The deadliest places on earth

Interestingly, Malaysia has an attraction that made it to MSN's The Deadliest Places on Earth .

The place is the Gomantong Caves in Sabah, Sandakan to be exact.

Source: MSN

Why the Gomantang Caves made the list..
Simud Hitam (Black Cave) and Simud Putih (White Cave) are the two dark cave complexes in the Gomantong cave system. Simud Hitam is up to 295 feet (90 meters) high and is more accessible than Simud Putih. The caves are surrounded by a forest having various animals, including orangutans. However, the thousands of live bats, Malaysian cockroaches and huge Scutigera centipedes give way to layers of waste and remains of dead creatures, with rats feeding on them, making this space extremely mucky.

The Gomantang Caves is actually one of Sabah's many attractions. Located in the heart of the Gomantong Rainforest Reserve, the caves have been claimed by the World Wildlife Foundation to be the best managed edible birds' nest cave in the world and has been the focus for birds' nest for many centuries.

They are not as scary as it's made out to be if you enjoy caving or don't mind creepy-crawlies like coaches and centipedes, bats, swiftlets and such. Oh yes, wild orangutans as well in the vicinity.

Source: Wikipedia

Mount Kinabalu 6.0 earthquake leave climbers stranded

KOTA KINABALU, June 5 — The magnitude 6.0 earthquake which hit Sabah’s west coast here this morning has left an unknown number of climbers stranded on Mount Kinabalu, close to the epicentre of the quake.
More..

KOTA KINABALU, June 5 — A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit Sabah’s west coast here this morning, with tremors felt all over the state’s capital city here.

According to earthquake watch website, the earthquake’s epicentre was located 14km north of the Ranau, about a two-hour drive over mountain roads from Kota Kinabalu.

Tremors were felt around the city and on Mount Kinabalu at around 7.15am, where it was reported several landslides have occurred.
More..

More than 200 people are stranded on Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, with 89 unaccounted for after a 6.0 earthquake that struck this morning left the trekking path down the mountain unsafe for climbers.
89 missing on Mount Kinabalu after earthquake


Searchers retrieve two bodies from Mt Kinabalu after quake, more expected

The day Mount Kinabalu shook


Malaysia though outside the Ring of Fire does experience earthquakes. The Ring of Fire is a belt of seismic activity running around the basin of the Pacific Ocean that includes neighbours Indonesia and the Philippines. It has 452 volcanoes and is home to over 75% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes. It is sometimes called the circum-Pacific belt. About 90% of the world's earthquakes and 81% of the world's largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire.

Image source: Wikipedia

Clouded leopard caught on camera in Borneo

The Star reported that the clouded leopard, which is the biggest cat in the Borneo jungles, was captured by a camera trap set up by Cardiff University student, Penny Gardner. Ms Gardner was doing a study on wild cattle known as banteng or tembadau.

The rare shot of the elusive cat was caught on camera on June 22. The camera was set up next to a logging road in the Malua forest area close to the well-known Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu.

The clouded leopard population on Borneo island is estimated to be around 5,000.

For more pictures, visit the Danau Girang Field Centre’s Facebook page, where other wild animals including the bearded pig, Borneo pygmy elephant, crested fireback bird and orang utan in the wild around the Malua forest have also been uploaded.


Source: The Star..Clouded leopard caught on camera in Sabah forest

Female Rhino saved in dramatic rescue

According to a report in The Star,

Since 1996, the Sumatran rhino has been listed as “critically endangered”, which is just a step away from being extinct in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List.

On Christmas Day, a female rhino was successfully airlifted in a rescue bid to a rhino sancturay in Sabah, East Malaysia.

The rhino named Puntung, aged between 10 and 12 years, gives conservationists another shot at breeding the species in captivity. It is hoped Puntung would mate with a lone captive male rhino, named Tam.

There is an estimated of just 20 to 30 rhinos left in the wilds of Sabah.


