# First field trip in 2010 (West Malaysia)



## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

In January 2010, I visited my friends in KL of Peninsular Malaysia.

One of them, Jan is an European who stayed in my country as a second home. He brought some of us to visit some waterfalls near the foothill of a mountain range. There, I was amazed to see so many big fishes swimming around me without any fear!!! I believe it is a species of Tor; local name is "Ikan Semah".

Crossing a crystal clear river.



















Fishes are everywhere!


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

A Malay girl is feeding the fish....




























Underwater shots (using my new Canon Powershot D10):


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

More shots....














































Underwater video clip:


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Few days later, I joined my another friend, Herman & his staff to explore in Pahang limestone areas. It was a bad day. We couldn't find any interesting aquatic plants and fish except the common one.

A limestone outcrop in West Malaysia.









We ended up spending most of our time to photograph the cave & interesting limestone formation.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

We found an introduced species in the lake near the base of limestone hill: _Egeria_ sp.










Then, we found another floating aquatic plant: duckweed or _Lemna_ sp.










After that, we headed to another limestone outcrop & found a lot of java fern growing on the stream:





































Habitat:


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Not far from the stream is a sandy river. We couldn't find anything there cos the aquatic plant can't grow there. The plant which grow on the soft sandy substrate is easily swept away by strong water current during heavy downpour.



















Before we're going back to KL, we went to explore another place and found _Cryptocoryne affinis_ in a polluted stream near the farm house.










_Crypt. affinis_


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

The water is fast & clear but there are a lot of rubbish there. I feel very shame that in my country, people treat the drains, rivers & waterway as a public "rubbish bin"!!! I removed some rubbish before taking those images....



















THE END.


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## rs79 (Dec 7, 2004)

Great stuff Michael. Some of those near idyllic shots really warm the heart and mind on a frigid Canadian winter day in the city!


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

rs79 said:


> Great stuff Michael. Some of those near idyllic shots really warm the heart and mind on a frigid Canadian winter day in the city!


Thanks for viewing.


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## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

wow, nice!! do you ever collect plants for your own research...do you experiment at your own place or something?


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## ferchu22 (Oct 27, 2007)

WOW!!! Nice trip and very nice places! 
I'd love to be there!!! 
Thanks for share this great pics!!!


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## 954baby (Feb 8, 2008)

I love your pics, you must have an awesome crypt collection!


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## supasi (Jul 20, 2009)

Wow. Mike , I love your posts of your trips out and about.
And not just the Crypts. I would love to travel to South East Asia and view Crypts and other aquatic plants growing in their natural habitat.

Well done. Keep the pics coming.


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## PeterE (Feb 9, 2010)

Jealousy overwhelms me! Those are really cool. I would love to go somewhere like that. Seeing Java ferns in their native habitat was amazing.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Thanks to everyone for the comments. 

The local name of that fish (Tor) is kelah, not Semah. Sorry for the wrong name.


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## junglemike (Aug 3, 2007)

Yup, I do collect some plants for research purpose.


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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

No more photo for the month of April? . I am always looking forward to your photos. Even though, I am a Malaysian like you, I have no exposure to the nature


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## flashbang009 (Aug 6, 2009)

awesome pictures, wish i could go


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## hedson_25 (Sep 20, 2005)

envy!!!!


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## Analog Kid (Dec 27, 2008)

Michael, Thank You. As always you deliver first quality reporting on beautiful, disappearing habitats. Please keep up the good work, as I have have always enjoyed the information you share with us on wild crypts, pitcher plants, bettas & other fish. G.


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## drongo12 (Nov 25, 2008)

those rock look pretty interesting, shame its too heavy to bring back!


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## SuperWen (Aug 26, 2010)

wooowww... amazing..!!!
Malaysia nature is pretty same here in Indonesia..
THIS LINK will bring you to my nature journey in Sukabumi-West Java-Indonesia


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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

SuperWen, your link is equally interesting. The plants seem so easily accessed in shallow water and it did not look like it's located in a jungle. It's simply amazing! Wish I can visit you to collect some plants together especially the Crypts  Did you throw your handphone into the water out of excitement??? Hahaha...


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## SuperWen (Aug 26, 2010)

totziens said:


> Did you throw your handphone into the water out of excitement??? Hahaha...


hahahaha... that was for advertising actually (kidding )


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## behbeh89 (Nov 23, 2012)

Nice experience. May i know the name of the place you visited?


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