pounds and measured 9 feet 4 inches from the tip of its snout to the base of its tail. If claims of the animal's size are true, it would be larger than Hogzilla, the huge hog killed in Georgia in 2004.
(Melynne Stone/AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-toned Lobster

2009-05-02T14:25:00.001+08:00

A rare two-toned lobster is seen in July 2006, in Bar Harbor, Maine. The lobster was caught by Alan Robinson in Dyer's Bay and is a typical mottled green on one side; the other side is a shade of orange that looks cooked. Robinson donated the lobster to the Mount Desert Oceanarium. Staff members say the odds of finding a half-and-half lobster are 1 in 50 million to 100 million. (Abigail Curtis, The Daily News/AP Photo)

Related Animal Oddities
* CNN - Rare yellow lobster avoids boiling pot
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Gourd-shaped Tortoise

2009-05-01T14:23:00.000+08:00

A gourd-shaped tortoise is seen in Huaibei, east China's Anhui Province, June 24, 2007. Residents say a gene mutation contributed to the aberration, local media reported.
(China Daily/ Reuters )

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* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Crossbreed Zebra Horse

2009-04-30T14:17:00.001+08:00

The zebra and horse crossbreed Eclyse puts its best face on during its public presentation in Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock, western Germany.The father of Eclyse is a horse from Italy, where the crossbreed filly was born in 2006. Her mother is a zebra from the Safari park. (Udo Richter, uripress.de/AP Photo)

Credits: MARTIN MEISSNER

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* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Valentine Chihuahua

2009-04-29T14:14:00.000+08:00

A long-haired male Chihuahua named Heart-kun was born with a heart-shaped pattern of brown fur in Odate, Japan, May 18, 2007. Shop owner Emiko Sakurada said that of the 1,000 dogs she had bred, Heart-kun was the first puppy born with such a mark. There are no plans to sell the puppy. (Issei Kato/Reuters)

Related Animal Oddities
* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Animal Oddity - Photo of Seven-legged Lamb

2009-04-28T14:10:00.000+08:00

A seven-legged lamb is pictured on its farm at Methven near Christ Church in the South Island of New Zealand, July 31, 2007. Veterinarian Steve Williams said he believed a misprint in embryo formation had resulted in the lamb being born polydactyl, or with many legs, a condition that occurs once in every several million sheep. (Susan Sandys, Ashburton Guardian/AP Photo)

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* Animal Oddity - Giant Killer Worm

Monkey-faced Piglet - Photo

2009-04-27T22:12:00.003+08:00

While all the other little piggies will be going to market, this freak little piggy from China will stay at home – for fear that nobody will buy a walking bacon sandwich with the face of a monkey. Curious locals flocked to the home of owner Feng Changlin after news of the piglet spread in Fengzhang village, Xiping township. “It’s hideous. No one will be willing to buy it, and it scares the family to even look at it!” Feng told Oriental Today.

He says the piglet looks just like a monkey, with two thin lips, a small nose and two big eyes. Its rear legs are also much longer than its forelegs, causing it to jump instead of walk. Feng’s wife said the monkey-faced piglet was one of five newborns of a sow which the family had raised for nine years.

“My God, it was so scary. I didn’t known what it was. I was really frightened,” she said. “But our son likes to play with it, and he stopped us from getting rid of it. He even feeds it milk.” Neighbours have suggested the couple keep the piglet to see how it looks as it matures

The pig with the face of a monkey

Spectators looking at the monkey-faced piglet

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Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-headed Calf

2009-04-27T14:03:00.000+08:00

Blinky the cow was born with two heads. Although the calf is clearly special, unfortunately, the life span of two-headed cows is not very long, which does not bode well for Blinky, who can't stand or sit on her own. Greg Hamstra, owner of Hamstra's Dairy in Tulare, Calif., where the calf was born, said, "We call her Blinky because all four eyes blink at the same time." (ABC News)

WATCH: Two-Headed Calf

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Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-headed Tortoise

2009-04-26T14:01:00.000+08:00

Janus, the Geneva Museum of Natural History's two-headed Greek tortoise, is presented to the press and public during the official celebration of its 10th birthday Sept. 5, 2007, at the Natural History Museum in Geneva. Janus, named after the two-headed Roman god was born Sept. 3, 1997. Geneva's Natural History Museum invited children born the same year to take part in the celebration of Janus' birthday. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

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Animal Oddity - Photo of Deformed Frog

2009-04-25T13:55:00.000+08:00

This undated handout photo provided by the University of Colorado shows a deformed frog. The growing number of deformed frogs in recent years is caused at least partly by runoff from farming and ranching, new research indicates. (Peiter Johnson, University of Colorado/AP Photo)

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Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-headed Turtle

2009-04-24T13:52:00.000+08:00

Store manager Jay Jacoby displays a two-headed red slider turtle at Big Al's Aquarium Supercenter in East Norriton Pa., Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007. The rare turtle is on display at the store. (Matt Rourke/ AP Photo )

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Animal Oddity - Photo of Crooked Neck Giraffe

2009-04-23T13:49:00.000+08:00

Gemina, a giraffe with a distinctive crooked neck and one of the most beloved animals at the Santa Barbara Zoo, died Jan. 9, 2008. The 21-year-old is shown on her last birthday, July 16, 2007, at the California zoo. (Michael Moriatis/News-Press/AP Photo)

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Animal Oddity - Photo of Valentine Piglet

2009-04-22T13:47:00.001+08:00

A weeks-old Gloucester Old Spot pig was dubbed Valentine when he was born Jan. 29 with a heart-shaped patch on his side. The piglet, one of a litter of seven, became the center of attention after staff at Byford's Farm near Newent, southwestern England, spotted his unusual markings. Specialist breeder Eric Freeman said the piglet was "stealing the show" and has won a legion of fans in the buildup to Valentine's Day. (Gloucester Citizen/PA/AP Photo)

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Tropical bug with big hind legs - Series #3

2009-04-21T16:37:00.004+08:00

Yet another photo set of an identified tropical bug. The bug was caught at KTM Station at Batang Benar, Negri Sembilan. Batang Benar station is a one stop away from Nilai Station.

Tropical bug perched on a leave

Closer shot of tropical bug. Click on the photo for a larger view and notice the tiny spiky furs.

Tropical bug on my fingers

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