It's a jungle out there, Bambi!

It all started when my friend Jane came to me one day some months ago with a baby palm civet cat that literally fell from the sky. Apparently a tree somewhere in KL was being felled and this little thing, then merely the size of my palm, had fallen to the ground from its nest. And so it was immediately orphaned. And for that reason, I had named it Bambi.

I brought Bambi home that night. She had to be bottle-fed. I took over some supplies Jane bought : formula-milk for kittens, mini milk bottle and a little toy doll - together with the cage she had loaned me. Mee Tee, my Thai helper at home was immediately put in-charge to care for Bambi.

I went to the pet store the very next day to buy a bigger 'home' as I figured it'll only be fair to deck it out like a jungle gym where she has ample space to run about and start to learn how to climb. And so I got her a 3-storey 'palace' where she lived till her day of release.

In her 'palace', she had a pink hammock which she absolutely loved. It didn't take long before she learnt to climb her way up to the 3rd 'floor' to crawl into what became her cozy crib where she'd curl up into a ball and fall sound asleep anytime of the day. Then I got her one of those cat scratchers with hanging furry balls which she also quickly grew really fond of..... It's incredibly fun to watch her go nuts with excitement in her home with these toys to keep her active. It's a priceless experience for me to have the opportunity to watch her closely and learn about civet cats. They do behave like a domestic animal, they play and they respond to petting and love a belly rub:) They're like dogs! Bambi would get 'geram' playing with her little plastic doll and then attempt to rip it apart, like a dog with a toy! She would climb up and down the cat scratcher, hang upside down, and go totally crazy clawing and playing with the hanging fur balls, like what a cat does!
Once, Bambi got pretty sick after accidentally eating a guppy. My fault, it was meant as a visual amusement! She had diarrhea and was vomiting, I was terrified that she might not make it... she was still so little! I did what I could, I fed her water with a syringe every half hour. She was lifeless! Brought it to Jane who then brought it to a vet. Before we knew it, she was all normal again the next day! That I didn't quite understand, but anyway she thrived and I felt so relieved words can't even describe it.

Friends who have experience with civet cats (Bali and Loret, thank you!) had been great help. After putting Bambi on a milk + fruit diet for a couple of months, I was advised to start introducing her to meat. Raw chicken neck + liver and a nut mix with dried figs were included in her diet as she would need additional calcium and minerals to grow. And she did, quite quickly!
We started to feed her live crickets too for additional protein and also because she should be 'in training' to catch some in the wild later all on her own. She LOVED crickets!! It's a real joy watching her catch them herself in her 'palace' and then eat up. We know then that she's thriving very well, growing up healthy and we're doing the right thing.

We would take her out of her enclosure everyday and put her on the tree in our garden so she learnt to climb. But boy, she was getting ferocious and feisty more and more. And I figured perhaps we should prepare for her release soon so that she doesn't get too comfortable faring within a domesticated environment. Well, I'm still not very sure if I should've released her sooner than this weekend but my instincts tell me she's gonna be okay over time.

So the chance finally came when we decided to drive to Tioman on Friday because flights were full and we had to by hook or by crook, get to our resort this last weekend before it gets even more impossible with our traveling schedule, work load in KL and Spore and other circumstances. So fantastic! Time to ferry Bambi to her new home away from home, as initially intended.

We have 11 acres of vast jungle within the grounds of JapaMala Resort where she can roam endlessly, even past our grounds. There's plenty of fruit trees, lots of other civet cats around, lush trees of sorts where she can nest, free from human predators hence the least disturbance. Tioman really is the best place to be. It's anybody's dream place and I'm seriously jealous....
So the process of Bambi's move began on Friday morning at my house. Mee Tee my helper was suffering from the separation. I on the other hand, only had the best thoughts in mind. I know this was no doubt the best thing to happen to Bambi - FREEDOM at last! Or least on its way....
We found a box where we could keep her in darkness throughout the whole journey. She obviously didn't like to be moved and locked up. Confused, threatened and stressed, she was very uneasy inside the box. We could hear her hissing and striking the box from within quite a bit. So we moved the box to the back seat from the back of our 4-wheel drive and she immediately became more settled. I guess it was the vibration that caused her discomfort?? Oops... sorry baby!
THE DAY BAMBI LEFT KL : From car to boat. Our speed boat waited for us in Tanjung Gemuk. We finally arrived at JapaMala after about an hour. It was a pleasant ride, we rode on pretty flat sea in the sun. I've missed Tioman so much!!!!

