Orang Utan Island@Bukit Merah Laketown Resort.

 

The Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island Foundation is the driving force behind the island’s operations as well as its research centre’s main source of funding. The foundation’s main responsibilities include the setting up and maintenance of the island’s facilities, facilitating sponsorships and donations, organising orang utan infant relocation, displacement support, rehabilitation, and education programmes, in addition to collaborating with universities, government agencies, schools, charitable organisations and non-government organisations.

Before we reach the Orang Utan Island, we had go into Bukit Merah Laketown Resort to take a boat to the Orang Utan Island.

This is the counter to buy a ticket to the orang Utan Island...

Anyway, there are different rate for different package to enjoy in the Bukit Merah Laketown including Orang Utan package, Combo Taman Air & Combo Eko, Combo Taman Air Ekopark & Taman Air, Taman Eko & Pulau Orang Utan and Kerusi Gantung Bergerak & Skycycle.

I select Taman Eko & Pulau Orang Utan which cost RM 12 per person.

 

The jetty used to travel us to Orang Utan island through a Huge lake.

 

A sunny day...

 

Visitor sit patiently in the jetty waiting for the boat..

 

 

Above : The schedule of the boat to and from Orang Utan Island.

 

At the side of the Jetty we can see so called "Floating Island", which can be viewed along the shore of the lake originated from the bigger island in the deeper surrounding of the 7000 acres lake. These miniature floating island are placed near to the jetty to create a natural landscape for the lake as well as using them as fish breeding areas.  The island serve as protectors for the fish from the heat and predators. These become a sanctuary for the ducks to rest, nest and lay eggs.

 

This is the boat used to travel visitors to the Orang Utan Island, it is slow but safe.

 

After 15 minutes, we reached the Orang Utan Island, it say "SAVE ME FROM EXTINCTION".... poor Orang Utan..

 

We were brought through the 100-metre steel-cage tunnel in the Orang Utan jungle/sanctuary which cover by the netting and iron bar... Seem like we are in the cage and the Orang Utans are watching the human from outside like zoo instead.. The purpose is to protect the Orang Utan from human disturbance and ran out to the jetty...

Beside that, there is a tour guide lead us through the walkway and explain to us regarding the Orang Utan.

 

Introduction of Orang Utan:

Orangutans are large apes that live in southeast Asia (on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra). These apes mostly live in trees (they are arboreal) and swing from branch to branch using their arms.

The word orangutan means "man of the forest" in the Malay language. As its habitats are being usurped by man, the orangutan's population is decreasing and it is in grave danger of extinction.

(1) Orangutans have a large, bulky body, a thick neck, very long, strong arms, short, bowed legs, and no tail. Orangutans are about 2/3 the size of the gorilla.

(2)They are mostly covered with long reddish-brown hair, has a large head with a prominent mouth area. Adult males have large cheek flaps (which get larger as the ape ages).

(3) Orangutans have senses very similar to ours, including hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch.

(4) Orangutan hands are very much like ours; they have four long fingers plus an opposable thumb. Their feet have four long toes plus an opposable big toe. Orangutans can grasp things with both their hands and their feet. The largest males have an arm span of about 7.5 feet (2.3 m).

(5) Orangutans are omnivores (they eat both plants and animals) but are mostly herbivorous (plants comprise most of their diet). They eat fruit (their favourite food), leaves, seeds, tree bark, plant bulbs, tender plant shoots, and flowers. They also eat insects and small animals (like birds and small mammals).

(6) Orangutans are very intelligent. They have been known to use found objects as tools; for example, they use leaves as umbrellas to keep the rain from getting them wet. They also use leaves as cups to help them drink water.

(7) Orangutans are shy, solitary animals that are active during the day (they are diurnal). They live alone in large territories. This is probably due to their eating habits; they need a large area in order to get enough food and too many orangutans in one area might lead to starvation.

(8) Male orangutans are capable of very long, loud calls (called "long calls") that carry through forests for up to 0.6 mile (1 km). The "long call" is made up of a series of sounds followed by a bellow. These calls help the male claim his territory, call to females, and keep out intruding male orangutans. Males have a large throat sac that lets them make these loud calls.

