Tag Archives: environment

Bornean Sun Bear, the smallest bear in the world

Cuteness is a curse to wildlife. You would think so after seeing the Sun Bears of Borneo, which are also known as Beruang Madu (Honey Bear), Malayan Bear, or Dog Bear. As the smallest bear in the world, Bornean Sun Bear looks just like a walking teddy bear. Its cub is as adorable as a puppy, so many people keep it as pet.

Bornean Sun Bear is a sub-species of Malayan Bear

However, when sun bear grows up, it’ll become a predator about 120-150cm tall and weigh up to 60 Kg. With long claws and big canine teeth that can rip apart a coconut in seconds, it’ll be very intimidating to its owner, then it would end up spending the rest of its life in a small cage, or being abandoned.

Sun Bear is Kungfu Panda of Malaysia

Bear cub, which is used to living with people, will lose its ability to survive in the wild. Some even forget that they are bear. When they are free, they will look for people and cause a commotion in village nearby. This is a sad but typical story of a sun bear, whose mother was probably killed by poachers and it was kept as a pet.

Named as Fulung, when this male sun bear is curious, he would stand up on his hind legs like a human.

Sun bears are found throughout South-East Asia, but Bornean Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus euryspilus) is a subspecies half the size of Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus malayanus) and found only in Borneo.

Bornean Sun Bear is the smallest bear in the world

Due to illegal poaching and deforestation, there are probably less than 10,000 of Bornean Sun Bears left. I’ve seen orangutan many times in the wild but saw sun bear only once, they are highly endangered, I believe.

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center (BSBCC)

In 1998, a journey to Sabah changed the life of Mr. Wong Siew Te (黃修德), a wildlife biologist from Penang (Malaysian state). He studied the ecology of sun bears in Borneo rainforest and fascinated by this smallest, most arboreal and least researched bear, and he was heart broken to see the suffering of captive sun bears everywhere.

Sun bear in cage of a mini-zoo

He always calls sun bears the forgotten bears, because they are not getting the same spotlight and protection like Polar Bears and Panda. Sun bear is a favorite target of poachers because of its highly priced gall bladder. Wong knew, if he didn’t do anything, the only fate of this beautiful creature is extinction.

Gate to Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center (BSBCC)

In 2008, Wong started Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center (BSBCC) in Sandakan, for conservation and rehabilitation of Bornean sun bears. After some years of fundraising and support from government, public and NGOs, BSBCC was fully operational and open to public in 2014. This brings new hope to our sun bears because they receive attention that they long deserve.

Wong Siew Te, the founder of Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center (BSBCC)

“The world is not changed by people who sort of care. …The world is changed by people who passionately, relentlessly care– sometimes, unreasonably so.” -Sally Hogshead

Layout map of Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center (BSBCC)

BSBCC is located just next to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center and inside 2.5-Hectare Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve.

Ticketing Counter & Visitor Center

Visitors only need to walk about 5 minutes to enter the visitor center and observation platform of BSBCC from orangutan sanctuary.

Ticket Fees

BSBCC opens from 9am to 3:30pm to public daily. Visitors can just walk in and buy a ticket to enter the Center. The following is the rate of ticket (can be used on same day for multiple entry). The prices have included 6% GST (or VAT) Tax:

	Malaysian	Foreigner
Adult (18 years old & above)	RM5.30	RM31.80 (≈USD$8.50)
12-17 years old	RM2.10	RM15.90 (≈USD$4)
Children (Below 12)	Free	Free
Senior Citizen (above 55 years)	Free	RM31.80 (≈USD$8.50)

This is not a zoo, so be kind to the bears. Feeding, calling and disturbing the bears are prohibited. You are welcome to take their photos but please don’t use camera flash.

Information board about Sun Bear (available in English, Chinese and Malay languages)

Besides conservation of sun bears, BSBCC is an educational site to show visitors the mysterious life of Bornean Sun Bears. A few information boards with info and photos of sun bear are erected along the stairway to sun bear viewing area. By the time you reach the observation platform, you already have basic knowledge about the bears.

Tourists checking out the sun bears

The Observation Platform is where tourists can see the sun bears exploring and foraging in a forest enclosure. As I mentioned, sighting of sun bear is very rare in the wild, but you can see 4 or more of them at the Center. With short, sleek, dark brown or black fur, they look like big dog.

You can take photo of the sun bears, but no flash and don’t call the bears

Between the bears and visitors is a high wall with a few electrical wires running across it. The 5,000-volt wire can deliver a painful but harmless shock to sun bears which try to climb over the wall. After being zapped a few times, all bears are quick to learn to avoid touching the fence.

Sun bear also builds nest and sleep on tree

Sun bears are forest dependent species and male sun bear needs 15 Sq. KM to find enough food. Sun bears are omnivorous and this natural forest is a good training ground for them to learn to survive in jungle, before they are released to the forest. Sun bears are excellent tree climbers too, and honey and durian are part of their favorite menu.

Telescope to observe sun bear on tree

44 Bears 44 Stories

Most bears in BSBCC are victims of illegal captive and pet trade. So far BSBCC has rescued 44 bears, and all of them have a sad story in the past.

Sun bears in forest enclosure

The first bear (named Natalie) was rescued from an illegal pet trade in 2010. She has “graduated” from rehabilitation program of BSBCC and released to her natural habitat on 17th May 2015. The latest member is a 3-month-old cub (Name: Tan-Tan) coming from Paitan in Aug 2015.

This looks like a relaxing pose but the bear is actually under stress

The rich expression and cute actions of sun bears really amused us. However, according to BSBCC staffs, some of the adorable behaviors are probably a sign of stress, for example, relentless pacing and obsessive grooming. One of them pacing back and forth at the same spot, it was used to do this when locked in small cage, but still carry on this stereotypic movement disorder in forest.

Cute sun bear is always being kept illegally as a pet or show animal in zoo

Another bear, Mary was captured by poacher and kept as pet in Ranau. Because of malnutrition, she has smaller body. She grew up with human so she forgot that she was a bear. Luckily, after mixing and learning from other bears, she is no longer walking on hind legs like human. Damai is probably another bear that thought she was a human. She wandered in residential area of KK after being abandoned by her owner.

Group photo with Risnayati, Environmental Education Officer of BSBCC. When talking about bears, her eyes sparkled, as if she was talking about her children

At BSBCC, the experience is more than just looking at playful sun bears. BSBCC staffs and volunteers are always around the tourists, and they are beary passionate in sharing the individual story and amazing facts about the sun bears.

Bornean sun bears are half the size of Malayan sun bears

Same as Orangutan, Sun Bear is totally protected under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997. Hunting or selling them and you could be fined up to MYR 50,000 (USD 16,000) and/or being jailed up to 5 years.

Sun bears at the Center are free to explore the natural forest

However, poachers will still pull the trigger because each sun bear is valued over RM1,000 for its gall bladder (expensive ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine) and meat. You can contact Sabah Wildlife Department or BSBCC to report the offense.

Sun bear sleeping on tree

The forest enclosure could be the first natural environment that some captive sun bears exposed to. A few of them were so afraid of walking out of their bear house to explore. Therefore, it’s great to see some bears such as Debbie is making progress. Debbie was saved from becoming a delicacy in a restaurant in Kota Marudu. She loves to climb high up to the tree for a nap and don’t mind others laugh at her drooling while asleep.

Sun bear is an excellent tree climber and it loves honey

Climbing is an important skill for sun bears to reach the fruits and honey bee hives on tall trees. Sun bears also build nests on tree to sleep in, which is a dryer and safer resting place to avoid leeches and clouded leopard. Sometimes the staffs have to play the role as a surrogate mother to train sun bear to climb.

The tongue of Bornean sun bear can reach 20-25 cm long, an adaptation for licking honey and eating termites

Only in outdoor, sun bears have the opportunity to use their sickle-shaped long claws to dig and ripe apart decayed wood to reach ants, termites and beetle grubs, the important protein source when fruits are scarce. Sun bears also help to build nesting hole for hornbills and flying squirrels after they dig a cavity in the tree for termites and honey.

Feeding time for sun bears

BSBCC also feeds the bears every day so they can enjoy a balanced diet. The Center currently houses 36 rescued sun bears in two houses and a quarantine facility. Rescued bears will go through health check, quarantine, indoor & outdoor rehabilitation, a series of evaluation on fitness, before they are reintroduced to natural habitat. These processes can take a few years.

Bornean sun bears (Helarxtos malayanus euryspilus) are only found in Borneo

One of the characteristics of sun bear is its beautiful chest mark from cream to orange color with spots. Every bear has unique chest mark like a finger print. Below is a video of BSBCC to see sun bears in action:

Giving a Bear Hug

There are many ways to help Bornean Sun Bears. For example, you can adopt a sun bear, donate money, join their 2 or 4-week volunteer program, or visit the Center.

Souvenir corner in Visitor Center

In Visitor Center, you also can buy some souvenirs / snacks / drink, or make a donation at the mini shop. They have sun bear T-Shirt, caps, toys, postcard, stickers, etc. for sale.

