Spirit Quest with Giraffe: Maliau Basin with Sticky Rice

“Adventure, challenging & amazing” – Hatti, Guide

These three words are the perfect way to describe this unforgettable and unique experience. I would highly recommend the 4 nights, 5 days tour for anyone who is looking for venturing on the path less travelled and for the opportunity to connect with wild Borneo. The team at Sticky Rice are highly professional, helpful and a pleasure to travel with making the experience even more enjoyable and memorable.

What should I expect from this expedition?

Day 1: Kota Kinabalu to Maliau Basin research Centre

Estimated travel time: 5 hours inclusive of transits

Notable Fauna seen on night Safari: fruit bats, flying squirrels, Bear cat, Banded civet, Common Palm/Borneo striped Civet, leopard cat, Sabah Deer

Today is an early start and a travelled filled day if you are departing from Kota Kinabalu. Sticky Rice will arrange transportation pickup from your hotel at around 7am in a modern van. The van is comfortable and the driver friendly and chirpy for the duration of the 2 hour leg to the bus depot where you will change vehicles to a utility truck. From the depot the trip takes approximately 2-3 hours to Maliau Basin Gate. At the gate you will register before having lunch at the Maliau Basin Information centre.

The Maliau Basin Studies Centre is approximately 1 hours drive from the Shell Maliau Basin Gate. The studies centre can only be described as a tranquil retreat nestled within the jungle. Enjoy time in this peaceful paradise before venturing on an afternoon wander to experience the Sky Walk. The Sky Walk is a wonderful opportunity to meander along the tree trope taking in views of the Maliau River and enjoying glimpses of busy squirrels scurrying through the branches.

Your evening will see you watching a short documentary, after a delicious dinner, to inform you of Maliau Basin and all it’s riches. The night adventure proceeding this is an awesome experience to witness the nocturnal wildlife at play. This involves a ride in the back of a utility truck with a spotlight, keeping your eyes peeled for bedding eyes to give away the hideaways of these wonderful animals. See above for a list of creatures we were fortunate enough to see on our adventure before retiring to our comfortable hostel beds.

Day 2: Agathis Camp to Nepenthes Camp formerly ‘Camel Trophy’

Approximate Total distance: 7.5 km Estimated time: 4 hours inclusive of rests

Notable Fauna seen: Mouse Deer, Malay Civet, Roul Roul Patridge, Big Tail Macqua (monkey), Barking Deer, leeches

Agathis Camp got its name from the Borneon species of Agathis tree which can only be found in Maliau Basin. Agathis Camp was destroyed by Pygmy Elephants in 2014 which is now the basis for you to begin your expedition on Day 2. From here you continue along the flowing river, crossing over bamboo bridges before continuing up through undulating forests and climbing steel ladders to reach the rim of the escarpment. This aspect of the journey continues for about 3 km. From about the 2.5 km mark we were welcome by torrential rain which continued to about the 5 km marker.

Throughout the journey you will notice that the rainforest scenery changes from Lower Mountain forests, Hilly Forests to mossy forests before reaching Karangis forest (Eucalyptus). From the mossy forests you will witness an array of Pitcher Plants (Nepenthes species) for you to view. Maliau Basin is home to all 6 species of Pitcher Plants inclusive of the Hybrid species Stenophylla (red and brown splotchy). The Veitchii Nepenthes is only found in Maliau.

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Check Out: Maliau Basin Excursions

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Pitcher Plants - Nature’s carnivorous cups

INTRIGUING are the pitchers – also known monkey cups — for they come in various shapes, sizes and colours.

Some are already quite mature — always jug-shaped. Some are elongated with a narrow neck-like amphoras while others are short or squat like mini tubs or cylindrical.

There are also different colours — from green to pink to the occasional red splotched pitchers.

Arguably, the most glorious and spectacular genus of carnivorous plants, these are the Nepenthes that fit so many of our stereotypical visions of what a carnivorous plant should be.

If you don’t believe me, come to the Pitcher Garden at Kota Padawan which showcases 55 species and sub-species of Nepenthes from steamy jungles in Sarawak.

