Water Lizard - Biawak Air

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 Squirrel - Tupai

Photo of tropical Squirrel (locally known as Tupai). Did you know that Squirrel is a type of rodents in the family Sciuridae. Thus, it is also called Tree Rodent.


In the wild, the closest I can get with 12x Zoom.

Photo of Pen-tailed Tree Shrew - Ptilocercus lowii

Happy hours all night long for the Shrew

A research has revealed that the pen-tailed tree shrew (Ptilocercus lowii), commonly referred to as tupai ekor kembang, can drink the equivalent of a case of 3.8% beer every night but does not get drunk.

According to the scientists, the tree shrew has been living on a diet that is the equivalent of nothing but beer for up to 55 million years.

Humans only discovered the art of brewing and distilling alcoholic beverages some 9,000 years ago.

According to scientists, seven mammalian species in their study area consume alcoholic nectar daily from flower buds of the bertam palm (Eugeissona tristis), which they pollinate.

The 3.8% maximum alcohol concentration that they recorded is among the highest ever reported in natural food.


Photo: TheStar.com.my. Notice the feather pen-tailed.


Graphics: TheStar.com.my

Original article: Chronic intake of fermented floral nectar by wild treeshrews

Proboscis monkey - Nasalis larvatus at Bako National Park

I only have a video clip of Proboscis monkey found at Telok Paku in Bako National Park, Kuching. Since the Proboscis Monkey was perched high up on the tree canopy, I could not get a proper still photo of the monkey. He was obscured by leaves and I was quite a distance from it.

The Proboscis Monkey is endemic to Borneo's low elevation mangrove forests, swamps, and lowland riparian forests. A distinctive trait of this monkey is the male's large protruding nose from which it takes its name.

Anyway, below is a short clip on the Proboscis monkey that you can stumbled upon at Telok Paku beach.


YouTube: Proboscis live

Due to ongoing habitat loss and hunted in some areas, only about 7000 are known to still exist in the wild. In Sarawak, the population of this species has declined from 6500 in 1977 to only 1000 in 2006. The Proboscis Monkey is evaluated as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES.

Other names

While the official Indonesian name for this monkey is Bangkatan, an Indonesian nickname is 'monyet belanda', meaning 'Dutch monkey' or 'Orang Belanda', the Indonesian word for 'Dutchman', as Indonesians noticed the Dutch colonisers often also had a large belly and nose.

Side notes:

If you ever saw a photo of Proboscis monkey that is nicely shoot (like those appeared in National Geographic), I can tell you that it takes time for the photographer to stalk the monkey and take a picture of it. With slight noise, the monkey will move away. In addition, unless you too are perched on another tree, you will not get a clear photo from the ground due to obstruction by branches and leaves.

Special link:
* Proboscis Monkey Project by Kristina Medici

Photos of Macaca fascicularis at Sama Jaya Forest Reserve

I went to Sama Jaya Forest Reserve in Kuching recently and stumbled upon a gang of monkeys (Macaca Fascicularis). Sama Jaya Forest Reserve is also known as Stutong Forest Reserve.

Sama Jaya Forest Reserve is surrounded by housing estates and commercial blocks and the forest reserve become the sanctuary for Macaques (the monkeys). My rough count on the monkeys total to nine (9). 2 adult monkeys (the parent), 5 adolescence monkeys, 1 baby monkey and 1 infant monkey.

Below are some of the pictures on the monkeys:


An elder monkey breaking a plant shoot before eating it.


An adolescence monkey scratching his butt.


Another monkey up in the trees.


A monkey perched on branches. Notice his right leg grappling a bunch of wild fruits (buah buan).


A mother monkey with her infant.


One of unidentified tropical fruit eaten by the monkey.


YouTube Live: Macaca Fascicularis at Sama Jaya Forest Reserve #1


YouTube Live: Macaca Fascicularis at Sama Jaya Forest Reserve #2


YouTube Live: Macaca Fascicularis at Sama Jaya Forest Reserve #3

For hi-resolution photo, click Monkey Gallery or Monkey Gallery #2

Related post:
* Adventure of two monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)

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Adventure of two monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)

Photo of monkeys mating.

Introducing monkey #1


Introducing monkey #2


Monkeys caught in the act


Photo shot at Genting Highlands.

For hi-res photo, click Monkey Gallery