Our staff, like everytime, waited on us at our jetty. So nice to see everyone again! Bambi was the first to get off the boat and I brought her straight away to private grounds. I wanted to give her some water quickly. Found an old laundry basket which was good to transfer her to from the box. Found a bamboo cup and filled it with water, placed inside the basket together with a piece of fruit and then we had to figure out how to get her from box to basket whilst she was in attack mode! Tough one.... Figured the best way to do it in the end was just turn the box upside down as Bambi could just leap into the basket and that was exactly what me and my husband did after much fuss about finding a cloth or glove to handle her in case we get bitten.

So there she stayed for a bit, waiting for her to get a little calmer (yes she was drinking! good sign) while we went to check if her new home was ready! We had already given instructions to our contractor/carpenter ('Maradona' as he preferred to be called) hours before. It was after 5pm then and 'Maradona' was nowhere to be found. And I, was getting annoyed. Hubby walked over to the contractors' residence on the other beach and returned with an old bird cage. He said the new enclosure will be ready only tomorrow! I was pissed by then hahhaahha..... anyway, the bird cage was decently spacious at least so Bambi would still be comfortable for one night. The problem is, the door is a tad tiny for us to squeeze her in! We tried nevertheless but she wouldn't go through! Now that's gonna be a bitch to try and handle her again! She was super feisty by then. Hmmmmm.........
I suggested we crack open the roof where Bambi will enter from the basket. Still didn't work. Then we then toppled the basket upside down. Again, she refused to go into the cage. She hung onto the wicker with her strong sharp claws and refused to budge! Now what.
So Federico then decided to handle her. Wrapped his hands with some cloth we found on-site and angry as Bambi may have been, she succumbed to his gentle petting which seemed to have calmed her down a little. Some TLC was what she needed at that time I guess? Everyone went, "Awwwwwww......" hahhahaha..... During this time, I hooked up her hammock (her version of our human 'smelly pillow' or 'bantal busuk') and placed her bamboo mug with water and fruit to set up her crib for the night. Then after some minutes, 'daddy' then tried to pick her up again but she put up a fight again! This went on like for 15 minutes - 3 men and a baby. What an ordeal!
After some struggling and not-so-rough handling (thankfully), Bambi was finally inside the bird cage. She found comfort in her hammock right away (Awwwwww..... good thing I brought it along). Drank some more water and even caught a cricket! By then it was nightfall. My nocturnal baby's first night in the jungle:)
NEXT MORNING : I've chosen a spot for Bambi's temporary new tree house. It's on a dense mango tree. While watching 'Maradona' construct Bambi's tree house, I thought, how perfect. She loves ripe mangoes! Here she gets plenty :D


The idea is to introduce Bambi to the wild slowly. This tree house will be constructed around the tree, with trunk and some branches enclosed within for her to climb about or cultivate the art of climbing on a real solid big tree with rewards waiting at the top. Once she adapts to this environment (we figured 2 weeks), our staff will open the roof door and allow her to roam around. And yes, that will be the first time ever Bambi will roam freely on her own in the wilderness. I've instructed that the roof door to be left opened whenever they let her out so that she's able to return whenever she wants to for food, water or her 'smelly pillow'. Just in case, you know....
At least she gets to explore beyond her enclosure, find her own food and hopefully learn to build her own nest eventually. When she doesn't return to her man-made crib anymore, that's when we'll know she's ready to be on her own. But in the meantime, there'll always be an opened door for her if she feels insecure being out there.
We have a crew of wonderful and reliable staff at JapaMala whom I can depend on to care for Bambi while I'm gone. They will collect ripe mangoes, wild figs, wild jambu, crickets and other insects etc... fruits in and around her new natural habitat for Bambi everyday, to 'educate' her on the right foods to eat.
So the tree house was finally ready after lunch (terima kasih pakcik 'Maradona'!) Now it's time to move Bambi into her temporary home! Rabi and Sudir are islanders who are used to wildlife and have had encounters with civet cats one too many times. Rabi lifted the bird cage up while Sudir supported at the bottom, and door to door, Bambi entered into her new crib!!! Effortless.
I don't know when we'll return to Tioman again! Time as always is my biggest enemy. But I know Bambi is in good hands. Although I'm worried sick about predators like snakes and monitor lizards... but i know that's the course of nature and there's nothing I can do about it except trust her instincts. I'll get daily updates on her progress from our crew and I just can't wait for Bambi to grow up in our jungle and find a mate eventually and produce her very own Bambini one day!!

