Salvadori’s Pheasant (Lophura Inornata)

At first glance, it looks like a Malaysian red wild fowl? I almost ignore it, but look closer and you will see that it looks different it is actually a species of pheasant that is not supposed to be seen here. So what is this bird doing here?

I got no idea but here it is, the proof that there is at least one individual male Salvadori Pheasant roaming wild in the forest of Peninsular Malaysia.
I took this specimen’s photo at the Bukit Larut hill forest.
It is not supposed to be found here and is known to be endemic only to the mountain ranges on the Sumatran Island of Indonesia.

After talking to some friends who are more knowledgeable in birds, it is concluded that if this is not an introduced specimen than it would be the first native wild Malaysian Salvadori Pheasant photographed.
Literature available indicates this pheasant as vulnerable, declining and becoming increasingly fragmented owing to clearance of mid-altitude forests in Sumatra.

There seem to be no other documented wild sightings of this species of pheasants reported in Peninsular Malaysia. The pheasant’s Italian sounding name came from being named after a distinguished Italian ornithologist of the time, Tommaso Salvadori.

Directions to Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS)

I have been often asked on how to get to SBS, the following descriptions I hope will be helpful to all in finding your way there. Happy Enligthenment.

SBS is a Buddhist’s sanctuary where people aspiring to become trained Buddhist monk, devote time and effort in this pursue. This is also the place for people who seeks a more deeper understanding of Theravada Buddhism.

"Kuti" suitable for housing one individual.



Set in a scenic and serene environment it is without a doubt an ideal location for such an activity.
The varied and interesting flora that can be seen here.

This is my second trip up here, the last was about 3 years ago and since then I notice additional Kutis (an abode of a Buddhist monk or novice) built and the infrastructure have improved tremendously with newly constructed concrete roads leading up to the sanctuary.
The management of the establishment is also devoted, consisting of mostly volunteers and by the perception one gathers as you tour the place also doing it professionally.

The"Sima" - main hall.


Walkpaths linking to the various facilities.



Upon reaching the foothills of SBS through a road crossing the cemetery, you will come upon a Chinese Temple on the right next to a river.

The Chinese Temple at the foothills.


This is the point where SBS guides will normally meet up with you in their 4 wheel drives, you can park your cars here.
I am not sure of the links between the temple and SBS but knowing the local Chinese practise of religious syncretisms, there should not be any conflict.

SBS is not as easily accessible as one would think although any reasonably healthy person can walk up the rather hilly terrain, it is designated private property but at the same time I see no reason for them turning away genuine visitors at their doorsteps.

Other facilities - dining areas, administration building, etc.

Open stage where talks are given.

Organic farm.

However, the recommended manner in which a visit can be organised is contacting them in advance and they will most probably be able to arrange 4 wheel drive transport to the sanctuary including english speaking guides which is surprisingly widely spoken here, all at no charge, although some monetary donation in due time would be appreciated I am sure.



I would strongly advise visitors to wear proper footwear suitable for a bit of walking and light sweat absorbing clothing for comfort. Clean amenities like rest areas, toilets, dining areas are available in most part of the sanctuary. If it rains, which in Taiping is like every other day, do not worry, as they have ample supplies of umbrellas tucked away for visitors and guest. You should bring your own food and drinking water if required. The saying of “take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints“ applies here.

And no, I have no great visions nor ambition of being a Buddhist monk who is a vegetarian, eats one meal a day and that does not yet include other practises that I have totally no calling for.
I have been informed recently after posting the subject above that Buddhist monks are not necessarily vegetarians. My limited understanding of Buddhism (religion) and intepretation of what I had read and perceived was apparently wrong all this while..

Unidentified Moth.

The specimen photographed is definitely a Moth as it has a threadlike feathery antennae, which is a positive identification characteristic of a moth. The location where the specimen was seen is in the Bukit Larut foothills in the early afternoon during late June. With its flashy colors, it is highly probable to be toxic.

There is supposedly some 200,000 species of moths identified and many more yet to discovered, perhaps amounting to a million or more species. Coming across an unidentified moth when taken from such a perspective becomes almost probable. Moths can be found in almost every part of the world except in Antarctica and the oceans with the biggest diversity to be found in the tropics.

Moth being an insect has a body divided into three main parts—head, thorax, and abdomen—and have three pairs of jointed legs. Two antennae protrude from the head which serves as smelling organs, enabling the moth to scent for food and potential partners for mating from a distant away. The thorax, of a moth is the thickest of the body segments. It houses the flight muscles, legs and wings. A moth wings are large in proportion to its body which are made of two membranes with a network of stiff veins between the layers. The scales covering the wings give moths their colors and patterns.

Next comes the abdomen, inside the abdomen are the heart, respiratory and digestive systems, and reproductive organs. Moths breath through breathing holes called spiracles, found on the sides of the abdomen. In females, their abdomens tend to be fuller and blunter to those of the males because of the larger reproductive organs inside.

Bird Nest Fern (Asplenium Nidus)

This attractive large leaf epiphytic fern is often seen attaching themselves to large tall trees in the nooks and crannies of its branches. The large knife shaped green leafs called fronds have a prominent dark brown midrib unfurling from a tight center, giving a bird nest effect and hence the common name.

Urbanites will usually see them at large building entrance way as it gains popularity as an ornamental plant either being hung on the ceiling, exhibited on the floor or potted individually.
I have seen excellent specimens being displayed this way right inside Singapore’s Changi Airport.

Epiphytes are herbs or shrubs, which have roots attached to trunks or branches to a host tree to get closer to sunlight which is often shadowed by trees in the forest if you are growing at ground level. They are not parasitic as they do not extract nutrients from the tree to survive and do little or no harm to its host

It is self sufficient, with its entire mass soaking up rain water which acts as a sponge storing water when it rains and its nest-like form collecting dead leaves or any potential nutrient which happen to drop onto it that will eventually decompose and thereby forming nutrients for extraction.

For propagation, spores develop on the underside of fronds known as coenosori. The ripe spores can be collected and sow on damp peat and let to germinate in our hot and humid climate. Care should be taken to keep the growing medium constantly moist, when new plants are big enough to handle, it should be potted individually to encourage faster growth.

No soil is needed for its growth although I have seen “domesticated“ specimens being potted and maintained with soil in homes. In the wild, it is often seen growing in the protected environment in the canopy or crowns of large trees offering a bright warm, moist and humid condition.

Which brings to mind, how Isabella L.Bird (1831 – 1904) a nineteenth-century English traveller, writer,and a natural historian while travelling through the Malay Peninsular jungles during the mid 1800s described the splendor of the Bird Nest Fern she saw in her book "The Golden Chersonese and the way thither" –

"The trees and plants of the jungle were very exciting. Ah! what a delight it is to see trees and plants at home which one has only seen as the exotics of a hothouse, or read of in books! In the day’s journey I counted one hundred and twenty-six differing trees and shrubs, fifty-three trailers, seventeen epiphytes, and twenty-eight ferns. I saw more of the shrubs and epiphytes than I have yet done from the altitude of an elephant’s back. There was one Asplenium nidus [bird’s nest fern] which had thirty-seven perfect fronds radiating from a centre, each frond from three and a quarter to five and a half feet long, and varying from myrtle to the freshest tint of pea-green!"