The old rubber plantation of Matang

[kuching]

The peat swamp forest is badly disturbed in Matang area due to illegal logging, development & in the past, a big area of the forest had been converted into rubber plantation.

Nowaday, the rubber plantation became a secondary forest. In this trip, my friend, Nasir found Betta brownorum .....a species of dwarf fighting fish (not longer than 6cm) in the flooded old rubber plantation in the mid of rainy season!!! I had visited those places for a few times during the dry season that those flooded areas were dry but I was very shocked to know that Betta brownorum is found in the shallow water!

I think that this species of small fighting fish managed to survive in the dry season by hiding inside the water holes or damp places in the shallow blackwater stream during the dry season and come out to breed when the water level is rising during the rainy season.


More photos in my website :

http://www.ibanorum.netfirms.com/matang-peat.htm



Nasir caught Betta brownorum in this spot. There's no water in this spot if you come during the dry season.







Betta brownorum. This one is 2.5cm long.

[kuching]

The last location : a blackwater small river. All the fish here are very common blackwater fish such as Betta ibanorum, Rasbora pauciperforata ....etc. I hope I can find the rare Paros. allani in this area, in the future. I'm not sure this Paros. is already extincted in this badly disturbed area or not.




Barclaya motleyi (aquatic plant), found under the bridge.





A species of wild orchid.








The inflorescence of wild orchid.

[kuching]

Probably this is upper pitcher of Nepenthes x kuchingensis.





Nepenthes x kuchingensis ???




The lower pitcher, same plant as the one shown above.

[hwchoy]

interesting orchid, couldn't get any closer to the flower huh?

[kuching]

interesting orchid, couldn't get any closer to the flower huh?

Nope...it's too high. I was using my old digicam, 10x optical zoom.