Ruddy kingfisher (Halcyon coromanda)
We jumped at the opportunity to go on the additional guided night walks offered. We overcame our fear of leeches by adopting scare tactics: we tucked our t-shirts into our waistbands and shuffled around in hired wellies our hands stretched out in front of us to avoid going bump in the night (no wonder the Western tarsier's wide-eyed looks of horror at we apparitions). Did our tactics work? No, Suzy got leeched.
One of the highlights of our trip, was spotting not one, but two Western tarsiers. We couldn't believe our luck beyond all expectations. What these photos can't convey is how their ♥ears♥ swiveled and twitched independently to the sounds that the night forest and we hulking humans made around them (no matter how we tried to hold our breath for the entire hour and tip-toe in our wellies).
The tarsier is the only truly carniverous primate, it feeds primarily on insects but also takes lizards, birds, bats, and snakes. Judging by the size of the spiny stick insect we came across perhaps the snakes are an easier option. It has proved very difficult to conserve these creatures in captivity, there has been very little success in breeding programs, so the plight of the tarsier is intrinsically tied to the conservation of its natural habitat.
On our second night walk we didn't see any more tarsiers but were lucky enough to encounter a napu (mouse-deer) and piles of fresh civet droppings.
No comments:
Post a Comment