These plants normally form enormous vines that clamber up to the trees or posts, and their carnivorous traps, as you can see at the garden, are great hungry-looking maws that look seemingly carnivorous.

And if you happen to drop by at the garden, you don’t need to understand the technical details of this plant to know it’s dangerous to animals.

In the jungle, most pitcher plants grow as lianas, and some can climb more than 10 metres up the trees. The tendrils of their leaves help them hold on to trees and bushes as support.

Some grow epiphytic while others usually stay as rosettes on the ground.

However, in the park at Kota Padawan, managed by Padawan Muncipal Council, the plants grow to the poles either in well-drained pots or on the ground.

During a recent visit to the garden, I was given to understand that pitcher plants usually produce two morphological, and sometimes, even ecological different types of pitchers.

Winged pitcher wall

This could be seen especially in the old plants that have lower or ground pitchers with their mouths looking towards the tendrils, and they have ‘wings’ on the pitcher wall.

I was told by the park officer, Stephen Lim, that when the plants begin to climb, they start producing upper or aerial pitchers.

Often, these two pitcher types look completely different, yet they may be hard to recognise since they come from the same plant.

This is true — as I was shown the upper and the aerial pitcher of the N bicalcarata which is obviously different in shape. However, we can tell they are from the same N bicalcarata species by the existence of the two thorns below the lid of the pitcher.

Lower pitchers are attached to the leaf with the site opposite to the lid and generally present in the lower part of the plant.

They are usually larger, especially basally, than the upper pitchers. It is believed that lower pitchers can even become very large when resting on the soil.

Upper pitchers are more slender and attached to the leaf with the side that carries the lid. These are always in the upper part of the plant.

The leaf morphology of Nepenthes is also among the strangest found in the kingdom of plants.

The pitcher is actually the lamina or leaf spade while the tendril is the stalk. What looks like the leaf is an extremely enlarged leaf base —the part of the stalk next to the stem.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Pitcher Plants - Nature’s carnivorous cups

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What will climate change mean for Borneo’s carnivorous pitcher-plants?

• Pitcher-plants of the genus Nepenthes are tropical carnivorous plants that trap and digest insects.
• Some of Borneo's pitcher plants inhabit a broad altitudinal range in its mountainous forests, while others are limited to a narrow band.
• Models indicate that one of these narrow-band species will go extinct by 2050 if current warming trends continue.

Nepenthes, or tropical pitcher plants, are a genus of carnivorous plants well known for their intricate and beautiful pitcher-shaped leaves that trap and digest insects. The genus is comprised of approximately 150 species, most of which are endemic to the Old World Tropics.

The greatest diversity of Nepenthes are found in Borneo, Sumatra and the Philippines. Plants within the Nepenthes genus grow within a broad altitude range from sea level to 3,400 meters (11,100 feet). But some species are restricted to narrower ranges, and may face extinction in a warming world.

At 140 million years old, the Borneo rainforest is one of the oldest rainforests in the world. Approximately 15,000 species of flowering plants and 3,000 tree species comingle and compete for space in this dense plant community.

The Borneo rainforest is also home to various indigenous peoples, a treasure trove of medicinal plants, and a rich collection of carnivorous plants. Carnivorous plants can be found throughout Borneo but one especially accessible area to visit tropical pitcher plants is in Bako National Park.

Bako National Park is the oldest National Park in the Sarawak region of Malaysian Borneo. The park is close enough to the city of Sarawak to visit in one day. Once in the park, hikers can explore the intertidal zone of the South China Sea and trek into steep regions of montane forest in the same day. Wildlife is abundant.

One particular trail, the Lintang Trail, leads hikers along mangrove boardwalks near the Park headquarters and up a steep sandstone escarpment. Hikers eventually reach a plateau area that is part keranga, or dry heath forest, and part bare sandstone rock. It doesn’t take a well-trained botanist to spot abundant tropical pitcher plants while hiking around the Lintang trail. 