(9) Orangutans can also walk using their legs (but rarely do). Orangutans do not swim.

(10) Orangutans live in Asia. They are the only great ape from Asia. They are found in tropical rain forests in northern Sumatra, Indonesia and in low-lying swamps in Borneo.

CLASSIFICATION
Orangutans belong to the:

• Kingdom Animalia (all animals)
• Phylum Chordata
• Subphylum Vertebrata (animals with backbones)
• Class Mammalia (warm-blooded animals with fur and mammary glands)
• Order Primates (which includes 11 families, which include lemurs, monkeys, marmosets, lesser apes, great apes, and humans)
• Family Pongidae (the great apes, including gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans)
• Genus Pongo (gorillas and orangutans)
• Species pygmaeus
  • Subspecies (perhaps a subspecies) P. p. pygmaeus (with a round face and dark red hair; found in Borneo)
  • Subspecies (perhaps a subspecies) P. p. abelii (with a narrow face and paler hair; found in Sumatra)

(Source : http://www.enchantedlearning.com)

 

  Above: the Orang Utans outside the iron bar.

 

 

 Above:  Orangutans usually move by swinging from one branch to another; this is called brachiating.

Above: Meet the oldest orang utan (Big brother) in the Island. Orangutans live about 50 years in captivity, their life span in the wild is only 30-45 years.

 

At the end of the tunnel we're free to see a young oran utan without iron bar but  with 3 feet away from it..

 

It has a crystal clear  and shining bright eye...

 

Do you know what is it biting? It is a plastic spoon, I wonder why the authority will allow it to bite a plastic spoon? may be the orang utan grab and play it during feeding time.. I just worry it will get swollen..

 

 Above: This is the interesting part, during my photography to this young orang utan, It suddenly thumbs up!!! As if saying: "Nice shot! Good Job Man!" hooo... Can you see that?? The Orang Utan really like human...!

 

After the trip, I would like to say that: The Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island Foundation had done a good job on the conservation, breeding, and rehabilitation of Orang Utan to prevent their extinction. However, I think there are plenty of rooms for the Foundation for improvement especially provide more value added activities and programmes for the visitors to learn and understand more on the orang utan habitant and behaviour instead of bringing and briefing visitor around 15 minutes tour along iron tunnel.

Anyhow, I still enjoy the trip and open my eyes on the Orang Utan. Thanks.

K.L. Butterfly Park, Malaysia

 

The Butterfly Park houses more than 6,000 butterflies from 120 exotic species. The park is an imitation of the butterfly's natural habitat. It includes more than 15,000 plants from 100 species that has been painstakingly landscaped to resemble a Malaysian rainforest atmosphere. Contributing to the Butterfly Park's beautiful landscape is a uniquely designed hydro-pond built with a limestone path right in the centre. Surrounding this hydro-pond is a gazebo, commanding a breathtaking view. There is a nursery and breeding area for the butterflies. The park includes both preserved and live specimens, totaling 1,230 species in all. Facilities include an informative insect museum. There is also a souvenir shop near the exit selling lots of local handicrafts and framed butterflies and beetles. You can enjoy a glimpse of butterflies at this unique park. (Source:Cuti.com.my)

Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park is located in Perdana Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur. The Butterfly Park is located nearby and within walking distance of the famous Kuala Lumpur Bird Park.

 

The dragonfly also can be found in the butterfly park.

 

These are the images which I preferred taken with macro shot during my visit in the K.L. Butterfly Park and to share with you.

 

The park is open from 9am to 6pm (Daily).
Admission
Locals: RM8 (Adults), RM4 (Children), RM 1 (Camera)
Tourists: RM18 (Adults), RM8 (Children), RM1 (Camera)

Address:

Taman Tasik Perdana, Jalan Cendarasari,

Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan,

Tel: +6(03)2693 4799

The Stadthuys, Melaka, Malaysia - In-sight.

