MayJune 11.indd
Herping
International
ARTICLE & PHOTOS By David Haggett
A Malaysian Trip “The jungle and the climate provide a good habitat for some interesting animals to survive, not least of which are some of the more unusual reptiles. “
Bell’s Angle Head Lizard, Gonocephalus belli
I
A dedication too far? f you keep snakes you will undoubtedly be very protective of your animals. Your partner may even accuse you of being ‘obsessive’. If that is the case you may want to refer them to a small tourist attraction in Penang, Malaysia. Here there is a temple actually dedicated to snakes. It is unlikely that anyone in South Africa could be accused of going quite that far..? The temple was called the Temple of the Azure Cloud, named after Penang’s blue skies but recent pollution has made the name less appropriate. It was built in 1850 by a Buddhist monk from China in memory of Chor Soo Kong, a revered patron of
10 ultimate exotics may/june, 2011 www.ultimate-exotics.co.za 10 ultimate exotics may/june, 2011 www.ultimate-exotics.co.za
animals from the 9th century. Shortly after the temple was completed, snakes from the nearby jungle moved in. They can still be found in large numbers in the temple and this has made it popular with Buddhists from as far as Singapore and Thailand, as well as tourists from around the world. Don’t kiss the Snakes The snake population consists solely of Wagler’s Pit Vipers (Tropidolaemus wagleri). These venomous reptiles hang from incense burners, small trees and furniture, making a walk through the temple an interesting and potentially dangerous trip. The majority have been milked and have a small red mark on their head to show they are relatively safe but signs around the premises remind visitors: ‘Do not kiss the snakes’! The legend says that the snakes remain of their own free will and continue to come in from the jungle. Unfortunately, rampant urbanisation means that the snakes now have to travel across some busy roads and through dense housing estates, so the snakes are bred surreptitiously in a shed behind the temple. Catering to the growing tourist interest, the temple now houses a small collection of other interesting snakes and reptiles. This is only a very limited selection of the many species that can be found throughout the Peninsular. Wildlife Paradise? Malaysia is a wonderful country to explore for its wildlife, having supposedly 20% of the planet’s animal species. The country is split by the South China Sea between Peninsular Malaysia, also known as West Malaysia, and Sabah (or North Borneo as it was previously known) or East Malaysia. The latter is part of the huge island of Borneo, the third largest in the world. Due to the incredible diversity the official numbers vary by source but there are roughly between 150 and 200 species of snake, 80 species of lizard and some 150 types of frog. Insects are abundant and number into the many thousands of species.
If you can stroke this Albino Burmess Python from nose to tail in one go, the sign says you will have good luck. Not so for the python.
Mangrove Pit Viper, Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus www.ultimate-exotics.co.za may/june, 2011 • ultimate exotics
11
A Mountain Horned Lizard Acanthosaurus armata, one of many superb species living in the Highlands
A Malaysian Whip Snake Ahaetulla, probaby prasina but the genus is in need of review.
Despite widespread deforestation it is claimed that two thirds of the country is still covered by forest; I suspect that figure includes significant dateoil plantations. However, it is still possible to find and explore the ancient rainforest and discover its profuse wildlife – an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur, it took only five minutes to locate our first Orchid mantis. The lazy route to Herp Hunting As would be expected, searching for reptiles in the wild is time consuming and our schedule did not allow us to spend as much time in the jungle as we would have liked. Despite that, geckos and agamas are common in built up areas and monitor lizards are frequently seen ambling along with their dinosaur strut on the roads. To see more on a short visit it may be necessary to rely on the various collections of reptiles that can be found scattered around the Peninsular. It is
unfortunate that not all of these are kept in ideal conditions. However, in the Cameron Highlands we found a small but fascinating collection housed at the Butterfly Farm at Tanah Rata. These are well looked after and their health is evidence of the personal interest taken in them. The Cameron Highlands is the tea and vegetable growing centre of West Malaysia due to its climate. The highlands cover an area of nearly 800 square kilometres along the central spine of Malaysia and, although over 70,000 hectares has been badly damaged due to agriculture, there is enough jungle left to support both elephants and tigers. Reaching 2,100 metres ASL, the temperatures are mild compared with the lowlands and rarely go above 25c during the day and can fall to 12c at night.
