Danum at Dawn

Wed, 19 Mar 2003 12:31:23 -0000 (Asia/Kuching)

I have just returned from a 5 night stay at Danum Valley. It is a breathtakingly beautiful place. It is primary rain forest, as all of Borneo once was and as so little is today. Trees stretch halfway to the sky before unfurling their leaves. The forest echos with the voices several species of horn bill, great argus, and a multitude of smaller birds. Gibbons sing, monkeys crash through the trees. Mouse deer scurry along the forest floor.

It is, however, not an easy place to see these creatures. Most are only active in the early morning when the air is cooler and light is dim. Even then, branches block the view most of the time.

On the first day, the light was already growing dim when I arrived and I had no map on the trails. On the second day, I acquired a map but didn't set out until after 9:00am. I learned that the self guided nature trail is quite worthless most of the time and surmised that it might be worthless all the time.

On the second day, I set off just before dawn on a 3 hour trek to the end of Tembaling trail. It was probably my only good day. Barely more than a third of the way out, and about 6:30am, I saw something resembling a palm civet on the trail. I brought the camera out and managed to get off one frame. It was then I realized that I should have turned the flash on. Very slow shutter. The result is likely a hopeless blur. I never managed a second frame. There were noises left and right. Moments later, I saw a mouse deer. Gone before I could even point the camera. Half an hour later, saw what I first thought was a cat with a spotted tail. But to be that big, it would have to be a clouded leopard ad it just didn't look right. It turned out to be a great argus: a pheasant that routinely reaches 5 feet in the length. Gone before I could frame and focus in the low light. Some time later, I saw red leaf monkeys in the trees. 'Couldn't get a good view I wasn't worried. Red leaf monkeys were known to come into the camp. Around 8:30, large, dark, raptor moved between two perches and then flew away. About 9:30am, on the way back from the falls, a bearded pig crashed through the woods apparently frightened out of its mind. For the last two hours, I saw absolutely nothing.

Next morning, just before dawn, I went out on the West trail. It had rained the night before and the leaches were out in force. Two encounters with gibbons. The first might have netted one photo but 3 leaches chose that moment to strike. When I had dispatched the leaches, I looked back and the gibbons were gone. On the second encounter, I could only make out that they were gibbons by noting the way they moved.

On the third day, more gibbons on an alternately route to the falls. No photo op. Nothing else seen.

This morning, I went out an abbreviated hike before leaving for Lahad Datu. More gibbons, seen very briefly very high in the canopy.

Final score: landscape, several photos of snakes, birds,and frogs, a handful of decent but not spectacular shots of a giant squirrel that wandered into camp on the third day. I never even captured the red leaf monkeys on film. I thought about staying longer but, frankly, I think it would take weeks to extract what Danum has to offer. And I just don’t have it. Right before I left for Danum, I changed my return flight to the 28th of May. That is as much rope as United will give me and I do plan to go beyond Borneo.

Tomorrow, I am off to Tabin Wildlife Reserve. It's my last stop in Malaysian Borneo. At RM 660 for the first 2 nights and RM 80 for each additional, it rather heineously expensive by Asian standards though still cheaper than Sipadan. I will be annoyed if I don't at least get a photo of a red leaf monkey.