 

The Stadthuys is located at what is now called the Dutch Square, on Jalan Kota (Kota Road).

On top is Pokok Melaka (Indian Gooseberry) Tree. It had a wonderful story from a Hindu Prince Paramesawa in the 1600s who was hunting for a deer. He rested under a tree by the river. He saw one of his dogs corner a deer but was startled when the deer defended himself and pushed the dog to the river. He was inspired by the circumstances of the weak overcoming the powerful. At that moment he decided to found a kingdom and named it after the tree he was sitting on.

 

The Stadthuys, which means the Municipal Town Hall in Dutch, is the biggest, most prominent building in the Malacca Town Square, and it is also the oldest and biggest Dutch colonial building in Southeast Asia.

Outside view of Stadthuys.

Construction of it began around 1641, the year the Dutch pried Malacca from the Portuguese, who ruled since the fall of the Malacca Sultanate in 1511. It covers 49,000 square feet. It took close to twenty years to complete it, with building material imported from the Netherlands.

The counter of The Stadthuys : These are open to the public from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily except on Fridays when they close from 12.15 p.m. until 2.45 p.m. for lunch and Friday prayers.

Admission fee is RM2 at time of writing.

The subsequent British governors continued to favour Stadthuys as a civic centre. As late as 1979, the Malaysian government used the building as the State Governing Centre. Since then, the building has been converted into the Ethnography Museum. Although the interior is now filled with museum exhibits, it is still possible to view much of the interior with its thick masonry walls and heavy wooden beams.

Although the interior is now filled with museum exhibits, it is still possible to view much of the interior with its thick masonry walls and heavy wooden beams.

The statue of Admiral Cheng Ho (Zheng He) stand incongruously on the courtyard, commemorating the admirals' visit to Malacca during the time of the Malacca Sultanate.

 

All the buildings here wear a coat of maroon paint, giving the square a decidedly foreign feel not found anywhere else in Malaysia.

 Stadthuys – Inner courtyard, the statue of Admiral Cheng Ho in the middle

During the Dutch rule of Malacca, the Stadthuys, like all the other Dutch administration buildings in Southeast Asia, was painted white. By way of the Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1824, Malacca was given up by the Dutch and the town became a British colony. In 1911, the British painted the Stadthuys and the Christ Church a salmon red.

Stadthuys – Inner courtyard

Recent excavation revealed that beneath the Stadthuys there used to be a Portuguese settlement. A Portuguese well and drainage system were discovered. The remains of the A Famosa, the fort that the Portuguese built right after seizing Malacca, is believed to be buried under the Stadthuys car park today.
Today, the Stadthuys houses three museums: the History Museum, the Ethnography Museum and the Literature Museum.

The thick masonry walls, heavy solid wood doors and windows, with their wrought iron hinges, are eloquent testimony to the solidity of the Dutch masonry and craftsmanship.

 

An outstanding example of colonial Dutch architecture, this edifice now houses the History Museum and Ethnography Museum.

      

6th century Dutch and 18th century Japanese porcelain, guns, muskets, swords, various ‘Keris’.

 

Dutch Blackwood cupboard made bearing the monogram of the Dutch East India Company (VOC).

 

Ming porcelain ware, white -blue colored Ching porcelain ware, high quality glazed Islamic ceramics, Nyonya ware with peculiar pink, yellow, dark blue and green colors, Swatow ceramics, Sukhothai and Sawankhalok ceramics.

 

On display are traditional bridal costumes and relics from Melaka's over 400-year history. Both museums are well-laid out and offer detailed explanations of how these costumes and relics played their part in Melaka's glorious past.

  

 

A recently erected plaque inside the Stadthuys reads as:

“TO THE CITY OF MALACCA

THE RESTORATION OF THIS STADTHUYS

CONNECTS OUR PAST WITH A JOINED

FUTURE AS SISTER CITIES.

THE CITY OF HOORN.

P.M.G.P.JANSSENS, MAYOR

A.G.M. MOCK.  CITY – CLERK

14 AUGUST 1990.”

 

The map of The Stadthuys, Melaka.