AMAN DORIS
TINGSAN MAMOO
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Sunny Bears
So feel I should fill you all in a bit more on the animals at the centre other than the wonderful orang-utans. Next in line for me are the Sun Bears - sadly there are only about 10,000 bears remaining in the world which makes them a hell of a lot more vulnerable even than the orang-utans. I'd never even heard of a Sun Bear before I arrived here, however am now a convert! There has been no major studies compiled about the bears which makes their rehabilitation all the more difficult, adding to this they don't breed very successfully which obviously isn't helping their numbers grow.
So the Sun Bears are fairly small and very cute - they have a dog likeness to them (albeit with 3 inch killer claws) and are brilliant climbers. One of my jobs here is to monitor the bears - there are two large enclosures each containing 4 bears - the 'hill bears' that are Gummi Bear (he has no teeth, either rotted or were pulled out before he arrived at Matang), Heather, Gabbi, and Wong - and the 'quarantine bears' who aren't actually in quarantine but the names stuck that are Bernie, Corrine, Situ, and Jo. Monitoring involves recording what the bears do every 2 minutes, half an hour for each bear - this may sound easy but keeping your eye on them when they go afar can be rather difficult. This research is probably the only of it's type happening in the world so feels pretty special to be involved with it.
A funny observation occurred while watching the quarantine bears. Every morning a coconut is hoisted 12 metres up one of the trees in the enclosure, Sun Bears in the wild are natural climbers and spend the majority of their time including sleeping time in the trees. Now all 4 bears can climb however Situ is leaps and bounds ahead of the others and can shimmy gracefully and expertly up the tree to get the coconut prize. Bernie, Jo, and Corrine can climb but not quite so elegantly or easily - saw old bear Bernie slide rather clumsily down a tree after attempting to reach a papaya fruit at about 3 metres. However Bernie is not stupid. I'm watching Situ descend down the tree with her prize and suddenly Bernie darts out of nowhere and is waiting at the bottom of the tree for Situ to come down. Just at this point my ipod shuffles onto Holsts Mars from the planets so have a perfect soundtrack for the upcoming war that is about to commence. At this time Corrine (fat bear) has also appeared at the base of the tree to welcome Situ. As she draws close on her descent she notices her greeting party and on landing tries
to manoeuvre past the other bears to feast alone on her coconut. Nope sorry Situ, you've done the hard work but Bernie strikes out and grabs the coconut and runs to a feeding platform to indulge himself. Poor Situ leaves the only male to consume her prize hanging closely in the background looking really sorry for herself and not daring to intervene. The bears are solitary animals so 'sharing' is not a word that exists to them. Have to put my hands up to Bernie though as although the worst climber he's learned the best trick of letting the others do the hard work and reaping the benefits - one clever bear!!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
The beast that is Aman
Dominant male numero uno is Aman. He is one utterly fabulous beast. He's probably my favourite orangutan....but only just as they are all beautiful. He is massive. Just to give you some perspective his hand can probably fit round a bowling ball.... He's 20 (so a bit young for me) and recently had an operation to remove cataracts from his eyes which made him almost completely blind - he's a new male. He's shed 30kg and is lots more mobile and a fan of the ladies too. Although if a female orangutan is put into his enclosure he would most likely beat her around, chase after her and generally abuse her...and then have his wicked way, nice guy eh....ha! It is unlikely that Aman will ever be released from captivity due to his age and the low chance of his survival in the rain forest. He would probably climb a tree straight off oblivious to the fact it can't support his weight and crash to his death. All the keepers at Matang are brilliant and the animals are at the heart of everything they do so Aman is in a good home.
Matang Life
This is my first Borneo blog, no Internet in the rain forest... Have been here for 10 days now and am well on way to becoming a jungle women. To be honest I think I had prepared myself for the worst and everything has exceeded my expectations. Accommodation is a good sized hut set on a road with 10 huts facing each other. There are 9 volunteers in total including me - 8 girls and 1 boy (lucky Will) and 3 of us each sharing a hut. Everyone from different backgrounds but a really good team. No hot water but had kind of got used to that after India....although the water is super cold here, been a good wake up call before head to work.
So Monday - Friday my day consists of the following.
8am - 10am: Animal Husbandry
No, I'm not marrying an orangutan every morning. We have to clean out the numerous night enclosures every day. Friday was particularly bad after drinking too much vodka and rice wine the evening prior. Hosing down slushy sun bear poo trying not to retch was pretty tough, made even worse by hitting my head on a belian wood bear platform (strongest wood in the forest). Ooof.
