August 9, 2013
by JungleBoy
2 Comments
I just got back from a weekend excursion to Taman Negara Merapoh (also called Taman Negara Sungai Relau) and the surrounding forest reserves, as part of a volunteer effort to assist PERHILITAN in monitoring the status of the wildlife population there. Once again, the call of the wild never fails to reward me with new and interesting encounters, sightings, and experiences, of which I can only (partially) convey here. Continue Reading →
July 31, 2013
by JungleBoy
1 Comment
The Lata Berembun (Lata means “waterfall” or “cataract” in Malay) is widely considered as one of the best natural treasures of Pahang state. And you have to visit the waterfall in order to comprehend this statement, like what I did recently. All this while, I always wondered why people would take all the trouble to visit this hard-to-reach waterfall, even coming all the way from Singapore, when they have nice waterfalls much nearer and easier to get to; well, now I know why. Continue Reading →
July 14, 2013
by JungleBoy
12 Comments
Many people have no idea what is the meaning of a primary or secondary tropical rainforest, and assume all jungles everywhere are the same. In fact, the term “primary”, “old growth”, or “virgin” is bandied around far too freely, and in most cases, inaccurately. Simply put, a primary forest is an untouched forest, most often within the context of logging activities, which should have never taken place in that forest area, whereas a secondary forest is a forest that has already been logged or disturbed in a significant way, by the activities of human beings. Here I will try to explain all this in as layman terms as possible. Continue Reading →
July 2, 2013
by JungleBoy
73 Comments
Gunung Pulai is a 654 meter high hill near the city of Johor Bahru. Although “Gunung” means “mountain or Mt.” in Malay, it is technically not high enough to be regarded as a mountain. It might be regarded as a mountain because it is the only major high point in an otherwise flat region; however, here I will call it a hill. But what makes this place special is because it still contains substantial primary rainforest cover since it is a water catchment area for nearby Johor Bahru and Singapore, and it also has a spectacular waterfall, although it is under serious threats as well – which I will get to in a moment. Continue Reading →
June 12, 2013
by JungleBoy
2 Comments
Gunung Jerai (Gunung means Mount in Malay) is a 1217 m high mountain on the mainland of Peninsular Malaysia, just to the north of Penang Island, and can be clearly seen from most parts of Penang and the surrounding region in Kedah. It was formerly called Kedah Peak due to it being the tallest peak in Kedah, and a prominent landmark in that part of Malaysia. The mountain is an isolated sandstone peak in a relatively flat landscape.
A road leads to the top from the foot, with its starting point easily accessible from the nearest town, Gurun (just follow the signboards). At the end of the road, sited at the peak, stand some fenced-up telecommunication towers. There are nice, panoramic views of the flat coastal plain of Kedah from the top of the mountain, where you can glimpse the “rice bowl” of Malaysia. Continue Reading →