Hello everyone 大家好...
During a recent brief reunion with my high school classmates, I was given a new nickname and I pretty much agreed with it. They nicknamed me 'Miss M.I.A'. Sounds nice huh? But what does it stands for? M.I.A. actually stands for 'Missing In Action'. Pretty pathetic huh? How I wish there are more than 24 hours in a day *sigh*
Remember my last post? I know it was ages ago though *erm... hehe...* My small mammal project actually started last Friday. And earlier today was the last day for Sample 1 of the trapping process. Here's a brief account of what happened each day in the forest.
Note: 'We' here means Syidah and I as we are working together in both sites.
Ok here goes...
12th July - Trapping Day 1
All the traps were previously baited with banana the previous afternoon and on this morning was our first day of checking for any animals caught during the night before. Dr. Charles came along with us as it was our first day. Basically guide us and help us identify the animals caught.
So we went into the transect line with sky-high spirit checking the traps and the result were amazing. We caught quite a lot of squirrels as well as different species of rats. As we were walking inner into the forest checking traps, all of the sudden, Syidah looked as if she was about to burst out of her skin. Trying her best to control her excitement, she whispered to me and Dr. Charles as we were a few feet behind her.
She whispered: "Dr. Charles, Dr. Charles, we caught a civet!! We caught a civet!!"
I rushed to her side and saw this arboreal trap hanging upside down with something quite big in it. It was a civet alright. Both of us were so excited and it seems like we were about to jump through the roof! Er... I mean the canopy... no roof in the forest lah...*hahaha...* We were having a difficult time controlling our excitement as screaming in the forest is strictly forbidden.
Despite us behaving like two crazy girls, Dr. Charles however did not show whatsoever emotion of excitement. He made his way slowly towards us and merely said: "I heard you..." Well of course, he must have seen civets hundreds of times already *hahaha...* It was the Small-toothed Palm Civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata).
But that wasn't all, as Dr. Charles were busy photographing the civet and I was trying my best to hold the cage despite the civet's constant snaring with its sharp canines, Syidah spotted another cage nearby where inside that cage wasn't our usual squirrels or rats. It was another civet!! It was a baby civet!! And it has the cutest face ever!! Mother civet and baby caught! Tell me... how exciting can a day be?
But sadly, as I was weighing the baby civet, the back door of the cage was faulty and the baby civet escaped and all I could do was just stared at it *sniff*. Photographing opportunities all down the drain *sniff*.
Miss BB said: "You won't catch it again..." And deep down inside us we knew that true as predators usually do not get recaptured *sigh*.
13th July - Trapping Day 2
We were on our own this day and got quite a few recaptured squirrels and rats. Nothing exciting in the morning.
Went into the forest again to re-bait the traps with fresh bananas at 2pm as well as to check if any animals were trapped. I came upon a squirrel in an arboreal trap on a liana. It was the Plantain Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus). While waiting for Syidah to reach where I was standing, I decided to feed the squirrel with the old bananas I've collected. It was so cute holding the banana with its little forearms and standing upright on its hindlimbs! I was enjoying every second looking at it feed.
After Syidah came and recorded this particular squirrel, she moved further down the transect line as it was my job to release the squirrel. After having the experience of releasing quite a few of this species of squirrel, I've learned that it will scurry away from me with maximum speed.
Without thinking too much, I release the lock and open the cage door. The squirrel did not scurried away as I expected. Instead, it walked out of the cage turn around and looked at me! Guess what it did next? It jumped on my head and onto a branch behind me!! That really caught me by surprise! I instinctively let out a yelp and squatted down. I could feel it's claw on my scalp.
Syidah, upon hearing my yelp a few feet away, turn around and ask me "Kenapa?!"
I said: "It jumped on my head!!"
And then we were both laughing our heads off...
14th July - Trapping Day 3
We were doing the usual checking of traps in the morning. Came upon this trap on the ground placed alongside a log. What we saw inside the trap made us so excited and for two whole minutes, we were screaming as silently as possible and slapping each other high-five softly!!
Inside the cage was the same mother civet we caught two days ago!! Yes!! Believe it!! We knew it was the same one because it was marked. We approached it slowly and secured the trap door with wire. We did not dare release it yet because there are traps that we've not checked yet.
After checking all the traps, we came back to where the civet was. Now, releasing it... *take a deep breath* I walked towards the cage and too off the wire lock. Syidah was videoing the whole process a few feet away. I took another deep breath. The civet was snaring at me. Another deep breath. I slowly and carefully slide the trap door lock up, did not even pull open the cage door, and flew the heck away from the cage! I never knew I could move so fast!
When I look back at the cage again, the civet was still inside the cage! Then slowly it push the door open and walked out of the cage. It turn around and looked at the two of us briefly before scurrying away into the forest. Pheeww~
15th July - Trapping Day 4
Did our usual checking and found this really adorable and cute treeshrew. It was a lot smaller than our usual Painted Treeshrew (Tupaia picta) and was generally brown. Dr. Charles and Miss BB came to the field today. And afraid of mis-identifying this particular treeshrew, we brought it out of the forest, put it in Syidah's car and took it for a ride! We drove to another trapping site to meet up with Dr. Charles and Miss BB. It was the Slender Treeshrew (Tupaia gracilis). After our lunch break, we brought it for another ride and release it at the same location where we found it. How cool can a treeshrew get? *hehehe....*
16th July - Trapping Day 5
First of all, a big thank you to Andery and Bon for helping us out in the field today. Thank you! It was a normal day, not much happenings in the forest...