Tourists watching a video about Sun Bear Conservation

For more information about Bornean Sun Bears, below is the contact of BSBCC:
Website: www.bsbcc.org.my
Facebook: fb.com/sunbear.bsbcc
E-mail: info.bsbcc@gmail.com
Tel: +60 89-534491
Postal Address: PPM 219, Elopura, Sandakan, Sabah 90000, Malaysia
GPS Coordinate: 5.864658, 117.949878 (see Location Map)

How to get there

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center (BSBCC) is located 25 KM to the west of Sandakan City and next to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. Public transport to Sepilok is available readily and the journey takes about 45 to 50 minutes one way.

By Bus

The following is the departure time of regular shuttle between Sandakan and BSBCC. The bus fare costs RM4 (≈USD$1) per person one way:
Sandakan City → Sepilok: 9am, 11:30am, 2pm, 5pm
Sepilok → Sandakan City: 6:30am, 10:30am, 12:30pm, 4pm
Tel: +60 12-8067067, +60 17-8632684

Or you can take the mini-bus (route: Batu 14) near to the bus terminal of Nak Hotel in Sandakan.

Sometimes orangutan is seen at Visitor Center of BSBCC

By Taxi

You can hire a taxi for a return trip for about RM100 per car (≈USD$28)(negotiable). There is also a taxi stand in car park of Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center.

Click Here to See more photos of Sun Bears

Photos taken in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Orangutan of Borneo (Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center)

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Imagine a baby orangutan loses its mother due to deforestation and illegal poaching. This orphaned orangutan is traumatized and in distress. Without help, its chance of survival is slim. The population of Bornean orangutan has been dwindling by 50% in the past 60 years. Currently, only 45,000-50,000 orangutans left on Borneo and 6,000 on Sumatra. In Sabah, there are about 10,000 orangutans in the wild.

Being more intelligent than chimpanzee, orangutan has emotion and feeling like human too.

The name “Orangutan” was derived from the Malay word Orang Hutan, which means the “Man of the Forest”. Orangutan is the only ape of Asia and found only in Sumatra and Borneo. Though orangutans won’t give you an eye-roll if you mistakenly call them monkey, people would laugh at you as apes have no tail. I won’t object if you say orangutan is my “cousin” because orangutan is the most human-like primate and its DNA is 97% similar to ours. And orangutans know what is love.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center of Borneo

Orangutan is endangered and a fully protected wildlife in Malaysia. Harming orangutan or keeping it as pet is against the law, offender will face a mandatory prison sentence of six months to five years and/or fine up to RM50,000.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center

However, law protection isn’t enough, we need a long-term conservation project, so Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center was established in 1964 to train orphaned orangutans to become self-reliant in the rainforest when they grow up. The Center is also the first orangutan sanctuary in the world to dedicate itself to the rehabilitation of orangutans.

Orangutan photo booth at the entrance

For over 50 years, 758 orphaned baby orangutans, who are the victims of logging, plantations and illegal pet trade, are rescued and brought to this Center. About 81.6% of them are successfully rehabilitated and 66% of these orangutans were released to protected forest reserves such as Tabin. (The released orangutan will be monitored for week, to ensure it can survive on its own.)

Viewing platform to see orangutan feeding in Sepilok

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center is Not a zoo, the orangutans here aren’t treated as pet either, so expect no animal show and touching of orangutan. The Center is located within the protected Kabili-Sepilok Virgin Forest Reserve, which covers an area of 4,294 Hectares (43 KM²) and serves as a natural classroom for orangutans.

Most Bornean orangutans in Sepilok are Pongo pygmaeus morio species

A baby orangutan stays with its mother for 7 to 10 years. During these vital stage, the mother will teach her young everything it needs to know to survive. Young orangutans, which are not parented, don’t have the ability to find food, build nest and climb. The Center takes the role as their mother to turn them into wild orangutans.

Orangutan Feeding

The best time to see orangutans is during the feeding time at 10am and 3pm every day. The food is meant to be “supplement” to orangutans, before they can live fully independent in the forest.

Layout map of Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center

Visitors leaving their bags in the lockers

Visitors are not allowed to carry their bag, food / drink and insect repellent (poisonous to orangutan if they get ahold of it) to the forest. Orangutans and monkey are highly curious and won’t hesitate to rob any object they find alluring. Visitors can store and lock their bags (for free) in locker of visitor building. Still, you must remain vigilant because your smartphone or shiny jewellery could be a target.

Boardwalk to orangutan feeding platform

After ticket checkpoint, visitors need to walk about 200 Meters on a raised wooden boardwalk that leads to the orangutan feeding platform. The walk takes about 10 minutes, so you better move earlier to be on time for the feeding (at 10am or 3pm). Along the way, you will see many towering tropical trees, the perfect habitat for orangutans.

Rangers keep aggressive macaques at bay

Don’t get excited if you see wild orangutan or macaque on the boardwalk. Never look into the eyes of macaque, as this is perceived as a challenge and provokes them. Whatever the tourism posters show you, adult orangutan is not cute. They can grow up to 1.4 Meter tall and weight up to 100 Kg. You really shouldn’t upset this beast which is 3 times stronger than human. Usually these fellows will leave you alone, otherwise you can turn back calmly and ask for help from rangers who station nearby.

Orangutan “apartment” on the tree. How many nests do you spot?

Orangutans make nests for bedtime every day by breaking and folding branches in the treetops. Just look up and I’m sure you will see some orangutan nests near the boardwalk. Sometimes you would see hornbill and eagle flying over the tree canopy.

Tourists waiting for orangutan

The Center is visited by an average of about 80,000 tourists annually. You will see hundred of orangutan fans waiting eagerly to see orangutan the first time at the viewing platform. It’s important to keep quiet to avoid scaring the orangutan away. Normally, you will see 4 or more orangutans come for the free food. However, during fruiting season, you would possibly see none. This might disappoint you, but you should feel happy that they can find enough food on their own.

Female macaque with sexy buttock

Sometimes it’s the naughty pig-tailed macaque that does the opening. The big red buttock of female macaque would stir up the crowd, “OMG, look at her butt!” “Ew.. That’s gross.” In fact, the swollen hip is a sign of ready to mate. To male monkey, she is as hot as Nicki Minaj LOL.

Baby orangutan coming for feeding

Orangutan is very good climber but clumsy in walking. There are a few long ropes that are used by orangutans to approach the feeding platform about 15 Meters away from tourists. At some points, someone would notice the movement of swaying ropes and blurts out “it’s on the way!”

The feeding time is at 10am and 3pm every day

One by one, these beautiful reddish-brown creatures swing along the ropes and land on the feeding platform. Most of them are juvenile above 5 years old. If you are lucky, you would see mother orangutan carrying her baby for extra diet there.

This orangutan seems content

They are given bananas and milk most of the time, sometimes sugar-cane, watermelon, vegetables, etc. The Center deliberately repeats the similar menu every day, a tactic to make orangutans bored of the monotonous food and more motivated to forage for other fruits in the jungle.

Orangutans enjoying food

Orangutan is a solitary and quiet animal. Most of them focus on eating, and occasionally playing or arguing with their mates. One or two greedy orangutans would stuff 4 or 5 bananas in their mouth, grab another bunch in their feet then go away.

Orangutans wouldn’t come back to feeding platform once they are totally independent in the forest

Every orangutan there has a name, for example, Mimi, Mariko, Kam Chung and Rosa, and they all have unique faces and personalities. Some are introvert, some are hyperactive and some are bully. Orangutans reach maturity at 7 – 10 years of age and can live up to 40 years old.

Orangutan always acts funny at feeding platform

The crowd is so awed by the playful and adorable orangutans. One orangutan couple even practiced mating after meal. You can watch the following video for the hilarious moments:

By the age of 10, orangutans will learn to identify more than 200 different food plants. They keep a memory map of location of different fruit trees and their fruiting time, and they would not visit feeding platform anymore. The rehabilitation costs about RM8,000 (≈USD$2,200) per orangutan per year (include toy)!

Cheeky macaques wait for their share

The feeding usually ends after 30 minutes. After all orangutans left, the pig-tailed macaques would have a family picnic at the platform to finish the leftover.

After the orangutan feeding, you can proceed to the Outdoor Nursery, or turn back to watch a 30-min video (in English) on orangutan conservation, which is played at 8:30am, 11am, 12pm, and 3:30pm in the Visitor Information Center.

Ticket (Conservation Fee)

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center is open to public every day (include weekends and holiday), so any visitor can walk in and buy a ticket to enter. No prior booking or application is required. The ticketing counter is open at 9am-11am and 2pm-3:30pm. The following are the ticket fees, which they call Conservation Fees (prices in RM, as of Aug 2015):

	Malaysian	Foreigner
Adult (above 17 years old)	RM5	RM30 (≈USD$8.50)
17 & below	RM2	RM15 (≈USD$4)
Camera & Video Cam	Personal: RM10 per unit (≈USD$2.80)
Camera & Video Cam	Commercial: Professional Filming / Photography (with 400mm lens and above). RM1,000-RM10,000 (ask the Center)

The ticket is valid for the whole day, and you can use it for entering feeding area and Outdoor Nursery. If you are crazy about orangutan, you can go at two feeding times with the same ticket on the same day.

Outdoor Nursery

Open in Oct 2014, the new Outdoor Nursery Building is an excellent addition to the Center. It is connected to feeding platform with 300-Meter boardwalk. Just follow the crowd and signage after the orangutan feeding and you will reach the building, it’s quite a long way though.

