Raub Pahang

I was glad that i've been invited yet again to do some preliminary survey for an area in Raub, Pahang by USM.

On 29th April, we arrived at Raub using PLUS highway and cut across Tapah-Ringlet,Cameron Highland (would actually be closer using Simpang Pulai). Although the road from Cameron Highland to Raub still ungazetted, it seems to be in quite a good condition except for a slight landslide at Pos Betau after Ringlet. With improper signage, we miss the junction going up to Ringlet on our way back to Penang. The junction that should be taken is a left turn to Pos Betau just after Felda Sungai Koyan.

 Back to the survey, the forest that we suppose to explore this time is in between Tersang Forest Reserve and Batu Talam Forest Reserve. We were told that the logging road is inaccessible by normal car, only 4WD.

So we decided to go for a herping at a nearby recreational forest called Lata Jarum, Ulu Dong, Raub. Here are some of the herps found, not many and mostly are the usual suspects.

 Lrut Torrent Frog, Amolops larutensis

 A huge female Poisonous Rock Frog, Odorrana hosii

 Four clawed Gecko, Gehyra mutilata. You can see that its fifth right hand finger is barely visible and if you observe closely,it has no claw as others do.

A calling male Dark sided chorus frog, Microhyla heymonsi

 A spotted House Gecko, Gekko monarchus


A bird sleeping on a ginger tree, could be an olive winged bulbul.

The next day, we were brought into the first site for the clone rubber project (actually one side of it). The forest consist of mainly bamboos and banana tree. Nothing much to see and we didn't even set up our trap here. We hope on the next day, we'll get to see a more suitable place by entering the area from another side. Anyway, there were a fruiting tree, identified as 'Pokok Kedondong Kerantai Licin', Canarium sp. In total there were about 21 species of birds sighted i the area, here are some of them,

 Black Headed Bulbul

 Blue eared Kingfisher...i'm stil considering on the id. Thoughts anyone? (conform id given by Dave Bakewell)

Grey Breasted Spiderhunter (corrected id as pointed by Dave Bakewell, Thanks)

 Red eyed Bulbul

 Streaked Bulbul

A juvenile, yellow eared spiderhunter i supposed...nope, Dave Bakewell pointed out that this is a juvenile Little Spiderhunter.

 A mother Southern Jungle Crow with a young. The photo below showing there's two young birds around..

On the third day we went into the plot using another entrance, its a logged forest but wisely logged. The birds diversity is still quite high, around 53 species. It has some good herpetofauna too. Here are some of them,

 The steep road going uphill.

 Rhacophorus nigropalmatus, laying eggs

 Rhacophorus appendiculatus, my lifer...

 Kalophrynus pleurostigma, my lifer too

 Hylarana nicobariensis, yet another lifer!

 Glyschropus tylophus

 Macroglossus sobrinus

 Murina muricola

Rhinolophus affinis

That's all folks. Thanks for reading.