Tioman & Turtles - My Rite of Passage

The resort looks so amazing during this time of the year... Everything around us looks so alive. What do we do without sunshine...
The sea is like an aquarium, the water looks like gentle waves made from sparkling turquiose diamonds. The water temperature is just right too for skin that's ready to sizzle in the sun.

I've always enjoyed the resort even if it's only for one night sometimes. Feels wonderful to call this HOME.

This month, something really special took place. My dream finally came true. A dream I've had since I could remember, more like a 'if only' than a 'I wish' kinda wish, but never ever expected it to really really happen. A sea turtle project I can call my own!

This wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for my really good friend, Rowena. She and her husband Tengku Intan of the Pahang royal family had initiated this great move on the turtle sanctuary and had decided to do this on their piece of paradise, which is named after him. Fantastic effort.

We've been looking forward to finally getting the land cleaned up (majorly), have the hatchery built and start working! They had then planned to invite the Sultan Of Pahang to officiate the opening of TAT at Teluk Sri Intan on 14 May 2009, in conjunction with Tioman's yearly Eco-Challenge that kick-started on the same day. The Sultan of Pahang also became the patron of the project. His Majesty has made a substantial donation to the project which will benefit the project substantially.

This great turtle project now covers the whole of Tioman (not just one beach as before - Juara ) with the first designated sanctuary at Teluk Sri Intan just 2km from JapaMala. A hatchery has been built, collection of turtle eggs has started and JapaMala is now a partner of TAT with licence to assist in all sea turtle conservation efforts on the island.

As all 12 of us were ready for dessert at the pier on the night of May8, a phone call came from the keepers that a turtle has landed. CTA 9.45pm. It was an extremely beautiful night, the perfect full moon cast light on the entire coast. We had no trouble seeing even without a torch. Perfect, because no torches are allowed on any turtle beach. We all hopped onboard our speedboat and headed out to Teluk Sri Intan, a stunning stretch of less than a km of white-sand beach. Volunteer quarters, info center, and a lab have yet to be developed for the near future. But for now, this amazing spot is an island unto itself.

We then hopped into a buggy and were on our way to the sanctuary from the jetty. Some working folks were already there, whispered to us with a finger pointing to the 'mother' that has dug a pit and ready to lay her eggs.

This could take up to 4 hours sometimes but I was ready to camp out there all night - although i wasn't exactly dressed for turtle work, yeah, i was in this long sun dress. But was ready to go on all fours nonetheless, to dig holes in the sand if needed.

And so I did really, end up digging, in this dress :D Well, that's what volunteers do! The Green Turtle, which looked like an Olive Ridley to me because of its olive-shaped shell, laid 96 eggs. It was unfortunate that we didn't tag her....nor did we have a tape to measure her. I assume she must be about 1m in length and noticed too that she had no barnicles at all on her shell or flippers. Perhaps a young mother, this one.
Oh I felt so right at home at this sanctuary helping the pakcik dig 2 more holes in the hatchery to place the eggs - 30 in each I was instructed. This is something I had missed so terribly since my last visit to Ma D'aerah. I remembered what to do, how to do it... as if I had just done it yesterday. I can do this all season!

Me at MaD'areah WWF Sea Turtle Sanctuary in Kemaman years ago...

More eggs hatched the same night, so green babies were released the next morning by His Majesty during the ceremony.
The rest were then released that same evening by Tengku Intan (in snazzy red crocs), Datin Rowena (lady at front), Tengku Sharul (next to Rowena with hand in turtle box) and Tengku Qamarina (standing next to her dad looking on). And Kelly, in the next pic with Shahrul and Qamarina.