Entrance of Outdoor Nursery Building. There are left (air-conditioned) and right halls (fan only).

You don’t need to buy another ticket to enter Outdoor Nursery, a double-value to your tour. In the past, to avoid human contact and stressing the orphaned orangutans, Outdoor Nursery was a no-entry zone to tourists. Now visitors could sit comfortably in a hall to watch baby orangutans in action. We love them but we don’t want them to be so attached and used to human.

Outdoor Nursery in Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center

Outdoor Nursery is a play school for baby orangutans 5 to 7 years old to learn to climb. Orangutan is arboreal animal that spends most of its time on trees searching for food and building nest, so climbing skill is crucial for its survival. The Center won’t stop (actually they encourage this) young ape from exploring the forest on its own.

Training baby orangutans in Outdoor Nursery

Same as juvenile orangutans, baby orangutans are also naughty and playful. Everyone laughed when they saw the orangutans fooled around with their trainers. In the video below, you will see a mischievous orangutan grabbed and pulled the hair of a volunteer:

The glass works like an one-way mirror. Orangutans can’t see the people behind.

The Outdoor Nursery has large indoor halls with about 100 seats. Visitors can overlook the play area through the large window, but the orangutans outside can’t see us. They still can hear us if we are too noisy.

Orangutans gather at Outdoor Nursery

The baby orangutans are so cute, but each of them has a sad story. Most of them were admitted to the Center in malnourished, traumatized or injured condition, after they lost their mother. Under good care for some time, they will be paired up with an older orangutan to help them to develop the survival skills. This buddy system is used to replace a mother’s teaching and it works quite well.

Baby orangutans undergo training in Outdoor Nursery

You can be part of the conservation effort to prevent this charismatic ape from extinction. You may Adopt an Orangutan, which starts from a contribution of RM200 (USD$70) per year. They will send you the update and photos of your adopted “cousin” every 6 months. You also can work as a volunteer at the Center for an once-in-a-lifetime experience with orangutan.

How to get there

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center is located 25 KM to the west of Sandakan City (see Location Map). Public transport to Sepilok is available readily and the journey takes about 45 to 50 minutes one way.

By Bus

The following is the departure time of regular shuttle between Sandakan and Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. The bus fare costs RM4 (≈USD$1) per person one way:
Sandakan City → Sepilok: 9am, 11:30am, 2pm, 5pm
Sepilok → Sandakan City: 6:30am, 10:30am, 12:30pm, 4pm
Tel: +60 12-8067067, +60 17-8632684

Or you can take the mini-bus (route: Batu 14) near to the bus terminal of Nak Hotel in Sandakan.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center

By Taxi

You can hire a taxi for a return trip for about RM100 per car (≈USD$28)(negotiable). There is also a taxi stand in car park of Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center.

Facilities

Overall, the Center has adequate amenities for tourists as it is one of the most developed destinations in Sabah.

Toilet

The public toilet of Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center is probably the best in Sabah. It’s air-conditioned and handicapped-friendly. Visitors don’t need to pay any entry fee.

Toilets in Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center

Cafeteria

In the Center, there is a Sepilok Cafeteria where you can buy food (e.g. sandwiches, fried rice, noodle, omelettes), snacks and drink. It’s convenient but the place is quite crowded, you can expect a long queue to cashier counter during busy hours.

Sepilok Cafeteria

If you want great food and not in a hurry, I strongly recommend Lindung, which is only a 5 minutes walk away from the Center (see Location Map). They have nice restaurant, art gallery and exhibition.

There is also a small souvenir shop (in front of ticketing counter) in visitor building. The Center is managed by Sabah Wildlife Department, which is reachable by phone (Tel: +60 89-633587) and e-mail (sorcsylvia@gmail.com, ppous64@gmail.com).

Accommodations

There are many other things you can explore and do at Sepilok, for example, Rainforest Discovery Center, Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center, bird-watching, jungle trekking, so you may like to spend a few days there. Below are a few accommodations that are only a 10 or 15 minutes walk away from Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center:

1. Sepilok Jungle Resort

I stayed there before. The accommodation is quite affordable and very popular among tourists. This resort has 45 air-conditioned rooms and 15 fan rooms ranging from dormitory, standard, family to deluxe room with balcony. Though the rooms and facilities are a bit old, the nice swimming pool, lake and garden make it up.

Rates: RM38 per person – 190.80 per room (≈USD$10-50) (Online Booking available)
Website: www.sepilokjungleresort.com
Facebook: fb.com/SepilokJungleResort
E-mail: info@sepilokjungleresort.com
Tel: +60 89-533031, +60 89-533051
GPS Coordinate: 5.866024, 117.951640 (see Location Map)

2. Sepilok Forest Edge Resort

It’s about 700 Meters away from Sepilok Oran Utan Rehabilitation Center. The resort comprises of stylish Malay design chalets around green surrounding and hills with nice view. It has long house accommodation for budget travellers, as well as standard, family and superior chalets.

Rates: RM40 per bed – RM590 per chalet (≈USD$11-168) (Online Booking available)
Tel: +60 89-533190, +60 89-533245, +60 13-8859890
Website: www.sepilokforestedgeresort.com
E-mail: sepilokforestedge@gmail.com
GPS Coordinate: 5.867155, 117.950294 (see Location Map)

3. Sepilok Nature Resort

Sepilok Nature Resort has fully air-conditioned twin bed chalets feature beautiful lake or jungle view verandah and private bathrooms with hot water. The accommodation fees for Double / Twin Room start from RM265 (≈USD$75)

Website: sepilok.com
E-mail: mail@sepilok.com
Tel: +60 89-673999, +60 89-674999
GPS Coordinate: 5.867229, 117.949029 (see Location Map)

Click Here to see more photos of orangutans

Photos taken in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Tree and Coral Planting in Sabah

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Even children know trees provide oxygen and mitigate global warming. Saving the World is a noble goal but it sounds so ambitious to us. Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you to be the Captain Planet. You only plant tree for yourself and your family. For example, having two mature trees next to your house can provide enough oxygen for a family of four. Plant one more tree and the shade of three trees, if strategically positioned, can reduce the need of air-conditioning by up to 50%. Good deal huh?

Misty rainforest of Borneo. “Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Parents always set aside of their personal desires and give the best to their kids. They accumulate wealth for their offspring so they will enjoy a better living. But how many parents will invest in better environment for future generations, so they can enjoy fresh air and clean water in future? Even fishes need clean water and watergrass in their aquarium to live happily. Ton of money in bank account won’t guarantee our children to have a quality life in an environment without clean air and water.

Malaysians have been taking clean air and water for granted. But these things can go away and it’s happening. The crystal clear stream, where I used to fish during childhood, turns into a smelly drain. I see less and less tree shades around my neighborhood, and people complain about the heat almost every day.

Tree planting by local community. �If every individual should plant a tree in their life time, the world will be full of trees.� ? Lailah Gifty Akita

Mother Nature lets us choose between hell or heaven, depending on how we treat her. Tree always appears in the drawing of your kids about dream home. Let’s materialize it.

“Each generation takes the earth as trustees. We ought to bequeath to posterity as many forests and orchards as we have exhausted and consumed.” -Julius Sterling Morton

59% of Sabah is covered by forest, so Sabahans overseas always miss the greenery here, especially those staying in big cities such as Kuala Lumpur, where the car population is far more than trees. World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that bad air is a leading environmental cause of cancer, and 1/8 of total global deaths is directly linked to air pollution.

The following are the tree planting programs that individual, company, and organization can participate in Sabah, to increase the quality of our environment. Not all trees are the same, every tree type has its roles for upkeep of a healthy nature.

1. Rainforest

Plant rainforest tree for fresh air, clean water and starry night. Rainforest is also a Disney Land for birds and wildlife. Every tree you plant will produce approximately 260 pounds of oxygen annually and absorb about one ton of Carbon Dioxide in its lifetime.

�The Best Time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The Second Best Time is NOW.�

By shading our houses and streets, tree can lower the temperature of city and shield us from excessive exposure to harmful UV. This makes our places safer for outdoor activities. That’s why forested park such as Tun Fuad Stephens Park is a favorite place for joggers.

Jungle lodge in the forest

Tree also absorbs pollutant gases (e.g. sulfur dioxide, ozone) and filter particulates out of the air by trapping them on their leaves and bark. Your home will be filled with cleaner air and less dust. The more trees you have, the more stars you can see at night.

Forest on riparian of Kinabatangan River. “A people without children would face a hopeless future; a country without trees is almost as helpless.” – Theodore Roosevelt

During rain storm, trees act like big umbrella, slowing down the runoff and prevent flash flood. Large area of trees can form a wall to block hazardous strong wind. Sabah is experiencing more flood and stronger wind nowadays, as a consequence of deforestation.

Orangutan feeding on the tree. �Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife, are in fact plans to protect man.� ? Stewart L. Udall

A forested riparian is a good “braking carpet” to reduce large quantity of soil and pollutants being washed into the river by rain, thereby maintaining a clean supply of water to reservoir.

Rhinocerous hornbill flies over a fig tree

Wildlife will be benefited too. Besides providing shelter to animals such as orangutan and hornbill, fruit trees are important food source for them.

Where to join?

Most homestay in Sabah, especially those located near Kinabatangan River, have tree planting program. Just to list a few, Kampung Bilit, Kampung Abai, Bukit Garam, Tambunan.

