Endemic Birds of Borneo

Bulwer's Pheasant

Bulwer's Pheasant is sexually dimorphic. Males have a total length of about 80 centimetres (31 in), and are black-plumaged with a maroon breast, crimson legs, a pure white tail of long, curved feathers, and bright blue facial skin with two wattles that conceal the sides of its head. Females have a total length of about 55 centimetres (22 in), and are an overall dull brown colour with red legs and blue facial skin.

Lophura bulweri

Bornean Bristlehead

The Bristlehead is a medium-sized (25 centimetres (9.8 in) in length) black or dark grey bird, with red thighs and a red head, throat and neck, with grey ear-coverts and a featherless yellow crown. There is a white wing-patch, visible in flight, and females also have red spots on the flanks. It has a massive heavy black hooked bill and a short tail, giving it a chunky appearance. The crown is covered by short (3–4 mm) yellow or straw-coloured skin projections like bare feather shafts, hence the name 'Bristlehead'. Juveniles have black thighs, red ear-coverts, a red eye-ring, just a few red feathers on the head and undeveloped 'bristles'.

It is a noisy species making a variety of unmusical calls, including distinctive high-pitched nasal whining notes interspersed with harsher notes, chattering noises, whistles, honks and chortles.

Pityriasis gymnocephala

Mountain Serpent-eagle

The Mountain Serpent Eagle is a bird of prey that is found in northern Borneo. It inhabits submontane and montane evergreen rainforests. It prefers forests with height of 1,000-2,900 meters above sea level. It also prefers to be separated vertically away from Spilornis cheela by a few hundred meters whenever the two share the same area.

Spilornis kinabaluensis is threatened by habitat loss. However, they occur within the Kinabalu National Park and the Mulu National Park. Their high-altitude habitats are usually too remote for logging and agriculture, making some of its range secure.

Spilornis kinabaluensis

Dulit Partridge

The partridge is 30 cm in length. Like the Long-billed Partridge, it is mainly rufous-buff in colour, with a lavender-grey breast-band, a long, black, curved bill and yellow legs. It differs from the Long-billed Partridge in that the grey breast band is twice as wide, and the underparts are whitish-buff rather than bright orange-buff.

Rhizothera longirostris dulitensis

Red-breasted Partridge

Description: Medium-sized (32 cm), brown partridge with bold, black and white pattern on flanks. Crown and nape blackish, streaked brown; eyebrow and cheeks pale chestnut. Some birds from Sarawak have grey eyebrow and cheeks, and darker breast. Upperparts brown, narrowly barred black; bold black marks on tertiaries. Breast cinnamon; vent white. Female has browner, smaller white spots. 

Iris - brown; bill - grey; bare eye-ring skin - crimson; feet - pinkish.

Voice: A repeated, ringing, rising note kuwar, uttered at a rate of about 3 per second, answered by a loud, double not cuckoo dropping in pitch, at a rate of about one per second.

Range: Endemic to Borneo.

Distribution and status: Confined to hills of N Borneo; from Mt. Kinabalu south to Usun Apau and upper Kayan, and outlier Mt. Mulu. Not uncommon in sub-montane forests from 600 to 1200 m, notably common in Kelabit highlands, also reported from Ulu Barito.

Habits: Shy, groups keep to thickets and bamboo in forest.

Bird Watching Tips

1. Field boots will keep feet dry and provide traction on slippery terrain.
2. most birds are active in the morning and late afternoon when the temperature is cooler. Consult your guide book as to when are the best times to spot a particular species.
3. Many birds have regular feeding habits and patterns. A good place to watch for shorebirds is at mudflats during low tide.
4. Some parks have covered hides, both elevated or at ground level. These assist bird watchers and photographers alike.
5. When photographing birds, use long - range lenses and flash equipment as there may not be sufficient natural light.
6. A pair of binoculars helps to locate and identify distant and high flying birds.
7. Field guidebooks are useful references to identify different species by their plumage, colour and habit preferences. Bring a notebook to jot down your findings and observations.
8. Wear drab coloured clothing to blend in with the surroundings. Long sleeved cotton shirts, long pants and leech socks help protect you from insects and leeches.

Order Primates

          The Primates are an ancient and diverse eutherian group, with around 233 living species placed in 13 families. Most dwell in tropical forests. The smallest living primate is the pygmy mouse lemur, which weighs around 30 g. 

The largest is the gorilla, weighing up to around 175 kg.

       

         Primates are usually recognized based on a suite of primitive characteristics of the skull, teeth, and limbs. Some of these are listed above, including the separate and well-developed radius and ulna in the forearm and tibia and fibula in the hindleg. Others include pentadactyl feet and presence of a clavicle. Additional characteristics (not necessarily unique to primates) include first toe with a nail, while other digits bear either nails or claws, and stomach simple in most forms (sacculated in some leaf-eating cercopithecids). Within primates, there is a tendency towards reduction of the olfactory region of the brain and expansion of the cerebrum (especially the cerebral cortex), correlated with an increasing reliance on sight and increasingly complex social behavior.