Immediately, I felt a desperate need to develop this sanctuary. We need people here to run it. We need specialists, scientists, we need volunteers! The only person who came to mind was my dear friend, CEO of WWF, Dino.

I'm gonna call him when I get back to KL.

Tiger Temple - Thailand

Some months ago, I put up a blog on my visit to Wat Pa Luangta Bua, tiger sanctuary/animal rescue center just outside of Bangkok. This place offers an experience many would fly from around the world to obtain - an up-close and personal encounter with these big cats. To an animal lover like me, the experience was unbelievable....really, a once-in-a-lifetime chance that I was able to come so close to these tigers as to smell their breath. That experience was simply mind-blowing.

But then an article of this place published recently in The Star, written by Hilary Chiew, presented very disturbing facts. Colleagues at work often leave animal-related clippings on my desk whenever I'm traveling, so thanks to Stephanie who had saved this one for me.

I read in disbelief.... could this be? I mean, how disappointing! Reports from an entity known as CWI (Care for the Wild International) revealing the dark side of things, from details gathered by tourists and volunteers at the temple over the last 2 years. Pictures of the Abbot, the head monk and founder of the Tiger Temple, spraying collected urine in a plastic bottle on a tiger's face, as an act to induce submission and a staff pulling a tiger's tail.

I don't know.... I didn't see this happening while I was there. If I did it would've been so repulsive and atrocious I would've definitely blogged about it! But then again, who knows. There's surely a picture of staff pulling a tiger's tail here and mistreatment of any animal as such is enough to put me off.

One confusing part was regarding Payak, a 4 month-old tiger which I was photographed with just a few months ago. But the article says Payak had already been been exported to Laos for "the exchange of genes" in 2005. Perhaps 'new' tigers take over old names? But if this is so, could this be their scheme to hide the fact that tigers donated/rescued/adopted, that were supposed to be housed and cared for in the monestary or released back into the wild as they claimed, are actually moved out, sold or traded?

that's Payak & me playing - early 2008

I'm also aware that the abbot is gathering funds to build what they call a Tiger Island within the monastry, which is a huge rehab area to house new cubs and younger cats in preparation for their release back into the wild. Now from CWI's investigation, I learnt that the monastry is not licensed to hold or breed tigers because apparently the Thai government had no such facilities and the Department of National Parks in 2005 had allowed the temple to KEEP the tigers but NOT BREED or TRADE the cats. Plus whether they're scientifically competent of the rehabilitation process of these animal is questionable.

Shit. This is fucking bad if the report stands true - the illegal trading/trafficking, inflicting cruelty and mistreatment & overall exploitation of these tigers that are supposed to be under their unconditional care. I mean, I've been there myself and I've seen how the temple promotes animal conservation and protect well-being of all the animals in the monastery... something I'd definitely support which was why I made it point to go there! It seemed like this sanctuary was such a dream come true for us and for the animals!

Besides, the fact that the sanctuary is within a monastery and since the animals there are being looked after by monks, one just can't imagine how animals can be mistreated there, on holy grounds! You know, the temple just gives people a preconceived impression that everything they do in there for the animals must be righteous in the name of Buddhism. That's fucked up.... I guess many things aren't always what they seem....

Well, you guys judge for yourself then.

Chelsia, what do you think? I'm sure you're stunned by this too, huh. (Chelsia Ng, whom many know is a fellow Tiger Ambassador too, has also visited this Tiger Temple recently).

I didn't even meet the Abbot but she did! Wonder if he took her around to the deeper part of the monestary where there're supposed to be more cats but this specific area is not accessible to the public.

For those who want to read more on the report, go to www.careforthewild.com or if you have further questions, write to Hilary at hnchiew@thestar.com.my

A Monkey Called Mandy

Monkeys are aplenty here in and around Taman TAR. There're altogether 4 species of monkeys that live within this natural forest reserve - long tail & pig-tail macaques, silver leaf and duskies. But the former 2 species have gained both in numbers and prominence over the years. Unfortunately, they've become more of a nuisance than a novelty.