17th July - Trapping Day 6
Went into the forest and did our usual rounds checking the traps. As I walked further into the forest, I came across an arboreal cage with a lifeless lump of fur in it. Hoping it wasn't what I had in mind, I walked up to it and saw a lifeless Callosciurus notatus! I screamed, although I know I wasn't supposed to, "Syidah, 6C mati!!"
Syidah flew beside me and checked the animal by gently poking it with a stick. It moved so slightly and opened its eyes! "OMG! It's alive! It's so weak!" There was a bee-like thingy that was buzzing near it, stupid bee-like thingy stinging the poor squirrel *Hmph!* I looked into its eyes and keep telling it "Please don't die, you cannot die, you cannot die..."
We brought it out from the forest and gave it banana. It wasn't eating. We gave it water and it was lapping the water so fast. Then it regained a bit of strength and started feeding on the banana. We let it rest and recuperate. We were so glad its eating again and recovering. Pheeww~
In the afternoon, it had fully recovered and was live and kickin. We brought it back to the forest and release it. Mission: Rescue C. notatus, Mission Successful! It did not die on us! It recovered! Yay~
18th July - Trapping Day 7
Guess what Syidah brought today? You'll never get it right *hahaha...* She brought with her four fishing rods and and container of earthworm she dug behind her house this morning! This fishing addict had spend her entire week in the forest and was about to go crazy! *hahaha...*
We finished our morning round earlier than usual because Syidah was accompanied by Majeedah and I was accompanied by my *ehem*. So we easily finish checking two different sites by splitting up. Since we had lots of time to kill while waiting to shut the trap this afternoon, our forest guide, Angus, brought us to a small streamlet nearby to fish. My *ehem* also bought two fishing rods and some bugs for baits. Another fishing addict. It was an enjoyable afternoon chatting and laughing.
So that's basically what I've been doing for the past week. We'll start trapping again on 23rd July so until then... Hope there'll be more exciting things to report... *crossing fingers...toes as well*
Goodnight everyone 大家晚安... Sleep tight and sweet dreams...
During a recent brief reunion with my high school classmates, I was given a new nickname and I pretty much agreed with it. They nicknamed me 'Miss M.I.A'. Sounds nice huh? But what does it stands for? M.I.A. actually stands for 'Missing In Action'. Pretty pathetic huh? How I wish there are more than 24 hours in a day *sigh*
Remember my last post? I know it was ages ago though *erm... hehe...* My small mammal project actually started last Friday. And earlier today was the last day for Sample 1 of the trapping process. Here's a brief account of what happened each day in the forest.
Note: 'We' here means Syidah and I as we are working together in both sites.
Ok here goes...
12th July - Trapping Day 1
All the traps were previously baited with banana the previous afternoon and on this morning was our first day of checking for any animals caught during the night before. Dr. Charles came along with us as it was our first day. Basically guide us and help us identify the animals caught.
So we went into the transect line with sky-high spirit checking the traps and the result were amazing. We caught quite a lot of squirrels as well as different species of rats. As we were walking inner into the forest checking traps, all of the sudden, Syidah looked as if she was about to burst out of her skin. Trying her best to control her excitement, she whispered to me and Dr. Charles as we were a few feet behind her.
She whispered: "Dr. Charles, Dr. Charles, we caught a civet!! We caught a civet!!"
I rushed to her side and saw this arboreal trap hanging upside down with something quite big in it. It was a civet alright. Both of us were so excited and it seems like we were about to jump through the roof! Er... I mean the canopy... no roof in the forest lah...*hahaha...* We were having a difficult time controlling our excitement as screaming in the forest is strictly forbidden.
Despite us behaving like two crazy girls, Dr. Charles however did not show whatsoever emotion of excitement. He made his way slowly towards us and merely said: "I heard you..." Well of course, he must have seen civets hundreds of times already *hahaha...* It was the Small-toothed Palm Civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata).
But that wasn't all, as Dr. Charles were busy photographing the civet and I was trying my best to hold the cage despite the civet's constant snaring with its sharp canines, Syidah spotted another cage nearby where inside that cage wasn't our usual squirrels or rats. It was another civet!! It was a baby civet!! And it has the cutest face ever!! Mother civet and baby caught! Tell me... how exciting can a day be?
But sadly, as I was weighing the baby civet, the back door of the cage was faulty and the baby civet escaped and all I could do was just stared at it *sniff*. Photographing opportunities all down the drain *sniff*.
Miss BB said: "You won't catch it again..." And deep down inside us we knew that true as predators usually do not get recaptured *sigh*.
13th July - Trapping Day 2
We were on our own this day and got quite a few recaptured squirrels and rats. Nothing exciting in the morning.