Tree nursery in Abai Village of Kinabatangan River. �The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.� – Nelson Henderson

Don’t hesitate to ask your travel agent for info on tree planting, most of them are very supportive of this initiative.

2. Mangrove

Plant mangrove for seafood and protection against natural disasters. Mangrove was thought to be useless until a super Tsunami took thousands of lives in 2005. There was no death reported in the areas which had mangrove forest! Mangrove is a buffer between the land and the sea, so it can be a cushion that minimize the impact of tidal waves.

Mangrove forest of Sabah

Green belt of mangrove forest is excellent in countering water-related disasters. For example, coastal area with mangrove forest is less vulnerable to typhoon. The mangrove tree also helps to stabilize the coastline by preventing erosion by sea waves.

Crabs and shrimps grow fast and fat in brackish water of mangrove

During heavy rain, mangrove forest can act like a sponge to retain the water, a feature that mitigates flood. When filthy rivers flow through mangrove, the forest will filter the sediment and harmful heavy metals in the water, before discharging it into the sea.

50% of the seafood landing in Malaysia is associated with mangrove.

Sabah is famous for abundance of seafood but very few people know the secret. Mangrove forest is breeding and nursery grounds for variety of seafood such as fish, crab, shrimp, and clams. 59% of mangrove of Malaysia is located in Sabah. Needless to say, mangrove is also an excellent spot for fishing and aquaculture.

Most proboscis monkey lives in mangrove forest

The mangroves in Klias and Weston, the habitat of proboscis monkey and firefly, are well-protected. Now throng of tourists go there every day for firefly tour. Nature always repays us generously if we take care of her.

Where to join?

You can join mangrove replanting at Kota Kinabalu Wetlands. The local schools have been sending thousands of student to plant mangrove trees there.

Nursery for mangrove tree seedlings

If you want to get dirty and do something more than just a symbolic gesture, you can join their mangrove replanting project at Sulaiman.

Mangrove tree planting. �He who plants a tree, plants a hope.� ? Lucy Larcom

3. Coral

Plant coral for tourism. If you have visited Sipadan Island, you will never forget the diving experience with schools of barracuda and dozens of turtles and sharks, which are drawn by the thriving corals there.

Coral reefs in Sabah

Coral is the home of fishes, and fishes mean food to big marine creatures. If our older generations had protected the corals well, we don’t even need to travel far and spend a lot of money to see these. Hope you see the point of leaving a great nature is better than leaving a lot of cash to our future generations. They will have to pay high price to enjoy what was used to be common. Seafood is also getting more expensive now.

Corals are home to reef fishes, a.k.a. seafood

As coral reefs are under threat globally, very few high quality coral gardens will remain intact. On the positive side, this is a magnet to tourists. In fact, tourism is the most important industry of Sabah after oil palm. A blooming tourism will create more jobs and income.

Fresh seafood

Same as mangrove, conservation of corals is vital in maintaining a sustainable supply of seafood.

Where to join?

You can take part in coral planting at Gaya Island Eco Resort off Kota Kinabalu City. Technically, coral is animal and not a plant, so you will be “planting animal” lol.

Coral planting

Usually coral fragments are used for the planting program. It has slimy secretion coming out of the pores.

Coral plates placed in stabilization tank

All you need to do is just fix that fragment on a cement plate and place it in a stabilization tank. It’ll be released into the sea by the divers.

Besides planting tree and coral, you also can donate fund to environmental organizations like WWF for restoration of forest. Let’s think of the donation as an investment. The $100 cash deposited in our bank today would depreciate to $90 next year due to inflation. But for every $1 we invest in conservation, the return can be tremendous, because trees can grow and multiply.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Oxbow Lake and Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp

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I bet you love the beautiful seas and rivers of Sabah. The flowing water invites you for a playtime. But when I say “lake”, you would feel different emotions, like calm, laid-back and peaceful. These are exactly how I describe the beauty of Tanjung Bulat, one of the largest oxbow lakes in Sabah. An oxbow lake was used to be part of a big river in U-shaped. As river changes course, a body of water is cut off naturally from the main river and forms a lake.

Pic: ready to depart

To go to Tanjung Bulat Oxbow Lake (see Location Map), you can take a 25-minute boat ride from Bukit Garam, which is a riverside village 75 Km from Sandakan City and accessible by road. For my tour, I took the boat from Balat Jetty of Deramakot Forest and the ride took about 2 hours.

Bukit Garam Village

Bukit Garam (literally means Salt Hill) is a small village at upstream of Kinabatangan River. We stopped there shortly to buy some stuffs before going to Tanjung Bulat. I saw power line but electricity wasn’t fully utilized. Almost every house has satellite TV, but every grocery stores have no light on, except refrigerators that keep the soda drink cold.

Pic: the most interesting house in Bukit Garam

Bukit Garam is just next to Kinabatangan River (Sungai Kinabatangan), the longest river of Sabah, and it was flooded occasionally during heavy rain season. I even saw a house with water level markers of all major floods happened between 1963 and 2010.

Most of the land around Bukit Garam is clear for plantation, so very little forest cover is left. I noticed some tree replanting going on in a few sections of riparian to restore the forest along the river.

You can see from the diagram above that Tanjung Bulat Oxbow Lake has a small tributary that connects to Kinabatangan River. If the water level is high, our boat can send us straight to the camp. However, it’s dry season so we had to get off our boat, walked 450 Meters to the oxbow lake, then take another boat to the camp.

The walk takes about 20 minutes on a soil trail. Luckily the staffs of Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp helped us to carry our heavy luggage. The trees near the lake is so dense and tall. It’s part of a forest reserve where logging, hunting and farming are off limit.

Tanjung Bulat Oxbow Lake

It’s an easy walk and we came to an open area at the edge of Tanjung Bulat oxbow lake. This is the second Oxbow Lake I visit after Uncle Tan Camp in Danau Girang but the first time I was being so close to the lake. During rainy season, the Kinabatangan River will flood this lake and brings in fresh water.

Pic: silungapid tree next to the lake

I admire the beautiful tree trunk of silungapid tree, which is abundant around the lake. This tree can survive the flood in wetland and its fruit is an important food source for proboscis monkey, the endemic monkey of Borneo.

Pic: transit to another boat to jungle camp

When I was still busy enjoying the scenery, everyone was already waiting for me onboard.

You may check out the short video below to know why I like this place so much

For those of you who spent your childhood in outdoor, you would understand why lake holds such a special place in my memory. Every kids that time had a “secret” corner where they loved to hang around in group, and lake is the coolest place because we could swim and fish in it. Unfortunately, today most of my old-day nature playground has been cleared to make way for estate and agriculture.

That’s why I was so excited to see that Tanjung Bulat Oxbow Lake is kept in near pristine condition. It’s like a hidden lake in a dense jungle and it’s huge. The lake surface is about 95 hectares, with depth up to 30 Meters.

We saw 4 or 5 Oriental Darters (Anhinga melanogaster) on the way to jungle camp. Also known as Snake Bird, Oriental Darter spears fishes with its long and sharp beak. It’s a threatened bird species, but you can find a good number of them at Tanjung Bulat. Great egret is also common here.

Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp

Here is a brief but inspiring story about the camp. Tanjung Bulat Oxbow Lake is well-preserved as a marvelous destination because of one fisherman, Mr. Malik, who started the jungle camp in year 2010. Malik is born 40 years ago in a fisherman family of Orang Sungai community. He was used to swim (that time had no crocodile) and fish in this lake since he was six. During that time, fishes were plentiful and wild elephants were everywhere.

Pic: Tanjung Bulat Oxbox Lake

However, over the three decades, the well-being of the lake was gradually compromised when people used destructive fishing methods such as poisoning, and the forest was encroached for plantation. The situation became so severe that the lake got no fish for a year, so Malik decided to protect his beloved lake from further deterioration. We both share the similar childhood so I fully understand his sentiment.

Pic: photo of me and Mr. Malik (right). He looks serious but he is a friendly guy who is passionate about his work.

The lake and its adjacent land is a 450-hectare area under multi-layer land title of State Government, oil palm company and villagers, so Malik had to work with the authorities and different parties to conserve the oxbow lake. Some villagers were so unhappy initially.

With the support of native chief, Tanjung Bulat was included as part of the 1 Village 1 Product Rural Campaign and helped the village won the national and international championship in Gerakan Desa Wawasan (Rural Vision Movement). And villagers saw the fishes coming back, so they turn from against to acceptance. Now the fish stock gets a 60% recovery.

Back to our tour. Within 10 minutes, Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp was in sight. The wooden building with stilts in the photo above is the dining and activity hall. The camp is built on high ground so it is safe from flood even during wettest season.

Located in high point, the camp overlooks Tanjung Bulat oxbow lake. Every visitor is automatically drawn to this hall for this panoramic killer view. I would say Tanjung Bulat has one of the most spectacular lake view in Sabah. Without other man-made structure at the lake, it’s a 100% wilderness.

You can see half of the lake from the camp. At the left of photo above is an isolated (almost) forest surrounded by the lake. It’s mainly marshland with dense wetland trees, which is a little paradise for birds, reptiles and arboreal animals.