About a year ago, one small female monkey was found loitering within the grounds of Tamarind Springs. Being unusually friendly, she's one monkey that'd rather be hanging out with the humans than go play with her pack in the jungle. She was way too docile to not raise suspicion that perhaps she had been someone's pet. Soon we found out she indeed did not belong to any pack hence no friends to play with. She’d hang around and watch our workers build Il Tempio all day long, and at times demand a hand to take her out for a walk.

I love watching this little monkey sitting on the railing and dozing off as if consumed by boredom while watching our people go about with their monotonous hammering and sawing. That I thought is SO human... and so funny – reminds me of that typical scene of an old man dozing off in front of the TV.
Day in day out, she’d stick around and never leaves! She showed no signs of finding her own food in the jungle either. Soon, it became more and more evident that she wasn't your 'normal' monkey because when we started offering her fruits, but she preferred curry and rice instead.

Later, we were told that her name's Mandy. Learnt that her owner who apparently lives in this neighborhood had decided to set her free. Right here at Tamarind Springs. I thought, well of course, where could possibly be a more convenient 'dumping ground'?

Thank god we love animals! Sure, we welcomed her with open arms. But this – dumping an animal away – is SO WRONG. So, then what do we do now? It’s totally against our conscience to turn a blind eye… but now suddenly it became our responsibility to look after this domesticated pig-tail macaque that we cannot and shouldn't keep yet can never return to the wild! Great.

So, we kept her within the restaurant’s compound, allowed her to roam about freely while we waited it out for a couple of weeks to see if we can find a solution for Mandy. Before long, hell broke loose.

Mandy decided to get a little too close for comfort. Even destructive at times. She sat with customers and picked on their lunch, chewed on the chopstick holders, tumbled the oil lamps that decorate the restaurant, threw phones into the pond, tore up staff's punch cards, vandalized the kitchen, stole a whole chicken from the fridge and then dragged it all the way up to the roof to play with it, and then just last week, a lamb shank. The chefs are pissed…. but Mandy has never ever shown signs of aggression though.

Well, she left us no choice but to tie her up. Mandy now wears a harness, allowing us to tie and release her whenever necessary. I don't believe in restraining animals at all because wild animals especially, should be left in the wild. But Mandy is wild alright, wild like a naughty kid!

The other pig-tail clans in the jungle don't welcome her into their packs. Instead they attack her. She became so fearful of the jungle as it is obviously not a safe haven. Mandy seeks refuge at Tamarind Springs... but poor Mandy, isn’t it so sad and unfair that she doesn’t belong to any place…

It's very heart-breaking to see this happening and I'm really really outraged that we're put in this Catch 22 situation - having to finish what some ignorant and selfish f***ker started, being squashed in between 'the best' & 'the right' way, and forced to restrain Mandy too. And if we fail to figure a solution, as her ‘new owner’ we’re responsible in the decision if Mandy should be put to sleep. Now even if it's the right thing, and probably, the best... I just CANNOT do it. It's not fair. Why me??!!

The thought of putting Mandy to sleep is as good as stir-frying my heart in a hot pan. Even if killing the animal IS the right thing to do, I'll be forever damaged. All of our restaurant staff will feel the same. Especially Pupati, our cleaner who looks after Mandy, she will be devastated. No, I won’t be a part of that. Poor Mandy… who are we, to decide for her if she should live or die?

This is Pupati. She brings Mandy cut fruits and left over rice from our kitchen since she doesn't know how to find her own food.

People abduct monkeys from the wild because they think monkeys make cool pets or believe they're simply doing nature a favor. But most people lose interest very quickly because the reality is, monkey often turns out to be 'not so cute afterall', and then the owner decides to just get rid of it. Don't forget monkeys poo and pee too, in fact they're like us (yes even their poo smells like ours), they portray unpredictable and sometimes aggressive behaviors that we can't stop or control and also,

monkeys carry diseases that are transmittable to human beings.

So, monkeys do not make good, tame pets.

I’m sure those of you who live in neighborhoods like Taman TAR, Ukay Heights and Damansara Heights have had monkeys invade your home. This problem has gotten pretty out of hand here in Ampang... because of a few factors. One is the excessive housing developments on the hillsides which had driven hundreds, maybe thousands of monkeys out of their habitats, so they're out and about looking for a place to be. The best way to deal with this is to relocate them to some place else where it's safe with plenty of food. But who's doing it? And who does it humanely?