A well camouflaged Malay Horned frog, Megophrys nasuta
T he jungle and the climate provide a good habitat for some interesting animals to survive, not least of which are some of the more unusual reptiles. The diversity of what are lumped together as tree lizards is amazing, from snub nosed lizards with horns above their eyes, to others with almost shaggy mains down their backs. Snakes abound in the lush jungle…. as do leeches. A stunning diversity of birds and insects make this area a focus for any naturalist. Look to the sky….
Red Mountain Racers, Oreocrypthophis porphyracea laticincta; a rat snake that attracted a high price until recent captive breeding made them more accessible to the public
12 12ultimate ultimateexotics exoticsmay/june, may/june,2011 2011 www.ultimate-exotics.co.za www.ultimate-exotics.co.za
A Wagler’s Pit Viper, Tropidolaemus wagleri watches worshippers An unhappy Gold Ringed Cat snake, Boiga dendrophila; they walk by remain nervous and aggressive even in captivity
Among the snakes at the Butterfly Farm was the Paradise Snake (Chrysopelea paradisi). It would be a charming snake simply due to its colouration but it has a trick that thwarts predators and surprises many people - it can fly! When threatened the snake will flatten its body to produce a slightly concave cross section and then leap into space. It can travel up to 25 metres at a speed of 8 metres per second. To assist its glide it undulates from side to side and points slightly upwards. Pretty though the snake may be, to see it swoop towards you from the treetops must be quite worrying! Malaysia has an amazing list of flying reptiles besides the snake - a gecko, a frog and a lizard. To be fair, none of these can actually fly like a bird but each one can glide amazing distances to escape danger. The flying lizard (Draco species) can swing out colourful wing-like structures from its side that make it look more like a large butterfly than a lizard as it travels between tree
trunks. The different species even have varying ‘wing’ colouration. On a glide of 60 metres in length the lizard may lose only 10 metres in height. I know from experience that, even with an extended butterfly net handle, these lizards are almost impossible to catch! The beautiful jade-green coloured flying frog (Rhacophorus prominanus) uses enormous feet with umbrella-like webbing to enable it to parachute to safety, up to 50 metres in one jump. There are several species of flying gecko (Pytchozoon) found in Malaysia. These rely on web feet and loose skin on their tails and sides to glide. They are probably the least efficient of the aerial reptiles, and the drabbest in colouration. Flying is just one of many of the fantastic adaptations that the different reptiles have used to escape their enemies or find their prey. Mimicry, camouflage, bizarre shapes all have a place in their arsenal. You could spend years simply trying to see the vast assortment of reptiles. If
A beautiful Paradise snake, Chrysopelea paradisi crawls rather than flies along an arm
14 ultimate exotics may/june, 2011
www.ultimate-exotics.co.za
you then studied the insects a single lifetime would be insufficient. I was shown mantis that have not even been seen in the hobby in the UK, let alone bred yet. Malaysia - a great destination Malaysia is an easy country for exploring as English is well understood. Travelling around is safe and a holiday there is relatively cheap at the moment, especially for such an exotic location. Whether your interest is in reptiles, insects, birds or snorkelling there are such wonderful creatures to be found almost everywhere. The food alone is worth the journey! If you need to convince your long suffering partner, simply mention that it is a shoppers’ paradise. Whatever your reason to visit, you cannot fail to enjoy the sights and smells of this Oriental treasure. Why not start with the Snake Temple in Penang but remember don’t kiss the snakes and only touch the ones with red dots on their heads.