Nepenthes are everywhere along the trail and appear quite healthy. Multiple Nepenthes species thrive in Bako National Park, but one species, Raffles’ pitcher-plant (N. rafflesiana), is particularly well represented along this trail.

Raffles’ pitcher-plants grow happily in various microenvironments: peat swamp forests, heath forests, cliffsides and keranga forest. Furthermore, this species lives within a broad altitude range, and is found at sea level all the way up to 1,500 meters (5,000 feet).

Thanks in part to its flexible altitude range, this Nepenthes species enjoys healthy population numbers and is currently listed as a Least Concern species on the IUCN list of endangered species.

Now, let’s compare this scenario with another tropical pitcher plant living in Borneo, the large-leaved pitcher-plant, (Nepenthes macrophylla). Unlike Raffle’s pitcher plant, this species can tolerate only a narrow range in altitude, growing exclusively on mossy ridges along Mount Trusmadi between 2,000 and 2,600 meters (6,500 and 8,200 feet) (Clarke, 1997.) Mount Trusmadi is located in Sabah, the eastern region of Borneo.

The peak of Mount Trusmadi sits at 2642 meters (8667 feet), so the narrow altitude range of the large-leaved pitcher-plant extends almost up to the summit. Due in part to this restrictive geographic range, the population of this Nepenthes species is in a precarious situation, and is currently listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN list.

Okay, so what are the most probable fates of these two different Nepenthes species in the next 100 years as the world warms? Would populations of large-leaved and Raffles’ pitcher-plants be impacted by the predicted rise in global temperatures?

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: What will climate change mean for Borneo’s carnivorous pitcher-plants?

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Talk on fascinating pitcher plants found in Borneo

KUCHING: Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) will kick off its public awareness campaign for 2016 with a tea-time talk on “Nepenthes of Borneo: Fascinating Pitchers and Discoveries” on Jan 16.

The talk will focus on fascinating pitcher plants or Nepenthes found in Borneo, newly discovered species, as well as the interesting stories behind the ability of these amazing plants to adapt to their environment.

“These unusual shaped plants, long been thought to be carnivorous, have a huge following of fans – both avid collectors and researchers.

Recent studies have also shown that some pitcher plants have adapted to other means of acquiring food, including through synergistic relationships with mammals,” it was said in a press release.

The speaker, Ch’ien Lee is no stranger to Sarawak and has made numerous contributions to publications on Nepenthes, having traveled widely in the region to document the species.

Continue reading at: Talk on fascinating pitcher plants found in Borneo

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Pitcher plant – unique and interesting

IF you’re caught out in the jungle without a shelter, building one from natural materials around you can help keep you dry and safe, especially when you have spend the night out in the wilderness.

You can use whatever resources Nature provides, but after getting the necessary raw materials – wood or bamboo — you may be left without nails.

Don’t fret. Just look for pitcher plants (nepenthes) and once you’ve found them, your problem is solved. The plants’ lianas or woody veins are the best alternative for nails to build huts or shelters with in the jungle. The lianas can also be used as ropes to bind wood or bamboo, and if kept dry, can last up to a year or longer.

Moreover, the pitchers can double as pots, commonly used to boil rice or tapioca. Normally, flour from these two staples is filled in the pitcher and pinned with a tiny wood, the size of a toothpick. The pitcher is then boiled together with water in the pot for several minutes until the rice or tapioca is cooked.

Carnivorous plant

The pitcher plant has generated a lot of interests among naturalists because of its uniqueness. It’s a species of plant that eats insects.

Also called carnivorous plant, it is found in nutrient-poor soil but still thrives because it obtains nutrition from insects it catches.

Carnivorous plants are predatory flowering plants that kill animals in order to derive nutrition from their victims. They eat things like insects, spiders, crustaceans and other small soil and water-living invertebrates and protozoans, lizards, mice, rats, and other small vertebrates.

A report in sciencedaily.com says pitcher plants rely on insects as a source of nutrients, enabling them to colonise nutrient-poor habitats where other plants struggle to grow.