Some years ago, one of the acting departments in the government tried to resolved this problem in Ukay Heights by, guess what, shooting monkeys down. Cheaper (bullets cheaper than injections?), less hassle (trapping and relocating takes time and effort) and quicker (just shoot to kill). The outcome was, not only did they not succeed in shooting the monkeys dead, they left so many mutilated. I still see today, some long-tail macaques had amazingly survived but without an arm or a leg, and either without half a face or with a blown-up mouth.

Residents saw how heartless this was, then decided to stop feeding the monkeys. Because it turned out to be a more humane solution. Incessant feeding will only allow these monkeys to thrive on and multiply.

It made good sense, didn't it? We shall not make more monkeys to have them killed.

Some may feel sorry and believe it's a kind thing to do - making merits for eliminating hunger. Sure it's a kind and compassionate gesture alright, but it's what we call 'misplaced kindness'. See, we could be doing more harm than good. It’s a dilemma, I know. I feel the same sorry feeling for hungry stray dogs and cats too and have this urge to stop their suffering. But if we feed them, we will make more of them homeless and hungry...

How kind is it then, feeding them to keep them alive only to have them killed in the end?

Since no one has a sound solution until today, then maybe it's probably best for the animals when left to nature's own cause. Let the strongest, most adaptable ones survive. Human intervention always disrupts the balance of nature. In all sense of the word, disasterous.

A friend living in Mont Kiara phoned recently, feeling terribly disgusted that monkeys were left to die in these spherical traps the officials had set up after residents complained about encroachment. Obviously no one came around to monitor and relocate the monkeys! Now residents don't even want the traps around anymore. But the problem with monkeys persists and nobody can help.

I heard Janda Baik is the relocation ground. Most monkeys from the city are sent there. For how long would this solution hold up though...? Then there's the big hoo-ha about exporting monkeys for lab tests overseas. It came across looking like the government was trying to benefit from it. So people detested the intention behind it and labeled it 'a cruel intention' .
So what do we do, what should we do?

Well, like my friend Ellen suggests, if relocation isn't possible then trapping them humanely and putting them down with an injection will ensure a painless ending.

Sometimes we have to be cruel to be kind.

I think we'll have Mandy evacuated - out of KL to Tioman - to live at our resort amidst vast jungle space with lots of food, love & affection from our staff. She’ll be a lot happier there I’m sure. I hope...

Basic Instinct

Once in a blue moon, you may be lucky enough to witness some wild ways of nature such as this. You're looking at me, the world's longest reptile. Mind you, I'm still just a juvenile.

My name is Retic. I live inside the roof, in the crevices of the tiles somewhere between the kitchen and Tamarind Terrace restaurant at a wonderful resort called JapaMala in Tioman Island. There's no place else more comfy than where I am because it's dark, warm and humid here, just the way I like it. Besides, I have the best view in the house - the balmy turquois sea. And you wonder where I got my natural glow from. And who says the sun is bad for the skin?

Where I live is incredibly strategic too. There's a natural stream right behind the restaurant where I can go clean myself in, drink from and cool off when I need to. I eat only when I'm hungry, which is just once every 3-4 days. This is the time when residents who care to look out for me will see my head sticking out into the essence of the lush thicket that perfectly camouflage me. Look and you shall see...

When I grow bigger, I may be able to fast for weeks without food sometimes months. So you can say I'm pretty low-maintenance. Oh how I'm blessed with this myriad of small warm-blooded animals to survive on. That means I don't need to encroach into human space to steal food and then risk getting killed. This may be the case for me as long as I live in JapaMala but many others are not as fortunate...

My friends' habitats robbed, homes burnt or cut away to become new land for crops or human dwellings. They then risk getting killed by people when encroaching into human space whether in search for food or simply some place warm to hide in. People panic and think we will eat them but it's NEVER the case though. When we, snakes strike or attempt to bite, is when we're provoked or made to feel like our life is in danger. You would defend yourself too when you're frightened or feel like you're under attack, no?