A King Cobra, Ophiohagus hannah not housed in ideal conditions
International
ARTICLE & PHOTOS By David Haggett
A Malaysian Trip “The jungle and the climate provide a good habitat for some interesting animals to survive, not least of which are some of the more unusual reptiles. “
Bell’s Angle Head Lizard, Gonocephalus belli
I
A dedication too far? f you keep snakes you will undoubtedly be very protective of your animals. Your partner may even accuse you of being ‘obsessive’. If that is the case you may want to refer them to a small tourist attraction in Penang, Malaysia. Here there is a temple actually dedicated to snakes. It is unlikely that anyone in South Africa could be accused of going quite that far..? The temple was called the Temple of the Azure Cloud, named after Penang’s blue skies but recent pollution has made the name less appropriate. It was built in 1850 by a Buddhist monk from China in memory of Chor Soo Kong, a revered patron of
10 ultimate exotics may/june, 2011 www.ultimate-exotics.co.za 10 ultimate exotics may/june, 2011 www.ultimate-exotics.co.za
animals from the 9th century. Shortly after the temple was completed, snakes from the nearby jungle moved in. They can still be found in large numbers in the temple and this has made it popular with Buddhists from as far as Singapore and Thailand, as well as tourists from around the world. Don’t kiss the Snakes The snake population consists solely of Wagler’s Pit Vipers (Tropidolaemus wagleri). These venomous reptiles hang from incense burners, small trees and furniture, making a walk through the temple an interesting and potentially dangerous trip. The majority have been milked and have a small red mark on their head to show they are relatively safe but signs around the premises remind visitors: ‘Do not kiss the snakes’! The legend says that the snakes remain of their own free will and continue to come in from the jungle. Unfortunately, rampant urbanisation means that the snakes now have to travel across some busy roads and through dense housing estates, so the snakes are bred surreptitiously in a shed behind the temple. Catering to the growing tourist interest, the temple now houses a small collection of other interesting snakes and reptiles. This is only a very limited selection of the many species that can be found throughout the Peninsular. Wildlife Paradise? Malaysia is a wonderful country to explore for its wildlife, having supposedly 20% of the planet’s animal species. The country is split by the South China Sea between Peninsular Malaysia, also known as West Malaysia, and Sabah (or North Borneo as it was previously known) or East Malaysia. The latter is part of the huge island of Borneo, the third largest in the world. Due to the incredible diversity the official numbers vary by source but there are roughly between 150 and 200 species of snake, 80 species of lizard and some 150 types of frog. Insects are abundant and number into the many thousands of species.
If you can stroke this Albino Burmess Python from nose to tail in one go, the sign says you will have good luck. Not so for the python.
Mangrove Pit Viper, Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus www.ultimate-exotics.co.za may/june, 2011 • ultimate exotics
11
A Mountain Horned Lizard Acanthosaurus armata, one of many superb species living in the Highlands
A Malaysian Whip Snake Ahaetulla, probaby prasina but the genus is in need of review.
Despite widespread deforestation it is claimed that two thirds of the country is still covered by forest; I suspect that figure includes significant dateoil plantations. However, it is still possible to find and explore the ancient rainforest and discover its profuse wildlife – an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur, it took only five minutes to locate our first Orchid mantis. The lazy route to Herp Hunting As would be expected, searching for reptiles in the wild is time consuming and our schedule did not allow us to spend as much time in the jungle as we would have liked. Despite that, geckos and agamas are common in built up areas and monitor lizards are frequently seen ambling along with their dinosaur strut on the roads. To see more on a short visit it may be necessary to rely on the various collections of reptiles that can be found scattered around the Peninsular. It is
unfortunate that not all of these are kept in ideal conditions. However, in the Cameron Highlands we found a small but fascinating collection housed at the Butterfly Farm at Tanah Rata. These are well looked after and their health is evidence of the personal interest taken in them. The Cameron Highlands is the tea and vegetable growing centre of West Malaysia due to its climate. The highlands cover an area of nearly 800 square kilometres along the central spine of Malaysia and, although over 70,000 hectares has been badly damaged due to agriculture, there is enough jungle left to support both elephants and tigers. Reaching 2,100 metres ASL, the temperatures are mild compared with the lowlands and rarely go above 25c during the day and can fall to 12c at night.