Prey is captured in specialised pitcher-shaped leaves with slippery surfaces on the upper rim and inner wall, and drowned in the digestive fluid at the bottom.

If an insect tries to walk on the wet surface, its adhesive pads are prevented from making contact, causing it to slip on the water layer.

New research has found that during heavy rain, the lid of nepenthes, especially the gracilis pitcher, acts like a springboard, catapulting insects, seeking shelter on its underside, directly into the fluid-filled pitcher.

Eve’s cup and others

The pitcher plant is also known by many as Eve’s cup, fly-catcher, flytrap, huntsman’s cup, smallpox plant and water-cup, and is found in abundance in Sarawak.

One need not go to the jungle for a first-hand look at the plant as it can be found at Padawan Pitcher Plant & Orchid Garden at the 10th Mile Bazaar.

The Garden showcases lowland pitcher plants from around Borneo and protected plants in Sarawak. It now has about 30 species — from climbers N albomorginata (Kuching spotted) to non-climbers N ampullaria (Bau green).

Padawan Muncipal Council (MPP) agriculture officer Willie Ngelai, who heads the Landscape Division, said their pitcher plants were collected from the jungles in various parts of the state.

He said N albomorginata are found in the lowland and have narrow felted leaves and stems. This species has large quantities of slender pitchers with a conspicuous chalky-white collar below the peristome. Its colour varies from pale green to deep red, depending on the type. It consumes insects and termites.

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Bats in Borneo roost in carnivorous pitcher plants

Bats in Borneo have been found roosting in carnivorous pitcher plants.

A new study reveals that the plants benefit from nutrients in the bats' droppings.

This unusual living arrangement is apparently beneficial for the bats too as they can shelter unseen inside the plants' pitchers.

Although tree shrews have also been observed using pitcher plants as toilets, this is the first time mammals have been found living inside them.

Nepenthes carnivorous pitcher plants grow in nutrient-poor soil and rely on trapping insects to acquire enough nitrogen for growth.

Found in the peat swamps and heath forest of Borneo, N. rafflesiana elongata are remarkable for their long aerial pitchers.

However, research has previously suggested that N. r. elongata catch up to seven times less insects than other pitcher plants in Borneo.

In a new study, published in the journal Biology Letters, scientists found that the unique subspecies had a extraordinary relationship with mammals.

Dr Ulmar Grafe and his team investigated how the plants supplemented their nitrogen intake and were surprised to find woolly bats inside the pitchers.

"It was totally unexpected to find bats roosting in the pitchers consistently," says Dr Grafe.

The small Hardwicke's woolly bats (Kerivoula hardwickii) were found roosting above the digestive fluids in the plants' pitchers.

Rather than consuming the whole bat for extra nitrogen, Dr Grafe found that the plants gained from the bats' waste.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Bats in Borneo roost in carnivorous pitcher plants

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Borneo carnivorous plants employ services of bodyguard ants

Carnivorous plants can have valuable allies in ants, benefiting from their feces and janitor, bodyguard and cutthroat services, researchers say.

The carnivorous pitcher plant Nepenthes bicalcarata dwells in the nutrient-poor peat swamp forests of Borneo. It is not a very effective carnivore by itself — its pitcher-shaped leaves lack the slippery walls and viscous, elastic and strongly corrosive fluid that make those of its relatives such effective deathtraps.

However, N. bicalcarata does apparently have unusual support on its side — the ant Camponotus schmitzi. The carnivorous plant has swollen tendrils at the base of each pitcher that serve as homes for the insects, and a food source in the form of nectar secreted on the pitcher rims.

In return, the ants apparently provide a host of services for the pitcher plants. They clean the pitcher mouth to keep it slippery enough to help catch prey. They attack weevils that would otherwise munch on the plant. They cart off the remains of large prey from the pitchers that would otherwise rot. They lie in ambush under pitcher rims and systematically attack any of the plant's prey that attempt to escape the traps. And their droppings fertilize the plants. [Amazing Photos of Carnivorous Plants]

Still, while it seemed that both pitcher plants and ants benefited from this alliance, investigators lacked hard evidence. It could be the case that only the ants profited.