Went into the forest again to re-bait the traps with fresh bananas at 2pm as well as to check if any animals were trapped. I came upon a squirrel in an arboreal trap on a liana. It was the Plantain Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus). While waiting for Syidah to reach where I was standing, I decided to feed the squirrel with the old bananas I've collected. It was so cute holding the banana with its little forearms and standing upright on its hindlimbs! I was enjoying every second looking at it feed.
After Syidah came and recorded this particular squirrel, she moved further down the transect line as it was my job to release the squirrel. After having the experience of releasing quite a few of this species of squirrel, I've learned that it will scurry away from me with maximum speed.
Without thinking too much, I release the lock and open the cage door. The squirrel did not scurried away as I expected. Instead, it walked out of the cage turn around and looked at me! Guess what it did next? It jumped on my head and onto a branch behind me!! That really caught me by surprise! I instinctively let out a yelp and squatted down. I could feel it's claw on my scalp.
Syidah, upon hearing my yelp a few feet away, turn around and ask me "Kenapa?!"
I said: "It jumped on my head!!"
And then we were both laughing our heads off...
14th July - Trapping Day 3
We were doing the usual checking of traps in the morning. Came upon this trap on the ground placed alongside a log. What we saw inside the trap made us so excited and for two whole minutes, we were screaming as silently as possible and slapping each other high-five softly!!
Inside the cage was the same mother civet we caught two days ago!! Yes!! Believe it!! We knew it was the same one because it was marked. We approached it slowly and secured the trap door with wire. We did not dare release it yet because there are traps that we've not checked yet.
After checking all the traps, we came back to where the civet was. Now, releasing it... *take a deep breath* I walked towards the cage and too off the wire lock. Syidah was videoing the whole process a few feet away. I took another deep breath. The civet was snaring at me. Another deep breath. I slowly and carefully slide the trap door lock up, did not even pull open the cage door, and flew the heck away from the cage! I never knew I could move so fast!
When I look back at the cage again, the civet was still inside the cage! Then slowly it push the door open and walked out of the cage. It turn around and looked at the two of us briefly before scurrying away into the forest. Pheeww~
15th July - Trapping Day 4
Did our usual checking and found this really adorable and cute treeshrew. It was a lot smaller than our usual Painted Treeshrew (Tupaia picta) and was generally brown. Dr. Charles and Miss BB came to the field today. And afraid of mis-identifying this particular treeshrew, we brought it out of the forest, put it in Syidah's car and took it for a ride! We drove to another trapping site to meet up with Dr. Charles and Miss BB. It was the Slender Treeshrew (Tupaia gracilis). After our lunch break, we brought it for another ride and release it at the same location where we found it. How cool can a treeshrew get? *hehehe....*
16th July - Trapping Day 5
First of all, a big thank you to Andery and Bon for helping us out in the field today. Thank you! It was a normal day, not much happenings in the forest...
17th July - Trapping Day 6
Went into the forest and did our usual rounds checking the traps. As I walked further into the forest, I came across an arboreal cage with a lifeless lump of fur in it. Hoping it wasn't what I had in mind, I walked up to it and saw a lifeless Callosciurus notatus! I screamed, although I know I wasn't supposed to, "Syidah, 6C mati!!"
Syidah flew beside me and checked the animal by gently poking it with a stick. It moved so slightly and opened its eyes! "OMG! It's alive! It's so weak!" There was a bee-like thingy that was buzzing near it, stupid bee-like thingy stinging the poor squirrel *Hmph!* I looked into its eyes and keep telling it "Please don't die, you cannot die, you cannot die..."
We brought it out from the forest and gave it banana. It wasn't eating. We gave it water and it was lapping the water so fast. Then it regained a bit of strength and started feeding on the banana. We let it rest and recuperate. We were so glad its eating again and recovering. Pheeww~
In the afternoon, it had fully recovered and was live and kickin. We brought it back to the forest and release it. Mission: Rescue C. notatus, Mission Successful! It did not die on us! It recovered! Yay~
18th July - Trapping Day 7
Guess what Syidah brought today? You'll never get it right *hahaha...* She brought with her four fishing rods and and container of earthworm she dug behind her house this morning! This fishing addict had spend her entire week in the forest and was about to go crazy! *hahaha...*
We finished our morning round earlier than usual because Syidah was accompanied by Majeedah and I was accompanied by my *ehem*. So we easily finish checking two different sites by splitting up. Since we had lots of time to kill while waiting to shut the trap this afternoon, our forest guide, Angus, brought us to a small streamlet nearby to fish. My *ehem* also bought two fishing rods and some bugs for baits. Another fishing addict. It was an enjoyable afternoon chatting and laughing.
So that's basically what I've been doing for the past week. We'll start trapping again on 23rd July so until then... Hope there'll be more exciting things to report... *crossing fingers...toes as well*
Goodnight everyone 大家晚安... Sleep tight and sweet dreams...
人要知福，惜福，再造福。。。
Realize you are blessed, cherish these blessings, then continue to cultivate more blessings...
Realize you are blessed, cherish these blessings, then continue to cultivate more blessings...
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