10am - noon: Sun Bear Monitoring/Enrichment/Construction
Any one of the above. Sun bear monitoring involves watching the sun bears. They are the smallest of the bear species and the most endangered, more so than the orangutan, and unfortunately the world knows little about them. Currently no one is studying the bear's behaviour so feels pretty special to be able to contribute to research.
Enrichment is basically providing entertainment for all the animals! Tis pretty fun really. Make food parcels that the animals have to work hard to open. Doris the orangutan was given a rubix cube although broke it straight away. She was gutted. Poor Doris. The orangutans have immense strength....I would probably be mauled if ended up in one of their enclosures - especially the beast that is Aman, the dominant male number 1.
Construction. So far have built a new python cage. You can imagine my delight in this job. When the snake was moved it was measured at 12 feet long....i was standing well clear! Still walk as far away as poss from the snake cages. Just keeping fingers crossed our construction work isn't shoddy and there's not a 12 foot python on the search for dinner.... It's sodding hard work though. 35 degree heats wearing boots and work wear, carrying planks of wood into the jungle, sawing, hammering.....
noon - 2pm: Lunch
Nice.
2pm - 5pm: Sun bear Monitoring/Enrichment/Construction
So far have really enjoying every minute, I've got plenty more to blog about the animals....
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Durian Fruit
Beware - stay well clear of this fruit.
During buffet dinner Mandy advises me to avoid eating anything with Durian in. It's a big fruit that grows in Asia and the Singapore people love it!! Deep fried in savoury dishes, in puddings, wherever in fact....
After dinner check out a kooky ice-cream parlour called Udders. Although I'm not about to buy any ice cream after 4 plates of food at dinner the smiley guy behind the counter is willing for us to sample his delicious ice cream.
He sells me into the Durian Deluxe ice cream - because of his beaming smile i couldn't say no.....
I have no idea what excrement of any sort tastes like but this stuff I would imagine would come close. I am retching. Quickly wash down with some Tiramisu ice cream (which is divine). Mandy finding hilarious. Sadly the durian repeats on me for the rest of the night.
Sample at your own risk - you have been warned.
During buffet dinner Mandy advises me to avoid eating anything with Durian in. It's a big fruit that grows in Asia and the Singapore people love it!! Deep fried in savoury dishes, in puddings, wherever in fact....
After dinner check out a kooky ice-cream parlour called Udders. Although I'm not about to buy any ice cream after 4 plates of food at dinner the smiley guy behind the counter is willing for us to sample his delicious ice cream.
He sells me into the Durian Deluxe ice cream - because of his beaming smile i couldn't say no.....
I have no idea what excrement of any sort tastes like but this stuff I would imagine would come close. I am retching. Quickly wash down with some Tiramisu ice cream (which is divine). Mandy finding hilarious. Sadly the durian repeats on me for the rest of the night.
Sample at your own risk - you have been warned.
Spic-and-Span
HUGE culture shock.
India equals chalk and Singapore equals cheese (and a fine one at that). I rock up in my India travelling garments which felt good and comfortable in when left Mumbai, with my Nike zooms on felt I gave my outfit a modern twist, but hello Singapore, hello developed world, hello me the traveller bum. Don't actually care but it's quite amazing how much these countries contrast.
Singapore is so clean and expensive to what I have been used to.
Hop in a taxi and arrive to a warm welcome from Mandy (little Sarah's mum). Her and her boyfriend George have lived in Singapore for a couple of years and are loving the relaxed and non-crazed life as well as the agreeable weather.
Now the food was good in India but actually Singapore is on par. Head out for dinner in one of the hundreds of hawker centres here. Super good food and super cheap prices. I'm in! Mandy takes me on a mini evening tour of Singapore, see Raffles Hotel (super colonial and gorgeous building) and look out on panoramic views of Singapore from the 70th floor of yet another nice hotel (can't remember name right now) - sip on a scrumptious blue cocktail while looking out at the neon lit night sky.
The next day I am on a mission to find a pair of boots for the jungle. Should be easy right in what is one of the shopping Mecca's of the world. Or maybe not. Rock up to the infamous Orchard Road which houses about 20 mega malls. Find it difficult to see a shop that's not Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton or some equally extravagant designer (and even Topshop, Gap, Zara). Finally find a sports shop hidden in the top corner of one of the malls so thankfully my only obligatory buy has been sorted...phew. Then can relax and check out Chinatown and Little India (of course I had to do this one).
For dinner Mandy takes me to one of the many buffet style restaurants here. Basically for $40 dollars you can eat as much as you like......food heaven. Oysters, Tiger Prawns, Sushi, Sashimi, Crocodile soup (possibility ate this by accident, thought it was chicken - hoping don't get any bad karma when with the crocodiles in the jungle....) and a further plethora of culinary delights. I have two full plates of mains and two of puddings. Fatso.
