Into the deep of Bornean Jungle

naturalist · Dec 6, 2012

Tried to post it few weeks ago, but unfortunately internet connection in my place was not support me at all.
Last month trip, hope that not out of date then.

We went to the deep of the Bornean jungle. The heart of Borneo.
We use two different ways, quickest and longest time.
Various of transportation being used for this trip, and its (for me) only a very short trip.
I can't leave my chair too long...
Pictures came from my cellphone, we have our official documentation use better camera and talented person who took beautiful pictures.
I just want to share the moment that i had with our forumites BF.

Where we were going is...

There are three red circles, we are going to north.
Night at 30th of October: the blades
Pisau:

F1, my trusted companion

My spyderco bushcraft factory second, rehandle by Ben Orford, use English Elm

All packed

Refueling the bird at Palangka Raya Airport (Tjilik Riwut Airport), a 20 passengers bird.
We put 8 big cages for the animal only remaining 6 seats for people.

The pilots

Day 2nd. At the very north district of Central Borneo, a place called Puruk Cahu, the capital of Murung Raya District

View from the helicopter

Our camp

The canopy connected

Try to catch the mist above the water

Headed to north

To be continued... soon

camoninja · Dec 6, 2012

Beautiful pictures. Thanks.

naturalist · Dec 6, 2012

The heli coming with cages

To another point of release

Fern on tree's buttress

Rotten standing stump

Rock

Small herb on the forest floor

Mushroom on the forest floor

Back to the camp

Will continue

naturalist · Dec 6, 2012

2nd of Nov
Early morning a couple of Dayak, the Borneo native came to offer their fishing. Near to her feet, fresh harvested rattan and betel nut/Areca nut. May of people in remote area keep to chew areca nut and piper leaves (or piper flower), calcium and tobacco. Produce blood likes color saliva.. Maintain your teeth in a good condition, even though the color of teeth will be dark even black.
A kind of carp

Around 10kg

Member of eugenia, Syzigium polianthum. Eaten by birds, monkeys, apes (greater and lesser) also the fish above.
Edible fruit. Indonesian called salam, an bay leaves (different with Indian Bay Leaves). Used into many Indonesian recipes.

Broken, many of it dropped into the water

More pics will come

sasha · Dec 6, 2012

Great trip report... keep posting and tell us more about the trip...

lambertiana · Dec 6, 2012

Thanks for posting these. It's an interesting place, and I doubt I will ever get to see it in person.

WILLIAM.M · Dec 6, 2012

Thanks for posting

Looking forward to more of your excellent photos

JayGoliath · Dec 8, 2012

Nice pics. What animals exactly to be fit into the cages?

RDog · Dec 8, 2012

One of the places I have dreamed of visiting all my life. please tell us more about it.

Cavalry_Scout · Dec 8, 2012

Your pictures make my heart heavy. I grew up in Duri..

coaldigger · Dec 9, 2012

Awsome pics !

nevermind35 · Dec 9, 2012

Sounds like an amazing adventure. Something that id love to do! Thanks for sharing.

bladerique · Dec 10, 2012

Awesome, thanks!

diced · Dec 11, 2012

Awesome adventure, what kinds of animals were being released? I spend a good deal of time in the woods but can't really even imagine being that far from civilization. It must be a really unique experience being that far into the jungle and being self reliant. how do you handle the insects? Natural indigenous plants or just deal with the small biting critters.. Thanks for the post!

naturalist · Dec 18, 2012

JayGoliath said:
Nice pics. What animals exactly to be fit into the cages?

We releasing orangutans..
The orangutans had been kept by people for years.
So we trained them to be a real orangutan, since after years with human they thought that they are human..
So sorry for belated reply.. internet connection was really bad here

naturalist · Dec 18, 2012

diced said:
Awesome adventure, what kinds of animals were being released? I spend a good deal of time in the woods but can't really even imagine being that far from civilization. It must be a really unique experience being that far into the jungle and being self reliant. how do you handle the insects? Natural indigenous plants or just deal with the small biting critters.. Thanks for the post!

RDog said:
One of the places I have dreamed of visiting all my life. please tell us more about it.

In the past i spent years in the middle of the forest as biologist.
At the moment, after having a family, i spend less time in a real jungle.
My neighborhood is in woods. We still able to hear gibbons singing.
My office just the edge of our forest school, a forest to train the orangutans to be an orangutan (base on our version LoL

