TOR - Treasures Of River

Song of the creek

Gerard — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:31:16 +0000

I wish that one day

the children of Malaysia

still able to find joy

in this cool and refreshing waters.

Waters that this generation spared.

Waters that this generation sweats to preserve.

Knowledge this generation might not have understood.

The self that he couldn’t find.

Just maybe, the next child will rediscover the lost fun

Burmese trout

Gerard — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 01:16:21 +0000

Raiamas guttatus

Although name sake bears trout, this fish belongs to the big family of carp and minnow of Cyprinidae. Knife like body allow them to maneuver across mild running water effortlessly. They often inhabits shady areas and muddy bottoms in deep hill streams. Found in medium to large-sized rivers, flooded fields and rapid-running mountain streams from Peninsula Malaysia along the mountain range of southern china. Not a fussy eaten, their diet consists of insects and small fishes.

Stream Gachua

Gerard — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:07:49 +0000

Perhaps the smallest of snakeheads, took me more that a year to finally capture it in the form of photo. This member of Channa family calls home in the swamps as it is in the higher altitude streams. This picture shows a palely colored Channa Gachua in faster flowing streams required to stay camouflage among rocks and pebbles. Easily identified with red linear on dorsal and pelvic fins, commonly found just about 4inch in length. A worthy note, Gachua mate for life. Mating commonly triggered by cooler water temperature in a form of seasonal rainfalls.

Hermit Crab

Gerard — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 05:39:39 +0000

Hermit crabs are decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea. Crustaceans (Crustacea) form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The decapods or Decapoda (literally means “ten footed”) are an order of crustaceans within the class Malacostraca, including many familiar groups, such as crayfish, crabs, lobsters, prawns and shrimp. They are not closely related to true crabs.

Hermit crabs are quite commonly seen in the inter-tidal zone: for example, in tide pools or shallow estuary bends that traps good amount of floating particles. They are usually fond of colonizing roots of mangrove tree around such zones, feeding on trapped particles and debris left by the high tide.Along with Ghost crab, Hermit crabs use to be fairly common sight to the local seaside in Peninsula Malaysia, due to over-collection and habitat destruction their figure have drop significantly.
And despite their moniker, hermit crabs are social animals that do best in groups.

Malayan Fighting Fish

Gerard — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:24:49 +0000

The Malayan fighting Fish Betta Pugnax, is a common fish throughout South East Asia, Sumatra and Borneo. They can be found in most streams, lowland swarms, rice canals, with preference of vegetation that provides shelter and food. Touted as excellence bio agent for mosquito larvae, they usually feeds of fallen insects and algae. With preference of acidic waters, these fish belongs to the Gourami family and are able to tolerate low oxygen water thanks to their air intake organ(labyrinth). Horizontal stripes, long tail and top facing mouths make this fish an easy identifying. Older generation will rejoice this fish as a favorite past time activity, now a days being taken over by the more beautiful Betta Splendens or Siamese Fighting Fish.

Jungle streams

Gerard — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:39:52 +0000

Malaysia’s jungle streams are very much apart of the main river system. This streams provides nursery to most mid bottom food chain speciments and also to serves as rain retention systems that prevents sudden gush in our tropical climate. During monsoon weather, streams like this will get swollen as it reconnects with the main system, urging spawning fishes to travel upstream and laying eggs. When the streams regains its original values after the monsoon, the fingerlings will spend their first year in relative calm environment to improve their survivor chances before the next monsoon comes to release them into the main system.

Born kings

Gerard — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 08:13:51 +0000

“Deep in our pristine jungle rivers swim a ﬁsh so majestic, so beautiful and so elusive, it has become a holy grail for Malaysian and international anglers”(KAGUM)

Kelah Tor tambroides, is the pinnacle of local angling spot fishing target.And frankly, even higher and harder to pen down emotions surrounding this fish. The Kelah requires dedicate and delicate assistance and protections as the fish commands superior value death or alive big or small! While Kelahs are found in major tributaries ranging from Southern Thailand, East Malaysia, Peninsula Malaysia down to Kalimantan of Indonesia, Most of their habitats are in serious distortions. Their Diet ranges from algae,crustaceans, fruits, mollusc, fish and occasionally amphibians are being altered permanently or temporary. Their life cycle being terminally abrupt whenever it’s river runs on bare lands.Whenever rain comes, only silts gets wash down. And the Kelah keeps waiting……..

Oriental Magpie Robin

Gerard — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:23:51 +0000

The Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis is the sparrowhawk equivalent to avian insects. Highly adapted to secondary forest, scrubs and vegetation, for food and to raise young. These small birds clustered under Old World flycatcher grows up to 20cm , with long tail and broad wings are built for high speed maneuvering through vegetation and branches in pursuit of it’s agile preys. Males are territorial, expressing it with their vocal and pitch to fend off intruders and to attract females.

Kagum National River Clean Up 09

Gerard — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 06:22:15 +0000

KAGUM (Kelah Action Group of Malaysia)’s second national river clean up was held in conjunction of World environment day 2009 following a hugely successful 2008 maiden event. 6 popular venues were collectively held with supports from groups, organizations, individuals and locals. More that 300 caring individuals turn up to this fun filled event with food and beverage contributed in pot luck style. A total of 1ton non-degradable waste rid off and countless more individuals picking up the message. All this good vibes started from wills of few far sighted angler cum environmentalist.

More information of KAGUM, kagum.org

Damsel Fly

Gerard — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 04:41:51 +0000

A mature Damsel fly. From aquatic predating nymphs to matured Aerial predators from the order of Odonata. Found mainly on near shallow, freshwater habitats and are graceful fliers with slender bodies and long, filmy, net-veined wings. Distinguishable by their parallel held wings at rest that to the spread wings of a resting dragonfly. Feeding on insects hovering around water holes, they are one of the best bio control agents against mosquitoes. A important diet for juvenile Tengas Neolissochilus soroides, sebarau and haruan.