Sanctuary | Wild Destination
MAKING OUR WAY DOWN THE RIVER
As we approach the river’s mouth, the shoreline forms a
funnel and pulls in the enormous walls of green jungle on
both sides. On the fl at areas of the riverbank, wild pigs graze
in good numbers. The near-absence of humans and the fact
that most Malays are Muslims who shun pork, favours the
wild pigs. Upriver we see more birds perched on vegetation
and dead trees. Groups of long-tailed macaques scour the
ground for food as dusky langurs pause in their search for
green leaves high in the canopy, keeping a careful eye on
our intrusion. As we proceed around one bend and the next,
more picturesque views delight the soul. We have travelled
over two kilometres and we have another two to go to reach
camp. On the right bank, in a shallow area covered in dense
vegetation, we see movement. A long, greyish shape comes
to the surface and dives underwater again. It could have been
a water monitor lizard, of which there are many, but this is a
family of smooth-coated otters fi shing in the shallows. They
stand in their typical manner, straight up to get a better view
and watch us curiously, before deciding that we pose no
threat and continue feeding.
An hour later we reach a point on the left bank where
we see a board with an artistic rendition of an elephant’s
silhouette and the words ‘Earth Lodge’. Located at the
confl uence of the murky Muda river and a smaller clear river,
the Sungai Labua, the campus supports around a dozen
simple bungalows spread over one hectare. Initially built by
the government, the facility is now run by Hymeir Kem, who
was fi rst drawn to the area because the caves fascinated him.
Recognising the signifi cance of this forest, he soon found
himself turn into a die-hard advocate for the protection of
this biodiversity hotspot. The lodge is equipped to meet the
most basic needs: there is a water tower, small gasoline-
powered pumps, generators, a small solar panel installation
for the kitchen and dining area, and a satellite phone for
emergencies. Otherwise, it’s just the forest and its wild
denizens, the occasional fi shing boat and much tranquillity.
The food is simple yet delicious, the showers not warm but
refreshing. And no alarm sound can be as delightful as the
daily song of gibbons between six and seven a.m. Wading
knee-deep in the Labua and feeling the soft sandy riverbed
under one’s bare feet is an amazingly invigorating sensation
denied to most city dwellers. The peace and mellow pace of
life helps you unwind.
Hymeir informs us that all 10 species of hornbill inhabiting
Malaysia occur only in Ulu Muda and the Royal Belum in
Perak. Between May and September, great fl ocks of
Plain-pouched Hornbill fl y from foraging areas to their
evening roosts. The record number counted in one evening
was an astounding 1,720 birds.
We notice deep tracks of a large animal in the soft mud
leading from the river into the jungle. Elephants regularly cross
to reach the siras. Some way downriver from the lodge we
nudge the boat onto the right bank. A short walk later, and
a losing battle against leeches, takes us to an opening in the
canopy at a small stream. This is Sira Jawa, and elephant signsA common sight around the Tasik Muda lake, the Stork-billed Kingfi sher
uses a ‘sit-and-wait’ strategy to hunt prey such as fi sh, frogs, crabs,
rodents and young birds.Our journey begins from the jetty near Muda dam.
The view is magnifi cent, the peaceful Tasik Muda lake rimmed
by verdant forests on all sides. We have barely left the dock,
when to our left a Crested Serpent-eagle soars above the
line where lake and forest meet. For the next half hour, the
boatman navigates between islands and dead trees, victims of
the dam, which now serve as excellent perches for ospreys,
Lesser Fish-eagles, Grey-headed Fish-eagles, White-bellied
Sea-eagles, and an assortment of birds such as egrets,
swifts, and kingfi shers. The shoreline reveals that the water
level rises much higher during the rainy season. Tasik Muda
provides good fi shing judging by the number of fi shing boats
on the lake. The fi shermen are locals who make a living off
the bounty of the lake.
We are in the north-eastern corner of Kedah state in the
northern peninsular Malaysia in an amazing forest known
as Ulu Muda, the name derived from the Muda river, which
originates in the heart of this vast forest.
What makes this forest particularly important? The
absence of the Orang Asli, the aboriginal people of Malaya,
which means that wildlife has escaped hunting pressure
for over half a century. Further more, its inaccessibility has
kept a lid on rampant poaching so prevalent in other parts
of Southeast Asia. Another great feature of Ulu Muda are
several areas of high-mineral soil, known as saltlicks or locally
as siras... plus several interesting cave systems.