India equals chalk and Singapore equals cheese (and a fine one at that). I rock up in my India travelling garments which felt good and comfortable in when left Mumbai, with my Nike zooms on felt I gave my outfit a modern twist, but hello Singapore, hello developed world, hello me the traveller bum. Don't actually care but it's quite amazing how much these countries contrast.
Singapore is so clean and expensive to what I have been used to.
Hop in a taxi and arrive to a warm welcome from Mandy (little Sarah's mum). Her and her boyfriend George have lived in Singapore for a couple of years and are loving the relaxed and non-crazed life as well as the agreeable weather.
Now the food was good in India but actually Singapore is on par. Head out for dinner in one of the hundreds of hawker centres here. Super good food and super cheap prices. I'm in! Mandy takes me on a mini evening tour of Singapore, see Raffles Hotel (super colonial and gorgeous building) and look out on panoramic views of Singapore from the 70th floor of yet another nice hotel (can't remember name right now) - sip on a scrumptious blue cocktail while looking out at the neon lit night sky.
The next day I am on a mission to find a pair of boots for the jungle. Should be easy right in what is one of the shopping Mecca's of the world. Or maybe not. Rock up to the infamous Orchard Road which houses about 20 mega malls. Find it difficult to see a shop that's not Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton or some equally extravagant designer (and even Topshop, Gap, Zara). Finally find a sports shop hidden in the top corner of one of the malls so thankfully my only obligatory buy has been sorted...phew. Then can relax and check out Chinatown and Little India (of course I had to do this one).
For dinner Mandy takes me to one of the many buffet style restaurants here. Basically for $40 dollars you can eat as much as you like......food heaven. Oysters, Tiger Prawns, Sushi, Sashimi, Crocodile soup (possibility ate this by accident, thought it was chicken - hoping don't get any bad karma when with the crocodiles in the jungle....) and a further plethora of culinary delights. I have two full plates of mains and two of puddings. Fatso.
Goodbye India
I am back to Mumbai to get my flight to Singapore via Bangkok. Now I thought I could just hang out in the airport for 12 hours and catch up on Internet, calls home etc. but oh no am told this is just not possible unless I wish to sit outside the airport on a metal chair.....for 12 hours - I think not. End up forking out £40 for a hotel somewhere in the slums surrounding the airport. Air conditioned, hot water, and a TV....whoop luxury! Also manage to get a couple of hours kip as flight at 5am in the morning.
So this is it.....good bye India. Actually have a tear in my eye writing this as have enjoyed India immensely, a million times more than I ever thought I would. So many things have been new to me and alluring - the diversity of the country, the people, the food, spices, smells (some better than others), road mayhem, the cow's, the weather - I could go on and on and on. All I can say is that I recommend India to one and all. I will most definitely be back as I feel like I have only read the first couple of pages in what is a long and breathtaking novel.
Nameste.
So this is it.....good bye India. Actually have a tear in my eye writing this as have enjoyed India immensely, a million times more than I ever thought I would. So many things have been new to me and alluring - the diversity of the country, the people, the food, spices, smells (some better than others), road mayhem, the cow's, the weather - I could go on and on and on. All I can say is that I recommend India to one and all. I will most definitely be back as I feel like I have only read the first couple of pages in what is a long and breathtaking novel.
Nameste.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
So on my penultimate evening in India I decide to go and see Amma at one of her Brahmasthanam temples as she is currently on tour in Kerela. Known throughout the world as 'Amma, the Mother of all'. Motherhood, in its ultimate sense, has nothing to do with bearing a child, but with love, compassion and selflessness. It lies in totally giving one's self to others. Seeing the whole world as an extension of her own self, Amma is ever ready to fore go her own body's needs in order to bring a smile to someone's face, wipe their tears or to simply listen to their sorrows. The sweet manner in which she laughs and jokes with people, shares in their success and failure has endeared millions to her throughout the world.
Amma is also known as the hugging mother and she has been known to individually hug over 50,000 people in a day!!!
Apart from what I have explained above I did not really know much more regarding what I was going to be involved in during the evening ahead...
I arrive to a crowd of people heading down a long narrow road towards the Brahmasthanam, mainly local Indian's to Trivandrum and the odd Westerner dressed all in white (who I can only presume are avid followers of Amma). Amma's face is postered everywhere, there are book stalls, food & tea kiosks, and then one of the biggest cow's I've come across yet ambling down the street-now in my past cow experiences people are blind to their presence however this cow is really causing a stir and people are eager to get out of it's path so followed suit, I mean it was one massive cow!
You have to realise that I am fairly confused about what the hell is going on for the majority of the evening (nearly 5 hours) and there is a massive queue at least 1/2km long when I arrive however once purchased a ticket (51 rupee's in cost) I get told to walk straight through?!