). But at least we give them lessons to make them able to survive.
In that forest school, which is natural forest, you will able to see wild orangutans, red leaf monkey, several species of hornbill, two species of macaques, gibbons and proboscis monkey.
Insects, mostly mosquitoes, the district where we release the orangutans on 2011 had record about 6 out of 1000 people infected by malaria. Means it on red color. The local government at province level appointed us as member of malaria eradication team, to achieve Central Kalimantan free from malaria on 2018. It is because of we with our partner have a research on malaria in primates (including people). Also, we have community development team which work together with the government on real work to reduce the malaria, we went to remote area to give villager mosquito nets, campaign etc.
Other insects that we have to deal are; no see-um, wasps and bees. When i work as biologist my supervisor who are Americans, brought me insect repellent, it has green cap. I am forgot the brand, it has been about 10 years ago. Its worked.
Now, i love to use local insect repellent, lemongrass oil. I have been worked for two leading Americans Conservation NGOs in the past, The Wildlife Conservation Society (about 7 years) and The Nature Conservancy (1.5 years) but then i decided to look for a greater challenges, work for local NGO which always lack of funding. Now, managing 200 staffs, after 4 releases in total 44 orangutans we have 587 orangutans left in our center. More than 1200 orangutans on our hands since this rehabilitation center established on 1999, independent/mature orangutan from conflict areas such as a newly opened forest translocated directly to a good forest.
After years working in the forest, i do not pay attention too much to insects and lichees, got two times of malaria from two plasmodiums (Vivax and Falcifarum). I got vivax in Sumatra and Falcifarum in Papua. Last infection was 2002, i learn that to avoid malaria just be fit. Its already in your body if you live in place where malaria exist, keep your fitness, it will avoid you from malaria.

Cavalry_Scout said:
Your pictures make my heart heavy. I grew up in Duri..

Duri in Jakarta?

naturalist · Dec 18, 2012

WILLIAM.M said:
Thanks for posting

Looking forward to more of your excellent photos

Alright my friend here is,

Start to go to the release point in our second day or release, the last orangutans for this batch of release.

A floating hut, the locals usually look for edible swiftlet nest, eagle wood, fishing and hunting. Awareness program already one and we still working with the villagers. Our Community Development team try to make them busy in the village with mushroom farming (oyster mushroom), etc..

Has been years in the river, a dipterocarp, Shore longifolia, locals called Kacuhui tree. Good quality but too hard to process and the useful timber only short just about 2-3 meters since its grow irregularly

Flower of small tree

My lunch

Mushrooms and fungi

Termite

A young birdnest fern

Catfish, caught by local

More pics later
Oh.. hang on, The Canadians might be missed this lovely dinner http://www.trurodaily.com/News/Local/2012-12-16/article-3141400/Heating-up-the-cold/1
Young people try to help us

naturalist · Dec 18, 2012

Insects, mostly moths

Mantises

Yesterday i got a satellite phone calls from the forest, a very good news. And it's now up dated in this link
http://goingback2dforest.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/breaking-news-congratulations-new-mum-astrid/

Cavalry_Scout · Dec 18, 2012

naturalist said:
In the past i spent years in the middle of the forest as biologist.
At the moment, after having a family, i spend less time in a real jungle.
My neighborhood is in woods. We still able to hear gibbons singing.
My office just the edge of our forest school, a forest to train the orangutans to be an orangutan (base on our version LoL ). But at least we give them lessons to make them able to survive.
In that forest school, which is natural forest, you will able to see wild orangutans, red leaf monkey, several species of hornbill, two species of macaques, gibbons and proboscis monkey.
Insects, mostly mosquitoes, the district where we release the orangutans on 2011 had record about 6 out of 1000 people infected by malaria. Means it on red color. The local government at province level appointed us as member of malaria eradication team, to achieve Central Kalimantan free from malaria on 2018. It is because of we with our partner have a research on malaria in primates (including people). Also, we have community development team which work together with the government on real work to reduce the malaria, we went to remote area to give villager mosquito nets, campaign etc.
Other insects that we have to deal are; no see-um, wasps and bees. When i work as biologist my supervisor who are Americans, brought me insect repellent, it has green cap. I am forgot the brand, it has been about 10 years ago. Its worked.
Now, i love to use local insect repellent, lemongrass oil. I have been worked for two leading Americans Conservation NGOs in the past, The Wildlife Conservation Society (about 7 years) and The Nature Conservancy (1.5 years) but then i decided to look for a greater challenges, work for local NGO which always lack of funding. Now, managing 200 staffs, after 4 releases in total 44 orangutans we have 587 orangutans left in our center. More than 1200 orangutans on our hands since this rehabilitation center established on 1999, independent/mature orangutan from conflict areas such as a newly opened forest translocated directly to a good forest.
After years working in the forest, i do not pay attention too much to insects and lichees, got two times of malaria from two plasmodiums (Vivax and Falcifarum). I got vivax in Sumatra and Falcifarum in Papua. Last infection was 2002, i learn that to avoid malaria just be fit. Its already in your body if you live in place where malaria exist, keep your fitness, it will avoid you from malaria.

Duri in Jakarta?

Sumatra

coote · Dec 19, 2012

Very interesting. It is good to see pictures like this. Thanks very much for posting. Best wishes from New Zealand.