Selamat Tinggal

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

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

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

A few birthday pictures from the jungle -










Roisin brought a much loved chocolate delivery.


Buffy the owl decided not to join us :(

Candlelit cards

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

......................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

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.