Pic: fish farm with black and red Tilapia (freshwater cichlid fish). Two Little Herons were fighting there for this prime fishing spot. The highly sought after seafood such as udang galah (giant river prawn) and Freshwater Gobi also found in this lake.

The weather was so good and we could see the reflection of cloud on the lake surface. I was completely immersed myself in this tranquil environment as if the clock had stopped ticking.

Pic: a 2-Meter monitor lizard that wanders near the camp. Monitor lizard always avoids human contact so it isn’t a threat (except infant).

There is also a 3-Meter crocodile living in the lake. It is wary of the human presence and keep a distance from our camp. It always patrols in the water, and its movement is so slow that it looks more like a floating log. We like this croc so much that we name it “Dicky”.

After we checked in, a tasty lunch buffet was already waiting for us, and it’s really nice to enjoy our meals next to a lake.

Pic: Panjaram Pancake, a famous local snack of Bajau people

We had fried noodle, chicken wings, tomato fish, local vegetables (fern) and a deep-fried pancake called panjaram (a.k.a. UFO Pancake).

We were supposed to have a river cruise in late afternoon to check out the crocodiles, proboscis monkey and other wildlife around the lake, but it was raining dog and cat. So I just grabbed a coffee, enjoyed the nice breeze and view. It was so relaxing that I fell asleep. During dusk, I saw Rhinocerous and Oriental Pied Hornbills, Brahminy Kites and Blue-eared Kingfisher. I also heard screeching of proboscis monkey in the forest across the lake. Tip: bring a binocular for more excitement.

Accommodation and Amenities

Though the accommodation of Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp is basic, it is clean and comfortable. We got mobile phone network coverage. The signal is weak but we can call and text the outside world.

The camp can fit about 15 people at a time. Electricity by generator is available from 7am to 9pm. You can even ask them to on it until 11pm. But noisy generator is too near the camp so it’ll be off during bedtime.

Pic: our bed with mosquito net. It was warm during daytime but cooling at night. We all had a good night sleep.

Toilet and bathroom are only 15 Meters away. The water from the lake is crystal clear. Malik told us that he used stones, sand and cotton to filter the water, a simple but effective technique he learnt from a Japanese engineer. The water of the lake looks murky, but it is almost as clean as the tap water, because it’s from the upstream of Kinabatangan River.

The toilet and bathroom are clean and basic too (no funny smell). Hot shower is not available but you will love the freshness of having a cold shower in hot day. As there is no lighting, you better bring a flashlight so you can find your way to toilet in the dark.

Tree Planting

Since the camp started 5 years ago, over 500 trees were planted to contribute to the Corridor of Life project. Basically it’s a long term conservation effort to restore the forest along the riparian of Kinabatangan River, to connect the fragmented forests, so the wildlife can use the forested river bank to move freely to other forest for food and mates.

The next morning we were brought to the tree re-planting area just behind the camp, to plant some trees before we left. Many trees have grown tall over years and some have bear fruits. This dense wood also becomes home for some birds such as Hooded Pitta. During fruiting season (especially in August), orangutan would be sighted here.

Actually the staffs had done the hard work for us. They cleared an area for the tree planting. All we needed to do is to dig two holes and planted two seedling. The common trees chosen for replanting are Pokok Bayur and Asam-Asam (wild mango), which provide nesting place and food for orangutan respectively.

As a city folk who seldom uses hoe, it’s no easier than I think. The soil is held firm by many tree roots. Just digging two small holes already made me sweated in the morning. Anyway, I’m glad that I’ve left some green footprints, a perfect way to end my journey here.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

To visit Oxbow Lake Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp (or Danau Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp), you can book the tour with Aseh Travel & Tours, a licensed travel agent which practices Responsible Tourism.

Below is the contact of Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp:
E-mail: tgbulat_junglecamp@yahoo.com
Hotline: +60 12-8656773
Website: kinabatangantbjc.blogspot.com

Photos taken in Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Tour to Deramakot Forest, a Well-Managed Forest of Sabah

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We can’t eat our cake, and have it too. At least this is how most environmentalists see logging, which usually means the end of world to wildlife and ecosystem in that forest. Deforestation is really a threat to flora and fauna of Borneo. However, we can’t totally ban logging, like we can’t simply stop fishing for the purpose of conservation. Though Sabah government phased out logging in 2007, lumbering is still an important economy activity. Even USA, Canada and New Zealand export log.

Pic: misty logged forest in Deramakot

What if, we can harvest the timber in a sustainable manner that minimize the impact to our environment? Deramakot, one of the Sabah forest is able to achieve that through Reduced Impact Logging (RIL). This is a great news because 70% of Sabah forest is commercial forest that allows logging.

Nevertheless, many conservation solutions only sound good on paper, so it’s better we see the reality with our own eyes, and that’s my goal to visit Deramakot Forest Reserve organized by Aseh Tours.

Deramakot Forest Reserve

Deramakot is a 55,507-hectare (equivalent to 66,000 soccer fields or 555 Sq. Km) mixed dipterocarp forest in the middle of Sabah and north of upper Kinabatangan River. Deramakot is also the first and longest-certified tropical rainforest in the world as a well-managed forest under FSC™ certification since 1997 (Forest Stewardship Council).

Pic: oil palm plantation at the edge of forest reserve

To reach Deramakot, we drove 237 Km from Kota Kinabalu City (190 Km if from Sandakan City) on paved and gravel roads. After we entered the final 70 km of bumpy gravel road, we saw oil palm plantation and secondary forest along the way. We also passed by some tree nurseries, logging camps and forest replanting zones.

We saw pile of logs from Deramakot ready for public auction to international and local buyers. Each log is marked with ID that can trace its exact location where it was harvested. These logs from Deramakot can generate an annual income of about US$4 millions for Sabah. Some buyers such as IKEA do offer premium prices (15% to 20% more) for certified logs as compared to uncertified logs.

Pic: group photo at entrance to Deramakot Forest. We saw two Black Hornbill there.

Visitors are required to get the permit from Sabah Forestry Department to enter Deramakot. They welcome tourists who are accompanied by experienced tour guide. Strictly no walk-in visitor. We drove through four security gates which guards the forests (i.e. Ulu Sapa Payau, Tangkulap and Deramakot) of Yayasan Sabah and Sabah Forestry Department.

Pic: a funny signboard for forestry staffs, which says (translated), “Satan’s Notice, Stop and Read: 1. Going home early huh? 2. Want to go ‘Happy Happy’? 3. Absent from work? 4. If so, go to Hell!” LOL

After the last gate, we entered the Deramakot Forest Reserve. We saw no more oil palm and the road condition was much better. It’s possible to access the bumpy and gravel road to Deramakot by sedan or saloon cars during dry season. The road can turn muddy after rain so 4WD is a safer choice.

Pic: Warning about wildlife crossing. Note Michael Jackson at the right. LOL

We would run into heavy truck or wildlife in forest road, so we moved at a slow speed of below 40 KM/H. While driving, our tour guide was also keeping an eyes on the forest for wildlife and birds. We saw Barking Deer (Kijang) and long-tailed macaques on the way.

Pic: a funny signboard of “Playboy River” (Sungai Buaya Darat), more photos here. This river does have crocodile.

Night Safari

We were losing daylight but Deramakot base camp was still hour away, so we just slow down, turned on the spotlight of 4WD and did a dusk drive along the way. Most animals here are nocturnal and we spotted common palm civet and two leopard cats. I also saw Badger and Sambar Deers in next day.

In fact, Deramakot is one of the few places in Borneo where all 5 Bornean cat species are found (namely, Sunda Clouded Leopard, Bornean Bay Cat, Marbled Cat, Flat-headed Cat and Leopard Cat). Leopard Cat is almost a guaranteed sighting, but other 4 cats are in very low density. Clouded Leopard and Bay Cat are endemic to Borneo and highly secretive, but NHK filming crew managed to capture the former cat.

You have 50 to 60% chance of seeing orangutan in the wild at Deramakot. About 792 orangutans dwell in this forest (statistics 1999). Too bad I didn’t see any, but their presence is evidenced by their nests left on the trees.

Pic: female Sambar deer

Other potential sighting of wildlife in Deramakot includes Pygmy Elephants, Banteng (Tembadau), Sun Bear, Binturong, Flying Lemur, Gibbon, Reticulated Python, Porcupine, Pangolin and Wild Boar. Anyway, this is not a zoo and the animals here are quite elusive and not used to human presence, so you will need some luck.

In 2010, the world?s most endangered otter species hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) was “rediscovered” in Deramakot when everyone thought it had extincted. To me, it’s quite surprising that so many rare wildlife can be found in a logged forest. Deramakot is a relatively new nature destination, we would uncover more gems when more people explore this forest.

Deramakot Lodge

We arrived Deramakot around 7:30pm and check-in to Deramakot Lodge. Please note this is not a hotel so there is no hotel staff welcomes you with a phony smile. We just collected the key from forestry staff and we were on our own. Though the accommodation is basic and not tourist-oriented, it is clean and comfortable.

Pic: This is the chalet where we spent two nights. Each chalet has 3 rooms (2 units of Double bed room and 1 unit of Queen bed room) and a living room (no TV though). They even have ramp for wheel chair. There is an old resthouse with 3 bedrooms (2 units of Double bed room and 1 unit of Triple bed room) but it would be reconstructed.