A well camouflaged Malay Horned frog, Megophrys nasuta
T he jungle and the climate provide a good habitat for some interesting animals to survive, not least of which are some of the more unusual reptiles. The diversity of what are lumped together as tree lizards is amazing, from snub nosed lizards with horns above their eyes, to others with almost shaggy mains down their backs. Snakes abound in the lush jungle…. as do leeches. A stunning diversity of birds and insects make this area a focus for any naturalist. Look to the sky….
Red Mountain Racers, Oreocrypthophis porphyracea laticincta; a rat snake that attracted a high price until recent captive breeding made them more accessible to the public
12 12ultimate ultimateexotics exoticsmay/june, may/june,2011 2011 www.ultimate-exotics.co.za www.ultimate-exotics.co.za
A Wagler’s Pit Viper, Tropidolaemus wagleri watches worshippers An unhappy Gold Ringed Cat snake, Boiga dendrophila; they walk by remain nervous and aggressive even in captivity
Among the snakes at the Butterfly Farm was the Paradise Snake (Chrysopelea paradisi). It would be a charming snake simply due to its colouration but it has a trick that thwarts predators and surprises many people - it can fly! When threatened the snake will flatten its body to produce a slightly concave cross section and then leap into space. It can travel up to 25 metres at a speed of 8 metres per second. To assist its glide it undulates from side to side and points slightly upwards. Pretty though the snake may be, to see it swoop towards you from the treetops must be quite worrying! Malaysia has an amazing list of flying reptiles besides the snake - a gecko, a frog and a lizard. To be fair, none of these can actually fly like a bird but each one can glide amazing distances to escape danger. The flying lizard (Draco species) can swing out colourful wing-like structures from its side that make it look more like a large butterfly than a lizard as it travels between tree
trunks. The different species even have varying ‘wing’ colouration. On a glide of 60 metres in length the lizard may lose only 10 metres in height. I know from experience that, even with an extended butterfly net handle, these lizards are almost impossible to catch! The beautiful jade-green coloured flying frog (Rhacophorus prominanus) uses enormous feet with umbrella-like webbing to enable it to parachute to safety, up to 50 metres in one jump. There are several species of flying gecko (Pytchozoon) found in Malaysia. These rely on web feet and loose skin on their tails and sides to glide. They are probably the least efficient of the aerial reptiles, and the drabbest in colouration. Flying is just one of many of the fantastic adaptations that the different reptiles have used to escape their enemies or find their prey. Mimicry, camouflage, bizarre shapes all have a place in their arsenal. You could spend years simply trying to see the vast assortment of reptiles. If
A beautiful Paradise snake, Chrysopelea paradisi crawls rather than flies along an arm
14 ultimate exotics may/june, 2011
www.ultimate-exotics.co.za
you then studied the insects a single lifetime would be insufficient. I was shown mantis that have not even been seen in the hobby in the UK, let alone bred yet. Malaysia - a great destination Malaysia is an easy country for exploring as English is well understood. Travelling around is safe and a holiday there is relatively cheap at the moment, especially for such an exotic location. Whether your interest is in reptiles, insects, birds or snorkelling there are such wonderful creatures to be found almost everywhere. The food alone is worth the journey! If you need to convince your long suffering partner, simply mention that it is a shoppers’ paradise. Whatever your reason to visit, you cannot fail to enjoy the sights and smells of this Oriental treasure. Why not start with the Snake Temple in Penang but remember don’t kiss the snakes and only touch the ones with red dots on their heads.
A King Cobra, Ophiohagus hannah not housed in ideal conditions