Now scientists have compared both ant-inhabited and uninhabited plants, finding those with ants fared much better than ones without.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Borneo carnivorous plants employ services of bodyguard ants

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Borneo: Small wonders at every step

It's the little things that really matter in Borneo's lush, exotic and life-giving rainforests

When naturalist Mark Watson pursed his lips and pretended to kiss a beautiful - but carnivorous - pitcher plant, I could almost understand how he felt.

Pitcher plants, which lure insects with the promise of sweet nectar and then devour them, are certainly ... intriguing ... and the elegant red plant he was puckering up to was a particularly attractive one.

But perhaps more importantly, they're typical of the rich diversity of plant, fungus and insect life which makes a walk through the Borneo jungle such a fascinating experience.

The animals may be the stars of the show - the woop woops of gibbons from the treetops or signs of rooting by bearded pigs in the forest floor are always exciting - but, unless you're lucky, you probably won't see them.

What you will see, if you look carefully, are massive strangler figs looking poised to walk on their roots like Ents from The Lord of the Rings, or prettily patterned fungi creating works of art amid the leaf mould, or delicate orchids blooming colourfully in the gloom created by the thick canopy of leaves, or great armies of ants on the march along fallen branches.

During a cruise around Borneo on the expedition ship Orion II, we had the chance to explore several jungle national parks, all different and all fascinating.

At Tanjung Datu National Park, for instance, four of us wandered slowly along the Pasir Antu Laut Trail, managing to make its 2.7km last about 3.5 hours, pausing every few metres to admire some ornamental bracket fungus, a particularly twisty liana, a tall, thin tree supported by a massive set of buttress roots, or a butterfly with elegant black and white patterns on its wings.

There were certainly animals around. From time to time we heard monkey calls and the birdsong was superb. At one point I heard the beating of heavy wings overhead and caught a glimpse of the massive black shape of a hornbill. On another occasion I spied a small, dark brown squirrel poised unmoving on a branch above the path.

There were plenty of signs of pigs rooting and a group on another trail actually saw "a particularly ugly" Borneo bearded pig.

Down on the beach, which served as our return pathway, three sets of tracks showed where green turtles had come ashore to lay eggs during the night (the park staff dig the eggs up and rebury them in safe enclosures). In a cave at one end of the bay, dozens of tomb bats swooped around us while we explored its recesses.

But it was just as interesting to watch a route march of thousands of large, brown, ant-like creatures carrying white eggs - our guides later had an argument about whether they were termites or ants - a bright orange fungus glowing in the gloom, a magnificent yellow and black butterfly floating just under the leaf canopy, or one remaining flower from the night-blooming putat tree, whose glorious pink and white blossom produces a poison used to kill fish.

On the island of Pulau Tiga, we found the same incredible biodiversity ... plus mud. That was partly because of the heavy rain that fell as we landed from our zodiac, making the jungle track a bit slushy. But it was also because the island was formed by a volcanic eruption as recently as 1897 and there's still a sort of mud volcano in the jungle where crazy people like me can have a soak.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Borneo: Small wonders at every step
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Small mammals use Borneo pitcher plant as toilet in exchange for nectar

Tree shrews and nocturnal rats in the forests of Borneo have a unique relationship with carnivorous pitcher plants. The mammals defecate, and the pitchers are happy to receive.

A study published on May 31 in the Journal of Tropical Ecology shows a species of giant mountain pitcher plants (Nepenthes rajah) supplements its diet with nitrogen from the feces of tree shrews (Tupaia montana) that forage in daylight and summit rats (Rattus baluensis) active at night. When the small mammals lick nectar from the underside of the pitcher’s lid, they stand directly over the jug-shaped pitcher organ.

The pitchers grow in nutrient-poor, acidic soils and require a supplemental source of nitrogen. Carnivorous plants usually digest bugs, grabbing nitrogen from protein. The Bornean pitchers consume nitrogen-rich feces.