Pic: One of the room in chalet, with fan and air-conditioning. Every room has an attached bathroom with hot shower. Blanket, pillow, towel, soap and shampoo are provided. Electricity is available 24×7. Wifi is available during weekdays and there is no phone network coverage. There are another two chalets nearby, which have dormitory bedrooms with bunk beds, you can see their photos in my photo album. The lodges can host a total of 31 people at a time.

The chalet is near the forest edge so you would find wildlife foraging around. I saw long-tailed macaques, crested serpent eagle and flying lizard near my chalet.

At night the light at our balcony became a magnet for hundred of moth, beetles, katydid, cicada, etc. You can look at this photo and count how many they are. They are just everywhere. I had to close the door fast before they flied into the house. The bug also attracted a Brown Wood Owl looking for easy meals near our building.

Pic: watching video about Reduced Impact Logging

There is no canteen, restaurant, shop and room service in the base camp, so you have to prepare your own food, or you can request the forestry staffs to provide food catering (for a fee) like what we did. We had rice, vegetables, chicken, fish and fruit for every meal (quite delicious). We were quite well-fed actually. After dinner, we were invited by Sabah Forestry Department to watch a video about Reduced Impact Logging in Deramakot.

Reduced Impact Logging (RIL)

Now you may wonder why wildlife can do so well in a logged forest. Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) is the answer, as you might have expected. RIL is a very big topic and someone can write a book to talk about it. I’ll only scratch the surface here. To learn more, you can visit website of Deramakot.

Conventional Logging is destructive. Basically, the loggers just bulldoze everything to make way, cut down all valuable timbers and leave a mess behind. This unsustainable method hurts the forest so much that it needs 50 to 80 years to regenerate.

In contrast, RIL employs different harvesting strategies that leave the forest mostly intact, to a level that it only takes 25 years to regenerate. Moreover, logged forest of RIL will be left to recover for 40 years before next harvest (felling cycle).

Pic: fig fruit is an important food source for orangutan and hornbill

To be more friendly to wildlife habitat and ecology of a rainforest, RIL doesn’t cut fruit trees and small trees (less than 60cm in diameter). It also leaves buffer zone for riparian, steep slope, watershed, and other elements that keep the forest healthy and stable. Though the logged forest is degraded to some degrees, it still remains very livable for local flora and fauna.

Pic: orangutan nest on the tree

RIL also reduces the soil damage by 50%. This is crucial because top soil contains Mycorrhizal fungi community that acts as a root extension for indigenous trees to absorb water and nutrients more efficiently. This measure promotes faster forest restoration and cut the cost of rehabilitation from RM5,000 to RM300 per hectare! Besides, silviculture and tree replanting are carried out to keep the forest in good shape. Auditors of FSC will come to check the forest regularly for re-certification (or revoke).

Dawn Drive & Morning Walk

Morning offers the best photography opportunity to capture beautiful view of misty rainforest. We waked up very early and started our exploration by 4WD around 5am. Deramakot Forest is lively during dawn. We heard the loud call of Bornean Gibbons and bird chirping everywhere. Unlike the muggy city, the air here is refreshing and cooling.

I didn’t see any large area of exposed soil (a bad characteristic of traditional logging practices). Deramakot Forest Reserve is divided into 135 compartments for sustainable forest management and lumbering. About 75% of Deramakot must remain undisturbed or closed to forest management activities at any given time.

To enjoy the fresh and clean air, we decided to get out of our car and took a leisure morning walk. According to biophilia hypothesis, humans have a psychological need for greenery and contact with nature is a basic human need. That explains why a walk in the wood is always a pleasant experience.

Deramakot is an excellent bird watching site. We spotted or heard Rhinocerous hornbill, Asian Paradise Flycatcher (twice!), Buff-necked woodpecker, whiskered tree swift, Black-headed bulbul, Blue-eared kingfisher, Oriental dwarf kingfisher, Crested Fireback, Changeable Hawk-eagle, Racket-tailed Drongo, Yellow and Black Broadbill, White-crowned shama, etc. Black & Crimson Pitta, Great argus pheasant, Bornean Bristlehead and 8 species of hornbill also live here. Our guide says the “feature” birds here are Helmeted Hornbill and Wreathed Hornbill.

Then we picnic under a shelter. Deramakot isn’t a destination for mass tourism and we were the only tourists there. I really enjoyed the secluded moment.

Jungle Trekking

Near the basecamp there are two jungle trails for you to see the forest logged by both Conventional & RIL methods. Each trail is about 1 to 2 Km and takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour of hiking, they are quite well-maintained and not challenging (but watch out for a few slippery and steeper areas).

During our visit, it was dry season so the forest floor was covered by layer of dry foliages. Only a few tiny leeches were around so I didn’t even bother to put on my anti-leech socks. Not many wildlife was found though. I heard the flapping of a few hornbills above the canopy.

The forest seemed like a young secondary forest in good quality. Though they were logged before, there are still many standing tall trees that provide plenty of shade. Sivilculture is also in place to remove other competing plants such as climbing vines and scrubs that hinder the growth of timbers.

Pic: Darah-Darah (Myristicaceae), a tree that “bleeds”

Along the nature trail are rich variety of big and small trees labeled with interesting local names like Ghost Durian (Durio grandiflorusurat), Worm Eye Smooth Leaf (Parashorea malaanonan), Thin-skinned (Memecylon edule), Bitter-Bitter (Eurycoma longifolia). I hope they can use info-rich signages that tell visitors the special use / story of each plant. For example, the sap of Paliu tree (Antiaris toxicaria) is used in making poison dart.

Pic: When burnt, this resin smells like the incense in Buddhist temple

I’m not a plant expert and only can tell you that there are many species of famous timbers such as Seraya (Shorea), Kapur (Dryobalanops) and Keruing (Dipterocarpus) in Deramakot.

Camera Traps

For some fun, we collected four camera traps that were deployed in different wildlife hotspots in Deramakot forest a few months ago. Normally the camera trap is strapped on tree trunk one Meter above ground and the batteries can last about 3 to 6 months.

Two of the camera traps were near to the road to “Whitehouse”, which is a building painted in white and has nothing to do with US President, haha.

The gravel road to Whitehouse is narrow and bumpy. We saw a lot of elephant dungs on the road. Whenever our car turned at a tight corner, my heart would beat faster, imagined that our car would bump into an elephant face to face. That would be a scary but exciting moment, but we saw more dungs instead.

After driving 27 Km, we arrived Whitehouse and found the place was raid by elephants. The Whitehouse was attacked! Don’t worry, Obama wasn’t there.

Pic: the water tank was punctured by elephant tusk. I have no idea why they were so mad. Probably these elephants are the members of Republican Party in US.

Unfortunately, one of the camera traps was broken and another one was out of battery. We downloaded the photos from other camera and had fun looking at those cheeky selfie by monkey, palm civet and wild boar.

Pic: wildlife captured on camera trap

Camera trap is a useful tool to monitor the number and types of wildlife. The shot is in color if taken during daytime, black & white if shot by infrared at night. The most commonly captured animals are mouse deer, barking deer, macaque and wild boar.

Going to Deramakot

Deramakot is a unique destination because it’s an eye-opening experience for tourists to witness the abundance of wildlife in a logged but well-managed forest. The positive news is the model of Deramakot will be implemented in 81% of other commercial forest (a total area of 1.8 million ha). Uncontrolled and unsustainable timber exploitation will become history.

Pic: Junction to Deramakot (another 70 KM on gravel road)

To enter Deramakot Forest, you need to write to Director of Sabah Forestry Department to apply for entry permit for yourself and your vehicle (fees apply). However, for safety concern, it’s quite likely that they will reject your application if you visit Deramakot without guiding by travel agent or tour guide. I think the last thing they want to hear is some clueless tourists being gored by a wild elephant or lose in jungle.

Therefore, I advise you to book a tour package to Deramakot through Aseh Tours. They will arrange everything for you, from permit, 4WD transport, food, accommodation to guide services. The fee is between RM2,000 to RM3,000 per person (for a 3 or 4 day trip).

Below are the contact of Sabah Forestry Department:

Sabah Forestry Department (HQ)

Address: Locked Bag 68, 90009, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: +60 89-242500
Fax: +60 89-671303 / 672579 / 669170
Website: www.forest.sabah.gov.my
Facebook: SabahForestryDepartment

Deramakot District Forestry Office

Tel: +60 89-278801
Website: www.deramakot.sabah.gov.my

For more photos of Deramakot, please check out my photo album.

Photos taken in Tongod, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Natural Mineral Water of Taviu Hill

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Curious motorists would have discovered this little gift by nature next to the Kota Kinabalu – Sandakan main road (about 63 KM after Ranau town and 33 KM before Telupid). After a long drive on a winding and quiet road, it’s hard not to notice many cars parked at this hot spot, where many people line up to collect the water from Tobobon Taviu Spring.

Pic: the location of Tobobon Taviu Spring

Tobobon Taviu Spring is found in year 2011 – 2012 and its well water continues to flow out from the earth even during dry season. According to the locals, the water of Tobobon Taviu Spring is so clean that it’s safe to drink without boiling. Not only that, it is said to have curative properties against chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and even cancer. One of the villagers say if you cook rice with water from Tobobon Taviu Spring, the rice can stay unspoiled for a long time.