Me, I know I'm safe here. This I heard, that the human workers here are never to lay a finger on any of us snakes. Therefore I'm allowed to meander around quietly and coil myself to sleep on beams and ceiling railings anywhere around the resort. Don't worry, I'm not poisonous. And trust me, I'd rather coil up, laze around, go to sleep and hibernate than go chasing after you, so please. Just let me be if you happen to notice me.

Isn't it so true that the best things in life are free? You shall now learn how I hunt and I don't even charge;) Pictures below demonstrate how lunch is supposed to be eaten.

First I ambush my 'food' when it passes. I distinguish my prey by the way they move and their odor. I have heat sensors on my lips so I can detact warmth pretty effectively. Then I strike with a bite. I immediately constricts it by coiling and wrapping it with my body. As I tighten my grip each time my victim exhales, I gradually suffocate it. Some people call me a muscle machine. I am, more so when I now have to elongate my victim before swallowing it whole, bit by bit.

My teeth were not designed to chew but used to pin down my meal so that it can't escape. Mmmm.... this one tastes like chicken.


So, here's a personal question...do you sometimes wonder how in the world am I ever good for this earth? Do you think I'm a slithery slimy evil bully that deserve to die? Good grief holy mother of heavens. You see.... people should stop making stupid movies like Snakes on a Plane! Or use the imagery of Satan as a serpent. I'm, we are, wronged for life and despised by y'all on the basis of ficticious perception? Not fair...so NOT fair.
I didn't even ask to be born in the first place. What's worse, not one of us has ever had the chance to offer our peace.

Until now. I beg you to understand. Like all the other animals on the face of this planet, I play an important role in your ecosystems. I put balance on this earth. You got too many rodents in your rice fields? Send me in! One too many squirrels chomping down fruits in your Garden of Eden? Use me! On this planet, I serve as both predator and yes, as prey too! Yes, I get hunted and eaten too you know, like everyone else. I'm slow therefore I make an easy victim for let's say, King Cobras. And I'm also far less aggressive in the wild as compared to what you've probably seen in pet shops, zoos or a friend's house. Gosh, just the thought of that sends shivers down my spine and I just wanna retreat into the fuzzy black hole I call home.

I was designed to hunt.... I don't know why, I just do. Animals have no power of choice. As if making a spiritual decision, making this squirrel my lunch was guided purely by instincts. I may seem cruel to you but that's the way the universe works, the law of the universe which I didn't create. Haven't you watched Madagascar? Is it friend or food? Perfect example of pure instincts. That's the way of life, get the drift?

You're a meat-eater too, aren't you? Well, then that makes us one... only you're much luckier as someone else does the dirty job of slaughtering the animals you call food, for you. Your chickens, ducks, cows and sheep probably see you like how you see me. Introspection, introspection, introspection people!

Don't forget, you supposedly 'warm-blooded' people also capture us from the comforts of our homes to satiate your personal desires. We either die a slow death being your show piece or pet in the terrarium, or painfully skinned alive in markets somewhere in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand or China, become your dinner or end up being the latest pair of designer shoes or hand bag you pompously strut around with. You may think I'm gross but I think you, humans are seriously sick. Even a spa fad??!

Have a heart folks. God gave you brains and made you the stronger species we will never be. Don't hate me just because I LOOK squirmy gross? I was born that way. And don't kill me because you THINK I'll hurt you. Honestly, I won't unless you hurt me first.

Remember the power of choice. Man has, but not nature. Not me, not us.
So, are we friends now?

Goodbye Ah Meng...

I woke up in Singapore this morning and read the newspaper's headline AH MENG DIES. I know the name...after all these years having left Singapore, I still remember her. Ah Meng was the face of Singapore Zoo and likely the most celebrated Sumatran orang utan in Asia. She died today, the 2nd day of Chinese New Year, of old age. She had been with the zoo here since '71, she was 48 (or in human terms, around 95).

Apparently Ah Meng was featured in 30 travel films, the subject of almost 270 media articles in the world and also became the first and only non-human recipient of the 'Special Tourism Ambassador' award in the city-state.

Not just a household name, Ah Meng is also the reminiscent of many of my wonderful childhood memories. Fun excursions to the zoo with classmates and teachers and many many more exciting field trips to the Botanical Gardens, Seletar Reservoir, Jurong Bird Park, Sentosa Island as well as the cool road safety driving range for children. Uniquely Singapore it is.... Whether it was the class parties at school or parties I used to throw at my home (at Upper Serangoon apartments), I treasure every one of those happy moments.