Researchers have already documented tree shrews using two species of Nepenthes pitcher plants as toilets. A third species provides daytime roosts for Hardwicke’s woolly bats in exchange for guano.

However, this is the first instance of a carnivorous plant interacting with two different mammal species, and the first attempt to measure how the plants attract the dining and defecating animals.

“The fact that one of the mammals visits the pitchers during the day and the other one visits during the night indicates that this plant is involved in one of these mutualistic interactions around the clock, which is quite interesting,” said Charles Clarke, an ecologist at Monash University, Malaysia campus, who published a similar study at the same time, in an interview with mongabay.com.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Small mammals use Borneo pitcher plant as toilet in exchange for nectar

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Free talk on Sarawak’s pitcher plants Sept 30

KUCHING: Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) will be organising a talk on pitcher plants entitled ‘Nepenthes of Sarawak’ on Sept 30.

The talk will be held at SBC’s lecture theatre, KM20, Jalan Borneo Heights, Semengoh, Kuching by Ch’ien C. Lee, a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz who has spent over 17 years studying pitcher plants.

Ch’ien is also a known wildlife photographer who believes that photography is an excellent method for conveying ideas andsharing experiences. Ch’ien has co-authored and contributed to several books including ‘A Pocket Guide to Pitcher Plants of Sarawak’ and ‘Pitcher Plants of Borneo (2nd edition)’.

He has also published works on several new species of Nepenthes, their biodiversity, ecological relationships, conservation and artificial propagation.

Ch’ien’s talk will focus on the diversity of pitcher plants or Nepenthes found in Sarawak and feature his beautiful photography of these interesting carnivorous plants.

To date, 25 species of Nepenthes have been described in Sarawak, of which seven are endemic to the state. In recent years, four new species have been described from collections made in the highlands of central and northern Sarawak.

Continue reading at: Free talk on Sarawak’s pitcher plants Sept 30

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Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre: Come and smell the flowers

HERE’S a bit of advice for those planning to visit the Orang Utan Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, 13 miles out of Kuching. Don’t just go ape – stop and smell the flowers by the wayside!

The flowers in question grow in the Pitcher Plant And Wild Orchid Garden, at 10th mile. No traveller bound for Semenggoh or Benuk can miss it — it’s by the old bazaar at the end of the railway line of pious memory. The main road, bound for Sibu and Miri, turns to the east here, but orchids, apes and highlands lie due south, on a well maintained country road.

Pitchers Or Flowers?

In case a serious naturalist reads this – the title is misleading. The vast majority of Sarawak’s 2,500-odd orchids don’t smell, and the pretty vessels dangling from the pitcher plants aren’t flowers. Check up on the facts at the Pitcher and Wild Orchid Garden, carefully laid out under huge trees that provide cool shade even at midday, and enjoy the visit!

Visitors pay a modest fee to enter the quiet world of pitchers. The genus Nepenthes is represented here with over two dozen species, some of them indigenous to Borneo. It’s a plant that grows on poor, sandy soils, often seen by the roadside or on abandoned agricultural clearings.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre: Come and smell the flowers

Call to protect, conserve Sarawak's pitcher plants

KUCHING: According to Research Manager of Sarawak Forestry Corporation at Forest Research Centre, Julaihi Abdullah, pitcher plants or nepenthes must be protected and conserved.

He said that this would be his working paper presentation with another Sarawak Forestry Corporation researcher, Bibian Michael Diway at the coming 15th Malaysia Forestry Conference to be held here from October 20 to 24.

He said that the reason was that the floriculture industry in Malaysia has grown by leaps and bounds. Many species of plants including orchids and pitcher plants of Sarawak are in high demand from plant lovers in the world.

He added that as a result of the surge in interest from overseas and locals in the past decade, the demand for pitcher plants has become so great that some species in the wild are now in grave danger of extinction.

“The major threats to wild pitcher plants are their removal by collectors and habitat destruction. As such these plants need to be conserved urgently,” he stressed.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Call to protect, conserve Sarawak's pitcher plants