The water is cold and has no smell. There is no sediment and change of taste, even after the water is being stored for a long time.

Pic: Tobobon Taviu Spring is right beside the cliff of a hill next to the Ranau-Telupid main road

Many villagers bring big containers and wait for their turn to collect the FREE spring water to bring home. Hey, it’s like getting something better than gasoline, because Malaysians pay an average of RM1.40 for a bottle of 500-600ml mineral water but RM1.18 for same volume of petrol.

Tobobon Taviu Spring is located just in front of the Sabah Forestry District office, and it’s part of the 8,630-ha Bukit Taviu (Taviu Hill) Forest Reserve, which is fully protected for its high quality timber and as an important watershed. I think pristine forest is the answer why the water here is so clean. Crocker Range Park and Tawau Hills Park are also protected as water catchment areas so their rivers can supply clean water to Sabah.

Pic: Forestry Office of Bukit Taviu Forest Reserve

In 2013, a research on this spring was conducted, 436 respondents were interviewed and water samples were analyzed 5 times in laboratory. The report was published in Sepilok Bulletin (S. Samin, 2013. “Natural Mineral Water in Bukit Taviu Forest Reserve”. Sepilok Bulletin, Volume 17 & 18 (2013), 1-16). Most information of this blog is from this article.

Here are some interesting facts from that paper:

Almost every respondent drinks this spring water unboiled and it rarely causes any stomach upset.
In fact, no microbiological contamination and harmful metal is found in the water, and its cleanliness far exceeds the minimum drinking water quality standards set by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia.
96.1% of respondent think the water is good to their body. 65.28% of respondents reported increased sex ability (haha, but in what way?), 43.49% felt energized, 6.42% said it helped to stabilize and reduce high blood pressure.
Some respondents believe the spring water is good in treating heart disease, gout, gastric disease, paralysis, diabetes, high cholestrol, kidney stones.
Note: none of the health claims above is clinically proven.
The water consists of essential minerals such as Magnesium, Calcium and Sodium. However, you also can get these minerals through normal diet.

Pic: Heart of Borneo monument next to the spring

Pic: toilet stop

FYI, there is a toilet near to Tobobon Taviu Spring for public use, you can get the key from forestry officer. Don’t worry, the sewage doesn’t go to the spring water. 😀

Sabah is so blessed because we have plenty of clean water. As world population soars and unpolluted rivers becoming rare, clean water source will be more precious than oil field in near future. According to United Nations, “By 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water stressed conditions.” Hello, 2025 is only 10 years away.

However, many places in Sabah still have no access to tap water. Our water is clean when it exits treatment plant, but turn dirty after it travels in the old and rusty water pipes. Almost every house installs a water filtration system to remove the dirt. You can see the filter turns very dark in weeks and we have to boil the tap water before it is safe to drink.

“Water covers two-thirds of the surface of the Earth, but Fresh water is 0.002% on Earth.”

Photos taken in Telupid, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Underwater World of Aquarium & Marine Museum at University Malaysia Sabah (UMS)

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Though sea covers 71% of Earth’s surface, scientists say we know our Moon better than our ocean. But there’s a mysterious but beautiful garden down below, a world which has no human settlement. Sabah is lucky as part of Coral Triangle (a.k.a. Amazon of the Sea) thriving with over 600 coral and 2,000 reef fish species. The Aquarium & Marine Museum of University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) lets us explore our ocean world without getting our hair wet.

Pic: the building of UMS’s Aquarium & Marine Museum. The signage is in Malay language (translated as Welcome to Aquarium & Marine Museum, Borneo Marine Research Institute).

Managed by Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI), Aquarium & Marine Museum is a 2-in-1 showcase where visitors can see interesting specimens in their museum, and the live ones in aquarium. It’s not big and it takes ordinary tourists less than an hour to tour around and leave with some pictures, or it can take hours if you come with an intention to learn and leave with more knowledge.

When you walk in, just look up and you will see the diorama of Sipadan Island deep dive. That reminds me of my previous wall diving trip in Sipadan. It’s a tranquil environment full of vibrant marine lives.

Marine Museum

This museum exhibits and documents some of the extraordinary specimens and flora & fauna records of Borneo ocean. The goal is to educate the public to protect our marine environment so museum won’t become the only place to see them. Most of the labels, posters and news clips are in English and Malay languages.

Pic: skeleton of Cuvier’s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris)

The highlight is the 4.43-Meter skeleton of Cuvier’s Beaked Whale, it’s the first record of this whale appears in Malaysia (Sabah). You also can see the preserved remains of Rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) and 4 species of turtles from Sabah. FYI, there are 15 marine mammal species (dolphin, whale, dugong) live in the sea of Sabah and Sarawak. Do you know Irrawaddy Dolphin was used to be common in Sabah rivers?

Pic: hard corals and seashells exhibition

There are many beautiful seashells displayed here. Our beaches are no longer carpeted by seashells nowadays because of beach-combing by tourists and locals, and many end up in handicraft shops and seafood restaurants too.

Pic: Porcupine Ray (Urogymnus asperrimus)

One of the rare specimens is the Porcupine Ray, locally known as Durian Ray, which is the only “sting-less” stingray that uses heavily spiked skin as defense mechanism. It is first found in Sabah at Banggi Island. It attracted a lot of spectators in the fish market then the researchers moved it here.

Pic: hard corals on display

The rich variety of hard corals in this gallery are mainly from Semporna and Lahad Datu. Most of them are collected from 6-week Galaxea Expedition 98 in Darvel Bay of Lahad Datu, where they identified 1 new genus and 8 new species of corals in the world (and over 100 new records in Sabah)! The 8 newly discovered coral species are on display here.

Many medicines are developed from coral reef animals and plants and 1/4 of our catch are from coral reefs, so destroying corals is same as destroying the home of seafood and our hope to cure cancer, arthritis, etc.

Aquarium

Visitors can see big and small marine lives up-close in 2 huge aquariums and couples of fish tanks and tube tanks. Is Nemo the only fish your children know? This aquarium is a fun “classroom” to show them what are squirrel fish, parrot fish, angel fish, surgeon fish, etc.

Pic: oval fish tank filled with regal blue tang, clown fish, feather star, starfish, sea cucumber, banner fish, etc.

Pic: Banded cleaner shrimp and sea anemone

Cleaner shrimps help to remove parasites from fishes for free and fishes won’t eat them. For fun, some scuba divers open their mouths to let cleaner shrimp to get in cleaning their teeth. This is just one of the wonders in ocean life.

In 3 hours, I saw many tourists from Hong Kong, China and Australia in the aquarium. Their mouths opened wide when their tour guide told them that corals are animals, not plant. Besides fishes, you can see hard and soft corals in the tanks.

Pic: A 16-month old Green Turtle adopted from turtle hatchery at Borneo Divers and Seasports Mabul, Semporna.

Many kids were excited by the exhibition and fish tanks. Their curiosity peaked and kept asking questions, and their parents busy answering patiently (by peeking at the labels), what a great place to play and learn for family.

This deep reef tank holds 11,000 Liters of seawater and houses high value commercial species such as groupers, seabass and snapper.

The feeding time is between 3:30pm and 4pm, the best time to see all the fishes come out of their hiding place for food.

The tube tanks, which house Humphead Wrasse, Napoleon Wrasse and Nile Tilapia, look like incubator capsule of space lab in science fiction movies.

Pic: a Chocolate Chip Star (yes, it’s really named like that), keen to give it a lick? LOL

Starfish has amazing regenerating ability. It’s able to re-grow arms that are lost. The broken arms may also regenerate to another complete starfish!

Pic: Nemo and giant clams

Clownfish (Nemo) can change sex from female to male, a characteristic known as Protandrous Hermaphroditism. Sabah has 7 out of 9 giant clam species in the world, due to over-fishing, it’s hard to see one in the wild.

Pic: UMS also conducts research on farming of Giant Freshwater Prawn (Udang Galah) for commercial purpose.

Giant Groupers

Guess which fish attracts the most attention? It’s not Nemo but the hybrid grouper, which is a cross between tiger grouper (Epiphelus fuscoguttatus) and giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus), the first hybrid grouper (named as TGG hybrid) in the world. This is one of the BMRI projects to improve high-market-value grouper species in fish farm.

Many tourists lined up to take photo with them. These two big groupers are very cooperative and “friendly”, as if they enjoy being photographed. Since they are hybrid, you won’t find this fish in the wild. Well, groupers not only look good on plate.

The true superstar in this aquarium is a 15-year-old Giant Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus), which weighs 60-70 Kg and about 4 feet long.

There are also Tiger groupers, Orange-spotted groupers and Seabass in another tank.

Other hybrids that were successfully produced are, Orange-spotted grouper x Giant grouper (E. coioides x E. fuscoguttatus) and Mouse grouper x Tiger grouper (Cromileptes altevelis x E. fuscoguttatus).

Other Things to Do

Visitors can do other fun activities in the aquarium.

Pic: taking photo in stand ins in Ocean Outreach Corner. The 110 Sq. Meter Ocean Outreach Corner is a small room suitable for group activity. There are some informative posters about fishery and conservation such as fishing gears of Malaysia, commercial rays, aquaculture, hatchery projects, sea turtle research and academic marine programs.

