At the edge of the earth
An overwhelming sense of peace came over me as I set foot on the black sandy beaches of Telok Assam. With waves lapping softly at my ankles, I stood rooted there, admiring God’s work. Huge sandstone cliffs rose up from the ground like a solemn cathedral, weather-beaten to reveal fluid lines on its flat iron and rock surface.
Heavy drops of water fell from the high cliff edge to carve pools of clear liquid in the ground on which clingy barnacles made their home. Years of wind and water erosion have hollowed out parts of these cliffs, leaving behind cool cavernous interiors.
Heart2Heart with orangutans
pix courtesy of Sarawak Forestry, M
ichael Tsan
“When you realise the value of all life, you dwell less on what is past and concentrate more on the preservation of the future." -- Dian Fossey
I have idolised Dian Fossey, the zoologist, ever since I watched Gorillas in the Mist on television. She was the champion of gorillas in Africa and had dedicated her life to preserve and protect the great apes from extinction. Without her painstaking research and groundbreaking studies, we might never have known or cared about the primates’ existence.
I may not have the single minded devotion that Dian Fossey had for the majestic mountain gorillas of Rwanda but I am passionate about the conservation of wildlife. Although I’ve made a practise of donating money to various wildlife organisations, I have never participated in any conservation programme.
A Bako to remember…
Wshhhhhh…..wihssssshhhhhh…
The trees bristle violently in the chill wind.
A large orange nose peers shyly from the tree tops. Wide-eyed with weary lines under its eyes, the proboscis scans the horizon.
“Click..Click…...”
Another tiny face peers from the leaves. It’s a tiny, baby proboscis, hanging tightly onto its furry mum.