Source: The Star..Rhino saved in dramatic rescue

North-east Monsoon season is here again

The north-east monsoon season is here again this time of the year. Schools were out for the year last Friday, so final exams will not be affected. In fact, the government has moved final exams forward so as to avoid them being affected by the floods which usually happens in the north-eastern states of Kelantan and Terangganu.

The Met Department has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms in Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang and Kedah. The yellow alert is the first of three warnings where a monsoonal surge is possible in the next 24 to 48 hours.

A first category warning was also issued of which strong winds and rough seas expected to occur over the waters off Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, East Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.

The department also warned that intermittent rain from today to Thursday may cause flooding in low-lying areas and also strong winds and flash floods.

Strong northeasterly winds of 40 to 50 kph with waves of up to 3.5m were expected over the waters off Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, East Johor, Sarawak, Labuan, Sabah (Interior, West Coast and Kudat), Samui, Condore, Reef North, Layang-Layang, Tioman, Bunguran, Reef South and Palawan until Nov 29. These strong winds and rough seas are dangerous to small craft and recreational sea activities. Source: The Star..Weatherman issues monsoonal surge alert for four states

In Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, heavy rains have triggered landslip and flooding.

Floating Library to dock in Kota Kinabalu

Check out latest update: Book Fair on board MV Logos Hope at Port Klang (Sep 22, 2011)


If you are in Kota Kinabalu or visiting from Aug 29, you may want to visit this floating library, mv Doulos, which will be docking at the Sabah state capital for three weeks from Aug 29.

There are about 6,000 titles on board covering books on cookery, health, education, marriage, family, gardening and music, as well as children’s books, novels and encyclopaedia.

While the ship is docked in Kota Kinabalu, a painting competition sponsored by Murobond Paints will be held on Aug 31 for Malaysians aged 13 years and above.

The contest is divided into three categories from 13-15 years, 16-18 years and above 19 years.

The closing date for entries is Aug 22.

The ship will be open to the public from 10am to 10pm (Tuesday-Saturday) and 2pm to 10pm (Sunday and Monday) with the exception of Aug 29 when it will open from 6pm to 10pm. On Aug 31, it will open from 10am to 10pm.

Entry forms and details of the painting competition are available at the Murobond Paints showroom, Lot 2, First Floor, Block B, Kolombong Industrial Develop-ment Complex, or by calling 088-436 339.


Source: The Star..Floating library to dock in KK for three weeks

Malaysia's Beautiful Islands

Malaysia can boast of a number of islands that are popular with tourists. Tourists come all year round to take in the beauty of the islands or to partake in a host of water activities or simply rest and relax. White sandy beaches, snorkelling and deep-sea diving are the main attractions. The more well-visited islands include the more popular ones of Penang, Langkawi and Pangkor on the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia; Tioman, Redang and Perhentian on the east coast; and Sipadan off the coast of Sabah. Pictured above is Turtle Island in Sabah.

Picture source: The Star

Turtle-watching in Sabah

Turtle-watching is one of Malaysia's attractions for tourists, foreigners and locals alike. Due to the dwindling number of turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs, there is now a need to monitor this activity. The maximum number of people allowed to watch turtles at Sabah’s popular Selingan Island off Sandakan, has been put to forty. This limit is aimed at protecting the green and hawksbill turtles which lay their eggs at night.

Gentings-AirAsia Packages for East Malaysians

East Malaysians, look out for the attractive packages that Gentings and AirAsia will be dishing out for you. The Genting-Air Asia packages to be announced soon would likely include return air fare, transfers between KLIA and the resort, accommodation as well as tickets to the resort’s daily Fly show.

Many people have the misconception that Genting Highlands is just a place for gambling but in actual fact, there are lots to do and see for those not interested in the casino activities. Its integrated resort offers theme parks, hotels and extensive shopping and it encompasses six hotels with 10,000 rooms. Genting Highlands attracts some 15 million visitors annually.

Story source: The Star