I look back today and see my life then, scented with all these great moments, many which kids today could only dream. Thanks to my friends and the incredibly fun and loving primary school teachers of Elling North Primary School. Each of them played a memorable role in making my childhood complete. My teachers were truly god's gift. They nurtured me like I was their own child. They had baked us cakes for class parties and were there to celebrate almost every one of my birthdays. My teachers were teachers who taught with heart.

Mr. Tang
Most favorite teacher of all time, he was my class teacher of Primary 4 & 5. This man adored me and spoilt me silly, he made the rest sick. He told me the Noah Ark's story.

Mrs. Ng
My very first class teacher ever ever. Primary 1, she made me Class Monitor. By far the one teacher who influenced me most, she started my nail-biting habit which I can't seem to kick. She used to stand me in front of the class to read a book, story-tell. She even put me in front of the school assembly every Monday, to say the pledge. For sure, I have her to thank for my self-confidence. By the way, I had a crush on her son, Roy since 8 for years!

Mrs.Ng

Mrs. Low
Primary 2. I remember her as a kind and soft-spoken person. Unassuming as she was, the impression she left is nothing less distinguished than the fiery –orange Flame of the Forest in the school field. My connection with nature began with a smell. The smell of fertilizer in our school’s own little botanical garden. She told me that beautiful white flower is a Frangipani and now that I've felt it and smelt it, I'll never forget it. She made it very easy for the 9-year-old me to remember how to spell 'Bouganvillea' perfectly.

Mrs. Fong - by far the most stylish teacher I've known, she's actually my brother's class teacher. But I remember she drove flashy cars which she parked at our apartments sometimes because her tailor lived in our block. I learnt of Princess Di from her frequent talk, obviously an admirer...she even played the video of the royal wedding in the school theatre. She also brought the subject of bone-marrow disease to light and the plight of Ethiopian children as well. She headed the girls' scout during that time, I remember her as a tall and chic woman. She once asked the hyperative me if I was lady or a monkey.

Mrs. Chan
How could I forget... she's my music teacher throughout Elling years. I learnt to play the Recorder and the Angklung in her classes, plus the tens of songs I’ve sang with her on the piano. Music teachers like Mrs.Chan are already extinct. How tragic.

Mrs.Chan

Mrs. Chiew
When Elling North & Elling South merged, she became my Primary 6 class teacher. Also my last teacher of the lot before I left for KL for good. She cried while bidding farewell to me in class, I cried, the whole class too ended up in tears. I was Asisstant Head Prefect.

So you see, after 25 years I still remember the faces of my teachers quite vividly, their voices too. I think I'd recognize them if I ever bumped into them... I think there's nothing more true to what Oprah once said :

"when someone makes an impression on your soul,
it is a heartprint"

Mr.Tang

And my memory of Ah Meng, just as vivid. She's synonymous with Singapore as much as she is with that era of my life. She's hence a part of this big beautiful picture of my fantastic childhood; grandma, aunties, school mates, wonderful teachers, parties and memorabilia like Flashdance, Michael Jackson's Thriller video, Abba's songs, Strawberry Shortcake, Lego and Scrabble!! Oh, Scrabble.... Scrabble equals Jacqueline, my one truly special girlfriend (also ex-neighbour) whom till this day I still see. Oh I love this woman.

Jacqueline then & now

Singapore is therefore a very important place in my life. Well, you can say I'm part Singaporean. Not by birth but I've lived here for 10 years... 10 amazing years, undeniably. Many people today naturally assume I'm a Singapore girl for some strange reason... I mean why, I definitely don't speak like one :P

Thanks to mum and dad for having made sound choices for their children's future or I would never have learnt Mandarin (oh yes... I can speak, read & write it, mind you. Thanks to Mrs.Lim).
Nor would I have understood the power of learning and the value of human connection. And, I would not be ME today, someone with purpose. Thank you to all who've enriched my childhood. I am truly blessed.

"In the end, we will only conserve what we love. We will only love what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught." - Baba Dioum

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