Monday, January 18, 2010

The biodiversity of Malaysia




I feel privileged to be born and raised in Malaysia. While some people (sometimes including myself) complain about fuel price, toll, traffic jam, and about fifty gazillions other stuffs, I admit that we live in a place which is blessed with extremely beautiful flora and fauna. Just look at the colourful corals of Perhentian Island and the greens of Fraser's Hill which are objects of envy for those not blessed with tropical climate. For a nature lover, Malaysia is simply one of the few places on earth which is closest to the seventh heaven.

To appreciate the vast biodiversity in Malaysian rainforest you don't have to go deep. Even at the suburbs and forest edges we can find plenty of wild life from arthropods to small mammals. The roads that connect the major towns sometimes pass through dense forests and at times travelers can witness even more spectacular creatures such as tapirs and gibbons. Of course you cannot expect to see these if you are using the highways.

Perhaps most of the large mammals in our rainforests have been discovered and documented by science. If there is any more awaiting discovery, they are most likely to dwell in the remote untouched forests such as the Royal Belum and the Maliau Basin. While I am equally fascinated by the flair of the flying fox and the agility of linsang, my prime interest belongs to the world of the tiny and often forgotten arachnids. Related under the same phylum to the insect, arachnids are 8 legged creatures with no back bone and sort of primitive in their behaviour. They can't swim nor can the fly. The most interesting of all is the spider.

This blog is about spiders that I have found and photographed since 2006. I will also talk about my journey in finding as many spiders in the wild and my attempt to photograph them. While photos are nice to view, the most important message I want to broadcast is about conservation of our flora and fauna. Rapid development, climate change and deforestation have drastically affecting the survival of our wild life with many species not found anywhere else in the world. These are our national treasure, an inheritance which should not be taken for granted.

23 comments:

  1. cannot afford to buy magazines...so have to read your blog hahaha. Well written 1st entry..well done & keep it up!

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  2. good start and niche in blogging bro.. keep it up, it sure an interesting photos and writeup.

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  3. Thank you. The blog's focus will be on spider and photographing it. Please come again.

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  4. Sifu Red !!!
    OMGGG You finally really started a blog of your own ! What can I say, it is about time, and I believe this will be the beginning of something truly more awesome, not that you are not awesome enough already.
    Anyway, just want to reiterate that I have always admired your macro shots, and I have made reference to you several times in my macro write ups on my blog.
    Welcome to the world of blogging, and keep those breathstopping macro spider shots coming. You have been a great inspiration to me and many other photographers alike.
    Keep on rocking dude !!

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  5. hidup balik blog ni. 3 tahun jugak buat resuscitation. very nice.

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  6. Robin, the chat we had during the OUG TT that night was what inspired me to write this blog. Be aware that you have been one of the forces that initiated this blog. I hope to write here frequently and now trying to learn about blogging bit by bit. Still strunggling with the controls haha.

    long, ni lain sket punya la.

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  7. Its really great to see your passion for spiders reflected in your beautiful photography. Being able to pass this passion on to the public through the media is even better. Anything that reduces people's fear of spiders mst be very personally rewarding for you. Where some people see ugliness, you see beauty. When overwhelmed with the pressures of life, go for a walk and look through the lens of a camera ... nature heals all. Rick C. West, Victoria, BC, Canada

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