           

            The teeth of primates vary considerably. The dental formula for the order is 0-2/1-2, 0-1/0-1, 2-4/2-4, 2-3/2-3 = 18-36. The incisors are especially variable. In some forms, most incisors have been lost, although all retain at least 1 lower incisor. In others, the incisors are intermediate in size and appear to function as pincers or nippers, as they commonly do in other groups of mammals. In some, including most strepsirhines (see next paragraph), the lower incisors form a toothcomb used in grooming and perhaps foraging. In the aye-aye (Daubentoniidae), the incisors are reduced to 1 in each jaw and are rodent-like in form and function. Canines are usually (but not always) present; they vary in size, including within species between males and females. Premolars are usually bicuspid (bilophodont), but sometimes canine-like or molar-like. Molars have 3-5 cusps, commonly 4.

            A hypocone was added early in primate history, and the paraconid was lost, leaving both upper and lower teeth with a basically quadrate pattern. Primitively, primate molars were brachydont and tuberculosectorial, but they have become bunodont and quadrate in a number of modern forms.

            

             Living primates are divided into two great groups, the Strepsirhini and the Haplorhini. Strepsirhines have naked noses, lower incisors forming a toothcomb, and no plate separating orbit from temporal fossa. The second digit on the hind foot of many strepsirhines is modified to form a "toilet claw" used in grooming. Strepsirhines include mostly arboreal species with many primitive characteristics, but at the same time, some extreme specializations for particular modes of life. Haplorhines are the so-called "higher" primates, an anthropocentric designation if ever there was one. They have furry noses and a plate separating orbit from temporal fossa, and they lack a toothcomb.    

the Strepsirhini

                Haplorhines include many more species, are more widely distributed, and in most areas play a more important ecological role. Haplorhines are further divided into two major groups, the Platyrrhini and the Catarrhini. Platyrrhines have flat noses, outwardly directed nasal openings, 3 premolars in upper and lower jaws, anterior upper molars with 3 or 4 major cusps, and are found only in the New World (families Cebidae and Callitrichidae). Catarrhines have paired downwardly directed nasal openings, which are close together; usually 2 premolars in each jaw, anterior upper molars with 4 cusps, and are found only in the Old World (Cercopithecidae, Hylobatidae, Hominidae).

              

Living Primates

               Most primate species live in the tropics or subtropics, although a few, most notably humans, also inhabit temperate regions. Except for a few terrestrial species, primates are arboreal. Some species eat leaves or fruit; others are insectivorous or carnivorous.

Source : http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/

Longhouse folk eagerly await DPM visit

Longhouse folk eagerly await DPM visit

Tinjauan Mesra

Sebuah Majlis Rakyat bermasa Pemimpin telah diadakan di Rh. Wilson Bada, Gran B, Stumbin Lingga,  Sri Aman pada 19 March 2011. Tetamu kehormat yang hadir pada majlis tersebut ialah Yang Amat Berhormat Tan Sri Dato Sri Haji Muhyiddin bin Haji Mohd. Yassin,Timbalan Perdana Menteri Malaysia, turut hadir bersama Yang Berhormat Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Alfred Jabu Ak Numpang, Timbalan Ketua Menteri Sarawak.

YAB Tan Sri Dato Sri Haji Muhyiddin Bin Haji Mohd. Yassin menandatangani buku pelawat Rh. Wilson Bada, Gran B, Stumbin.

 Kerajaan turut mengagihkan bantuan berjumlah RM580,000 kepada 1,020 keluarga dari 51 buah rumah yang tinggal di kawasan Lingga.

Ruai Rh Wilson bada

 

sesi fotografi bersama Residen Sri Aman, En. Abdul Rahman Sebli (kanan)

Pelbagai peruntukkan telah disumbangkan kepada masyarakat setempat di antaranya seperti membina sebuah balai raya yang akan menelan belanja sebanyak RM2 Juta. YAB Tan Sri juga memutuskan untuk membina jalan raya Stumbin, Tanjung Bijat dan Skirau sepanjang 15 KM. 

Orangutans

Orangutan

Order: Primates

Family: Pongidae
Genus and Species: Pongo pygmaeus (Bornean) and Pongo abelii (Sumatran)

The world's largest tree-dwelling animal, the orangutan relies upon its intelligence and well-adapted body to survive in the tropical rainforest.

Physical Description

These orangish-red-haired great apes have long arms and curved hands and feet, which they put to good use when traversing the treetops. Older orangutans usually move through the trees on all fours, while young ones often brachiate, or swing hand over hand. Males have longer hair than females and disc-like cheek pads.

Both sexes have throat pouches that make their calls resonate through the forest. The males' pouches are more developed. Orangutans crush tough foliage and hard-shelled nuts with their strong teeth and jaws. Two species exist: P. pygmaeus of Borneo, and the Sumatran species, P. abelii. Outside of their native ranges, they can be differentiated only through chromosomal or DNA analysis.

Size
Orangutans are Asia's largest primates, and males are larger than females. Males stand about four and a half feet tall and weigh 130 to 200 pounds. Females stand about four feet tall and weigh 90 to 110 pounds. Zoo animals are often heavier.

Geographic Distribution
Once more widely distributed, orangutans now live only in forests on the Southeast Asian islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

Status

The Sumatran species is listed as critically endangered and the Bornean species is listed as endangered on the World Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened Animals.

Habitat
Orangutans live in tropical rainforests, including hill forests and swamp forests.

Natural Diet

Orangutans feed primarily on forest fruits, including durians, jackfruits, lychees, mangos, and figs. Leaves and shoots make up the remainder of their diet, supplemented occasionally by small animals, tree bark, and soils rich in minerals. Researchers have documented more than 400 different foods eaten by wild orangutans.

Reproduction

Male orangutans establish home ranges that embrace those of several females. Females reach maturity at around ten years of age and can remain fertile for more than 30 years. Recent research suggests that, on average, wild females give birth only every eight years. Young orangutans may nurse until age six, and stay close to their mothers until the next offspring comes along.

Life Span
Orangutans may live about 35 years in the wild, and up to 60 in zoos.

Behavior
Active during the day, orangutans spend much of their lives high in the trees. Solitary, they rarely encounter others of their kind unless sharing a fruiting tree or mating. Each night, orangutans bend branches into nest platforms that support the apes while they sleep in the trees.

Orangutans move slowly through the forest, seeking fruiting trees, which they may find by following the movements of hornbills and other fruit-eaters. When heavily fruiting trees are found, orangutans will spend many hours feeding.

Past/Present/Future
Once widespread in Asian tropical forests, orangutans now live only on Sumatra and Borneo, where forest loss is the greatest threat to their existence. Naturally occurring forest fires, and those set by farmers and large companies to clear the way for plantations of oil palm, fast-growing pulpwood, and other crops, devastate forests. The destruction spreads even further during dry years. In 1997, an area the size of New Jersey burned in Indonesia, and many of the fires occurred in orangutan habitat. Large reserves and strictly enforced wildlife protection laws are needed to keep orangutans safe from extinction.

A Few Orangutan Neighbors:

proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus): A large vegetarian that lives in forests near water only on Borneo. Males are twice the size of females and have bulbous noses.

Asian small-clawed otter (Amblonyx cinerea): This small, social otter frequents streams and swamp forests, where it eats crabs and other small animals.

white-crowned hornbill (Aceros comatus): One of five species of large, long-billed fruit-eating birds that share forests with orangutans on Sumatra and Borneo.

By saving orangutan habitat, we protect these and many other animals.

Fun Facts:

In Malay, "orang utan" means "person of the forest."

An adult orangutan's arms can be well over seven feet from fingertip to fingertip.

The Primate Species of Borneo

1) Dusky Leaf monkey

Dusky Leaf Monkey

                      To set foot in Borneo is to be amazed by a breathtaking array of species. With 13 species of primate, more than 380 species of bird and 10,000 species of plant, the world’s third largest island is a global centre for biodiversity. In this article we will take a brief look at the primate species of Borneo.

                      Bornean OrangutansThe Bornean orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus) is arguably Borneo’s most famous and well-loved inhabitant. A separate species to that of the orangutans found in Sumatra (Pongo abelii), Bornean orangutans are found throughout the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, as well as the Indonesian part of Borneo, Kalimantan. Strangely however they are absent from Brunei.

                     Wildlife tourists can view orangutans at a number of locations including Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (semi-wild orangutans), Tabin Wildlife Reserve and the Kinabatangan River (wild) in Sabah, Semenggoh Orangutan Sanctuary in Sarawak and Tanjung Puting National Park in Kalimantan.

Source : http://www.suite101.com/content/the-primate-species-of-borneo-a245635

2) Macaque

macaque

The most resourceful and abundant primate species in Borneo and indeed throughout Asia are the macaques. These bold monkeys have learned to live alongside humans and can often be seen stealing from rubbish bins and traversing the power lines in urban areas as well as inhabiting forests. There are two species of macaque in Borneo; the pig-tailed macaque(Macaca nemestrina) and the long-tailed, or crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis)

.(Macaca nemestrina)

 (Macaca fascicularis).

3 )  Western Tarsier

An unlikely looking primate species, Western tarsiers (Tarsius bancanus) are also known as Horsefield’s tarsiers. They are nocturnal primates with large eyes, membranous ears and a long tail that is mostly hairless. Tarsiers are carnivorous primates, feeding mostly on insects but also taking vertebrate prey including snakes, small birds and bats. It is found throughout Indonesia as well as in Malaysian Borneo and Brunei.

extant great ape

        The largest living arboreal animals, they have longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping nests each night from branches and foliage. Most of their lives are spent foraging for food in solitude; they are generally not aggressive. Their hair is typically reddish-brown, instead of the brown or black hair typical of other great apes.

Native to Indonesia and Malaysia, orangutans are currently found only in rainforests on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, though fossils have been found in Java, the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Vietnam and Mainland China. There are only two surviving species, both of which areendangered: the Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) and the critically endangered Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii). The subfamilyPonginae also includes the extinct genera Gigantopithecus and Sivapithecus. The word "orangutan" comes from the Malay words "orang" (man) and "(h)utan" (forest); hence, "man of the forest".