Pic: Mini Theater in the Aquarium

You can watch video about marine biodiversity of Sabah in this 50-seat mini theatre equipped with audio-visual facilities.

Pic: mangrove walk

There’s a mangrove walk section at the exit of aquarium, with some dense mangrove plant (Rhizophora spp.) in a muddy pond. Though mangrove is a swamp, it’s vital for marine life because over 70 fish species such as grouper use mangrove as a feeding, breeding and nursery area.

Sea View & UMS Jetty

I noticed a few tour buses didn’t leave the university after the visit, they brought their tourists to another side, so I followed them and found a nice beach.

Pic: the aquarium is situated next to a scenic seaside (see left).

Pic: you can follow this road to walk 300 Meters to the beach. You already can see Kota Kinabalu City (KK) from the road.

Pic: you will pass by the aquaculture hatchery of BMRI along the way

Pic: view of KK from the beach of UMS

Pic: At the end of the road is UMS jetty. The gate is locked but you still can have a scenic view of islands, KK and Sepanggar Bay.

Pic: The rocky beach next to UMS jetty. I joined other tourists to enjoy the sea view and breeze there.

More Info & Contact

The following are some useful info for visitors:

Ticket / Fee (inclusive of 6% GST)	Malaysian	Foreigner
Child / Student (4-17 years)	RM5	RM10 (≈US$2.80)
Adult (18 & above)	RM10	RM20 (≈US$5.70)
Senior Citizen	RM5	RM10 (≈US$2.80)
Camera Pass (optional)	RM5	RM10 (≈US$2.80)

Last Updated: Nov 2015

Pic: ticketing counter next to entrance of UMS Aquarium & Marine Museum

Opening Hours

UMS Aquarium & Marine Museum will be closed for renovation and maintenance from 28 August 2017 to 13 November 2017.
Mon -Thu, Sat: 9am – 12:30pm, 2pm-4pm
Fri: 9am-11:30am, 2pm-4pm
Sun & Public Holiday: closed

Pic: the tickets to the aquarium. You can take photo (without flash) in the aquarium if you buy the Camera Pass.

Address (see Location Map): University Malaysia Sabah, Borneo Marine Research Institute, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: +60 88-320 121
E-mail: bmru@ums.edu.my
Website: www.ums.edu.my

How to get there

Aquarium & Marine Museum is located in the campus of UMS (see Location Map) and about 6 KM away from KK. It is open to public and you can walk-in during opening hours without prior arrangement. The aquarium is about 2 KM away from the entrance of UMS, so I advise you to go there by taxi or own transport.

Pic: the junction to the Aquarium

Pic: the direction signage is in Malay language. If you see the words “Akuarium dan Muzium” (means Aquarium & Marine Museum) and “Institut Penyelidikan Marin Borneo” (means Borneo Marine Research Institute) on it, you are on the right way.

More Photos

You may browse my photo album for more photos:

UMS Aquarium & Marine Museum is worth a visit, especially for family and student groups. Though it’s not a world-class oceanarium, the aquarium can give you a good overview of ocean biodiversity in Borneo. To impress the visitors more, it’ll be great if the aquarium has more variety of popular marine animals such as sharks, seahorses, eel, manta ray and probably… mermaid, haha.

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Miss Scuba International 2014 Pageant

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Seafood has been an important source of protein for human. The ocean is so vast that people think it can take anything. When pollution and overfishing become a global problem now, we know we were wrong. Not only we are exhausting the limited fish stock, we are also contaminating and destroying the habitat of marine lives.

Nowadays you can find trash even in the most remote beach in the world. Pollution is no longer a local issue only. Garbage in the sea is many times harder and costlier to remove. It is estimated that over 100 million marine animals are killed every year due to plastic debris in the sea. Thousands of turtles die each year because they swallow plastic bag that looks like their food – jellyfish. The plastic particles also enter our food chain, causing various illness such as cancer.

We all laugh at the greedy man who slaughters his goose that lays golden eggs in a fable. Such foolish things happen daily in fishery. For example, blast fishing (fish bombing), cyanide poisoning and trawling are common fishing methods in our waters and these unsustainable fishing practices damage corals, the home of seafood. One day seafood will be so scarce that we need to buy sashimi and Tuna sandwich with gold bars.

Therefore, Miss Scuba International was started in 2011 to select the “Superhero” to fight for the rights of our marine animals, as other Superheroes are too busy with villains in cities and alien invasion from outer space. Miss Scuba will take care of the ocean, which covers 71% of earth’s surface, more powerful huh? Just kidding. She will involve in ocean conservation and educate the public to safeguard our fragile ocean ecology.

Pic: winners of Miss Scuba International 2014

Miss Scuba International 2014 Pageant was held in Magellan Sutera Hotel in Kota Kinabalu city on 28 Nov 2014. Miss Scuba finalists from 14 countries were competing in 3 rounds (National Costumes, Bikini and Evening Gown) then top 5 were selected for final Q&A session.

Below are just my (shallow) comments and random photos on the contest. You may check out my photo album to see 124 photos.

Pic: Rima Saradiani Demensah from Indonesia. I call her Miss Smiley because she always smiles. I bet she also smiles even if she is angry.

With such a heavy headgear, she still can smile like sunshine, so she deserves the Best National Costume subsidiary title.

Pic: Here is Joanne Kimberley Majalap / Kimmy from Malaysia, our Sabah mermaid, yea~

Her headgear reminds me of Bobohizan (high priest of Kadazan people). She looks like Huminodon (Goddess in Sabah legend) in Sumazau dance pose.

I could sense that she was very nervous. She made it to Top 5 nevertheless. Well done Kimmy!

Pic: Amanda Arbitrario / Dada from Philippines in her flamboyant peacock costume.

Dada performed the best cat walk, making a very good presentation of herself.

Dada also sang and danced well in her talent show. I’m a bit disappointed that she didn’t enter final round.

Oh, here is my favourite, Saori Tahara / Tara from Japan. With long hair, fair skin, pretty face, sweet smile and a vital statistics of 36″ 23″ 35″, she is a killer.

To me, she is the sexiest finalist. No offense Tara, it’s not a sin to be beautiful and sexy. Please keep it up and thanks for the nose-bleeding (stimulating) moment..

Pic: “Hola” to Krystel Bendahan Corrales / Kyky from Venezuela. Venezuela seems to produce a lot of beauty queens and models (and that’s the only thing I know about Venezuela), she is no exception. I think Latin girls are hot because they inherit the nice physical features of westerner and oriental.

Pic: Let’s welcome Jeraldine Phneah Jialin from Singapore. She is small but she has the biggest brain. She won the Miss Marine Conservation subsidiary title because of her good knowledge in marine.

Pic: Winner of Miss Scuba Tourism, Allison Nicole Pelletier from Canada. Another goal of this pageant is to promote scuba diving in tourism. People will protect the sea after they learn to appreciate the beauty of ocean through diving.

Pic: Michelle Katie Paraskeva / Chelle looks like a superstar from United Kingdom (may be a Bond girl), she radiated self-confidence and everyone could feel her energy. She sang the song “Mercy” in talent show, and all judges and audiences were so impressed when they saw a contestant turned into a professional singer. Of course, she won the Best Talent award.

Pic: Amber Ryan Marie Gamble from Ireland. Does she look like Elsa in the movie Frozen?

Amber won 2nd Runner-Up and Miss Photogenic in Miss Scuba International 2014.

Pic: Next is Cattaleya Schulze / Catt from Thailand, the Land of Smiles and she did make everyone smiled. In her talent show, first she acted with many funny expression, then music changed and followed by a crazy dance (I Will Survive) of her.

She seemed to enjoy the pageant and able to show her outgoing and playful personality. In fact, she is the most popular candidate since the beginning.

She is really gorgeous (when she doesn’t try to act funny). Look at her perfect teeth. No surprise that she won First Runner-Up in this pageant.

Congratulations to Tabitha Eleanor Lipkin from USA for winning the titles of Miss Scuba International 2014 and Miss Congeniality. Though she is no.13 and the contest was held on Black Friday, it’s her lucky day. I like her costume with ice-cream.

USA is really a birthplace of Superheroes, probably she will join Avengers team to save the earth lol. Tabitha is a journalist and her speech won the heart of judges in Q&A round.

Pic: cup song by Miss Scuba USA

Ok, that’s all. Let me ends this article with a few more photos.

Pic: Miss Scuba Thailand and UK

Pic: Miss Scuba USA and Venezuela

Pic: Miss Scuba China, Qian Ya / Quennie

Pic: Miss Scuba France, Melanie Marie Louise

Pic: Miss Scuba Latvia, Liene Larko

Pic: Top 5 of Miss Scuba International 2014. From Left: Thailand, Malaysia, USA, Ireland, UK.

Pic: Winners of Miss Scuba International 2014
From Left:
2nd Runner-Up: Amber Ryan Marie Gamble, Ireland
Miss Scuba International 2014: Tabitha Eleanor Lipkin, USA
1st Runner-Up: Cattaleya Schulze / Catt, Thailand

Pic: Miss Scuba International 2014

More Photos

There are 124 more photos in my Flickr album:

More Information

Below are the official websites of Miss Scuba International if you want to find out more about this pageant.

Website: www.missscuba.com
Facebook: Miss Scuba International, Miss Scuba Malaysia

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo