OP3 project: Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo

Selamat Tinggal

2008-08-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

OP3 ended at the end of July-we've packed up and have left the rainforest, and the Orang Utans of Danum Valley, in peace!

The FAGE container starts it's long journey back to Leeds.

Another amazing bug appeared during packup, this one disguised as a very convincing leaf.

A Wendy House in the Jungle

2008-07-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

Left to the centre, up the hill to the site.

Yesterday's FAGE visitor.

A number of groups have set up instruments in the rainforest canopy - which is not the easiest place to work. Personally, I think they should have gone for a pink wendy house.

You might be able to make out the different canopy platforms.

Another lovely birthday cake to enjoy on the veranda at Danum.

Elephants and Planes

2008-07-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

The campaign is starting to reach it's final stages but there's still more and more wildlife to admire. Some Orang Utans keep returning to the trees right next to the site for lunch and I saw some red leaf monkeys near the rest house recently. There is a herd of pygmy elephants close to the site now, we saw about 10 at night - they are only about 5 ft tall. If they get any closer we won't be able to travel along the road alone.
The aircraft measurement campaign started last week-they've been flying past at 500ft!

Aircraft picture taken by Martin Irwin

Field work takes it's toll on Hilke

Graham is proving himself as fixer of the campaign

Pea pod Gavin:

A rainbow over Danum Valley

22 candles at the ginkana

2008-07-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

A few birthday pictures from the jungle -

Roisin brought a much loved chocolate delivery.

Buffy the owl decided not to join us :(

Candlelit cards

2008-07-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

Last night an Orang Utan slept in a tree right by the rest house - it was too lazy for us to see it before we set off for the site today though.

We lost power at the field centre for 3 days, which meant candlelit dinners - the only problem with this was the loss of electricity for the pumps, so those of us staying at the hostel were without water too. Some people had to be inventive, which meant washing in the monitor lizard invested river.

Candlelit cards

Moving a PTR-MS takes 8 guys and a packet of lukosade sweets as amunition. This was stage 1 - they then had to haul it through nearly 1000 m of leech infested jungle.

Juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips NOT spotted in women's hostel

2008-06-24T06:12:00.000-07:00

......................but there was a terrifying poisonous cat snake in the hostel last night - aarrrggghhhh!
If you want the full story, read on.....
Last night Hannah was inches from stepping on a cat snake that was curled menacingly across the whole step just outside the hostel. I'd just been out there in the dark. I heard Hannah so went outside, right down the same steps the snake was now lurking under, to be told to move to the other end of the hostel FAST!
A couple of people went to investigate and we went inside, thinking we were safe, only to see the snake slither under the door into the women's dorm room. We panicked and hid on the top bunk - not a good idea as the snake managed to climb up the wall and onto the curtain rail. By this point I went for reinforcements and they managed to literally sweep the snake outside. Needless to say, we won't be sleeping so well in the hostel for the next few nights.

That's the door to the hostel at the top of the photo

Pictures of the snake were taken by Alex Markam

Back at Danum

2008-06-24T05:34:00.002-07:00

We arrived for OP3 part II last week. We weren't greeted by any unfriendly faces inside the container. We were lucky - 3 rat's nests were found inside the Manchester container, taking up residence in some of the instruments.
Starting science again isn't proving easy, but we're getting there.

We were lucky to see some gibbons at from the veranda where we eat breakfast 2 days ago - they make the most amazing noise and swing from the top of the canopy.

Breakfast at Danum Valley.

Research break

2008-05-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

Campaign 1 ended in early May but we're back at Danum Valley mid June to resume measurements and hopefully have some more interesting wildlife encounters!

visitors to the site

2008-04-28T05:17:00.000-07:00

An orang utan came across our site today, mum and baby! she wasn't very happy to find us but it was amazing seeing her move around the trees with a big baby in tow.
I've been avoiding writing anything football related on here but after the dissappointment of Carlisle United dropping out of the top two on Saturday, with only one match to go, it's great to see 2 Carlisle players in the league one PFA team of the year! Fingers crossed things go our way and we make it to the championship....???!!!! Now back to the pictures:

A sea of clouds to admire from the top of the tower.

These butress roots were just incredible.

In the rainforest, even gas cylinders can look artistic.

Horse play

2008-04-26T23:40:00.000-07:00

FAGE disco!

Party aftermath.

Tea at the tower.
Don't you think you've had enough Anoop?

Alex, one of the research assistants who's one of the unlucky one's who has to drive us to the site at 5:30am

Kate, a beer and a green millipede.
The emergency fleece!

Team Danum Valley against OP3. Quite possible the worst football pitch in the world, half of it is a swamp! It's 1-1 so far, next saturday is the decider.

Powercut crosswords

The local bearded pig looking for a pair of pink heels! James Lee had better watch out

Jungle Life

2008-04-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

Lisa making friends with a millipede (it's the centipedes that are dangerous)

Jungle Life

2008-04-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

Hats glorious hats!

This morning there was an Orang Utan stuffing his face on figs less than 5 mins from where we live! They move unexpectedly slowly.

A day off at Borneo Rainforest Lodge , we saw orang utans and i got my 1st leech bite! YUK!!!

Swinging above the canopy at 30 m!

Jungle safari - our daily commute!

Amazing clouds from the GAW tower

The Danum Valley Field Centre (where we live)

Choosing the best route for the boat race (with leech socks all round)

Scorpions and sunrise

2008-04-14T00:21:00.000-07:00

A sea of spider webs at dawn in front of the DOAS tower

Hilke and Pete enjoy the top of the tower at sunrise

He doesn't look big but this scorpion look mean, and was right by the centre fence! Our first encounter with a dangerous creature and last night someone saw a cobra too.

Life up at the site

2008-04-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

Pete made it to the top of the tower today (100m), as the white FAGE container continued measuring

Man(chester) love

Life up at the site

2008-04-10T02:13:00.000-07:00

Mantis falls pray to FAGE inlet!

How did we get up here.......? The FAGE container at the site, with the FAGE roof box and lifetime greenhouse set up. The DOAS fire tower is in the background.

Whilst Anoop's away Hilke has a new helper on the DOAS tower.....

still setting up

2008-04-03T06:19:00.001-07:00

The Bukit Atur site, before we arrived....

A break on the FAGE container's terrace (thanks Andy!),

Jim and Charlotte from York Uni enjoying a cuppa on the FAGE patio

Set-up

2008-04-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

We (Pete, Kate, Lisa) made it to the bottom of the hill a few days ago.........

......but then the crane broke down, more than once.....the crane that had to move 5 containers

Things started getting desperate, container number 4 got dragged up,

And then finally (5 days after reaching the bottom of the hill) the FAGE container made it to the top!