The destroyed wild orchids garden

[kuching]

Last week, I had a stressful working day. I need to find a place to release the tension, so I decided to climb the limestone hill.

It was the raining day. I decided to explore a limestone hill without a name in southern Sarawak. When I reached there, I was shocked to find out there are some big trees were chopped down by illegal logger some time ago.

A lot of wild orchids fell down from the tree are everywhere on the ground!!!! It is a destruction of wild orchid paradise!!!


The limestone hill which got no name:




The limestone wall:







The trail built by illegal logger. The white canvas in the center of this picture is the temporary shelter for illegal logger.

[kuching]

After photographing the orchids on the fallen tree, I decided to walk pass the log (on top of it) and suddenly I saw the leaves of pitcher plant on the underside of the log! I went down to check it up & found out it is Nepenthes veitchii!!!

Poor pitcher plant...is almost dead:






After so many months of searching, finally I found the lowland species of Nepenthes veitchii !! YES!!!


The dried pitcher of N. veitchii :






When I was photographing the plant, I stood on a loose rock & fell down into a small hole. Both of my legs are injured but luckily it was a minor cut. If not, I don't know how to ask for help as I was alone in the middle of nowhere.


The stem:





The leaves:

[kuching]

I almost fainted when I found this terrestrial orchid, Vrydagzynea tristriata !!! So beautiful!!!





And, less than a metre away.....I almost got heart attack after seeing this deep purple coloured leaves of terrestrial orchid, Cystorchis sp. :





And my favourite jewel orchid, Dossinia marmorata (NOT Macodes sanderianus which also looks a bit like that) :

[AA24]

Really nice photos.. unfortunately, the destruction makes this so sad.. YOU are pretty lucky to have this in your "backyard"... Cheers...

[kuching]

It was a rainy day so I didn't take a lot of photos this Sunday. When I reached the summit area, the trail disappeared and I found very difficult to explore as the vegetation is quite thick. I wanted to go to the east side to look for slipper orchid but then it was late afternoon already. I need to get back home as early as possible as today is the last day of Chinese New Year celebration.

Another terrestrial orchid, Cystorchis sp.:





Terrestrial orchid, Newiedia veratrifolia.






Thismia sp. This is not a fungi. It has no chlorophyll to produce food but it get its nutrition from the leaf litter.

[kuching]

Really nice photos.. unfortunately, the destruction makes this so sad.. YOU are pretty lucky to have this in your "backyard"... Cheers...

Thanks for viewing.

[kuching]

Begonia speluncae found at the foothill:




Begonia pendula ( endemic to the Bau area) found in higher elevation:





Aroid: Alocasia longiloba "lowii"






The green snail, Rhinocochlis nasuta. (nasuta = Natuna Island of Indonesia, not far from Borneo; no idea why they named it after Natuna Island, probably it can be found in that island ???)

[kuching]

more photos here:

http://www.ibanorum.netfirms.com/jewelorkidgarden.htm

[AA24]

Is it possible to save those that have fallen off.??. such a loss...!!

GREAT photos ...!!!...

[kuching]

Is it possible to save those that have fallen off.??. such a loss...!!

GREAT photos ...!!!...

Yes, but there are too many of the orchids....unless you can spend 2 weeks there to collect & replanting it back into the forest.

[MrTree]

Nice nice..

I also have a short survey trip this coming weekend, find out the trails and habitat location...this summer is reptile & amphibians only! Night hunting all the way!!

[kuching]

Nice nice..

I also have a short survey trip this coming weekend, find out the trails and habitat location...this summer is reptile & amphibians only! Night hunting all the way!!

Wow! Don't forget to post the photo in the forum.

I'll go outing for a camping trip this weekend & spend a night at a secret big waterfall near the border.....hope can find a lot of interesting stuff there, especially the mushroom which can glow at night.

[eagleray]

Thanks a lot for sharing .. fantastic pictures ... certainly waiting for your picutres on the glowing mushrooms

[juggler]

Thanks for sharing, Mike. I always enjoy your amazing photos and adventures.

[Ah_ZhaN]

Wow Michael, the Vrydagzynea tristriata and Cystorchis sp. are really beautiful. Did you harvest back to salvage them from destruction due to logging ?

[kuching]

Thanks to everyone for viewing my photos.

I only brought back one or two plants per species. (Can't bring back everything unless my house garden is as big as a football field) It is impossible that the whole area will be gone because nobody can 100 % destroy the limestone habitat except the quarry company move in to blow the rock.

[kuching]

Correction :

The species name of this green snail : "nasuta" meant with a "large nose" or "large-nosed" in latin.

[MrTree]

Wah...don't forget about torch light and show me the night stuff!!!

[kuching]

Wah...don't forget about torch light and show me the night stuff!!!

This is the first camping trip ......after so many years! Of course I'll go to "hunt" something at night. In the jungle, a lot of things can glow at night....& a lot of animals will come out when the darkness fall. The most exciting part is that waterfall is very tall....so, I'll be very busy this coming weekend.

[andrewtyr]

Borneo has one of the ancient forests in the world, it's a fantastic place with many unknown species. Thanks for the sharing, hope you are recovering well from the fall