I collect my clay pot of Ganga water covered with a coconut leaf from the Temple and take a seat next to some Indian women. There are hundreds of chairs all arranged in lines vertical to the stage with tables in front of each containing individual simple pots containing oil and wick, leaf, incense, and food. Later discover that these are all simple offerings which are made prior to meditation. Puja then commences....Puja is ritualistic worship of the Divine performed to keep us in harmony with cosmic forces, thereby removing and overcoming the sorrows of life and bringing spiritual upliftment. By doing puja, thoughts and vibrations of spiritual forces are created around us. These spiritual forces work to eliminate the negative influences in our life and help surround us with positive energy which can bring us peace of mind, material prosperity and enable us to more clearly touch the Divine, our true nature. WOW! Ha! Only down side of the evening is the whole thing is spoken in Malayalam so I do not understand the prayers recited, instructions for the puja, songs, mantra's (although these can be learnt over time) etc. So basically understand nothing - feel a bit like a lost puppy. Thankfully a very sweet Indian lady next to me helps me through a little and tend to just follow suit with what everyone else is doing.
She also tells me that Amma will individually hug everyone in the crowd plus those queuing outside and will most likely be there until 6am until she has seen everybody who wishes to meet her....incredible. Sadly I am too confused by the whole affair and decide that I would rather come back once a little more educated on Puja and the rituals to get my hug from Amma. I will most certainly be back at some point in the future. The whole evening is rather magical and omitting the fact that I am totally clueless still enjoy the evening. Only negative is that after the Puja has finished, each of the 2-3000 worshipers need to take their pot of blessed Ganga water back to the temple - so basically thousands of people scramble to get there first so they can be in early line for their hug with Amma. STAMPEDE! Actually thought I might suffocate - by the time get free I am ready to get my tuk tuk back to the safety of the hotel. Stop to buy a book on the way out though so can do a little reading as clearly need to.
Amma is also known as the hugging mother and she has been known to individually hug over 50,000 people in a day!!!
Apart from what I have explained above I did not really know much more regarding what I was going to be involved in during the evening ahead...
I arrive to a crowd of people heading down a long narrow road towards the Brahmasthanam, mainly local Indian's to Trivandrum and the odd Westerner dressed all in white (who I can only presume are avid followers of Amma). Amma's face is postered everywhere, there are book stalls, food & tea kiosks, and then one of the biggest cow's I've come across yet ambling down the street-now in my past cow experiences people are blind to their presence however this cow is really causing a stir and people are eager to get out of it's path so followed suit, I mean it was one massive cow!
You have to realise that I am fairly confused about what the hell is going on for the majority of the evening (nearly 5 hours) and there is a massive queue at least 1/2km long when I arrive however once purchased a ticket (51 rupee's in cost) I get told to walk straight through?!
I collect my clay pot of Ganga water covered with a coconut leaf from the Temple and take a seat next to some Indian women. There are hundreds of chairs all arranged in lines vertical to the stage with tables in front of each containing individual simple pots containing oil and wick, leaf, incense, and food. Later discover that these are all simple offerings which are made prior to meditation. Puja then commences....Puja is ritualistic worship of the Divine performed to keep us in harmony with cosmic forces, thereby removing and overcoming the sorrows of life and bringing spiritual upliftment. By doing puja, thoughts and vibrations of spiritual forces are created around us. These spiritual forces work to eliminate the negative influences in our life and help surround us with positive energy which can bring us peace of mind, material prosperity and enable us to more clearly touch the Divine, our true nature. WOW! Ha! Only down side of the evening is the whole thing is spoken in Malayalam so I do not understand the prayers recited, instructions for the puja, songs, mantra's (although these can be learnt over time) etc. So basically understand nothing - feel a bit like a lost puppy. Thankfully a very sweet Indian lady next to me helps me through a little and tend to just follow suit with what everyone else is doing.
She also tells me that Amma will individually hug everyone in the crowd plus those queuing outside and will most likely be there until 6am until she has seen everybody who wishes to meet her....incredible. Sadly I am too confused by the whole affair and decide that I would rather come back once a little more educated on Puja and the rituals to get my hug from Amma. I will most certainly be back at some point in the future. The whole evening is rather magical and omitting the fact that I am totally clueless still enjoy the evening. Only negative is that after the Puja has finished, each of the 2-3000 worshipers need to take their pot of blessed Ganga water back to the temple - so basically thousands of people scramble to get there first so they can be in early line for their hug with Amma. STAMPEDE! Actually thought I might suffocate - by the time get free I am ready to get my tuk tuk back to the safety of the hotel. Stop to buy a book on the way out though so can do a little reading as clearly need to.
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