Take The Path Less Ordinary

What people don’t know about the jungle could easily fill up an emergency room.

Lurking hazards are everywhere and offer no warning. Before you trot into the countryside or jungle, any self respecting guide will usually give you a pep talk about possible dangers that may cross your path. The jungle is not all about fascinating “oohs” and “ahhs” here and there. Mind you, it can turn “yeowww” pretty quicky with the wrong moves and lack of knowledge. In case if you end up with a bad guide - or worst, one who doesn’t speak English - let us help steepen your learning curve ….

Kerengga ants

We can handle the nastiest wildlife but when we see kerengga coming - we duck.

These blood-red critters pack a nasty bite and it is the Malaysian version of fire ants. Unlike most ants that inject venom via their mandibles, the kerengga first bites the skin to open up a wound. Then it spits venom onto the exposed flesh. That’s a lot of work, but with thousands of them swarming all over you, starting a “fire” on your skin is just a matter of time.

Its scientific name is Ocoephylla smaradgina. Some people call it the “weaver” ant because the ant weaves a nest from leafs to house the colony.

Trees from the Sonneratia family in the mangrove forest emit nectar from tree trunks to entice kerengga colony to make nest on the spot. This symbiosis protects tree leafs from being nibble by herbivours. These ants can be found everywhere in Malaysia, especially on trees laden with ripe fruits. Like most ants, they work in numbers. If you see one, you can be sure thousands are somewhere lurking. So, back off.

Toman Fish

Don’t let calm water fool you.

We never step into any countryside lakes or ponds without first consulting the locals. We have scour the wetlands long enough to understand that the Giant Snakehead (Channa micropeltes) threat - sometimes known as Snakehead Murrel or Toman - is not to be taken lightly. It has a gregarious appetite and can pack a painful bite with its razor sharp teeth. It is known to snap up small monkeys, cats, ducks and would not hesitate to gnaw your legs if you wade in its hunting ground.

Toman is one mean looking fish. It looks like Frankenfish experiment gone wrong. Toman can grow up to 1.5m weighing in excess of 20kg. Tales of giant Tomans wounding anglers and swimmers are common.

Snakeheads are Old World fishes belonging to the order Perciformes, family Channidae. They have protruding lower jaws, long narrow torpedo-shaped bodies that taper in depth toward the tail, long dorsal and anal fins without spines, and long toothed mouths. It is a voracious top-level predator, meaning that it has no natural enemy. With air- breathing ability (it can survive up to 4 days without water), the Toman can waddle to other ponds with its powerful side fins for new hunting spots and propagation.

It is so dangerous that California and other fourteen states in the US prohibit snakeheads as pets in 2002 after some were found in a pond in Crofton, Maryland, about 20 miles north east of Washington, D.C. It was believed that they were imported as pets and later ditched into the pond when they grew too big for their aquariums.

Snakes

Now, don’t get us wrong. One rarely cross path with any snake on a jungle trip.

Like we mentioned before, 90% of rainforest wildlife is nocturnal, snakes included, and most will be quietly tucked in nooks and hidden corners to sleep during day time. However, there is a small chance one will cross path with an insomnia one if you go off-the-beaten-path often enough.

It is impossible to learn and identify all types of snakes in the rainforest - there’re just too many. So, let’s treat all as poisonous and try not to get friendly with them. Yes, we know there’re people who travel to “interact” and get up close with wildlife. You can “interact” with fishes, lizards and butterflies but never snakes.

Not all snakes back off - 99% of Malaysian snakes scoot off upon being approach by trekkers, but NOT this one. We crossed path with this beauty, a highly poisonous Wagler’s Pit-Viper (top), Trimeresurus wagleri, in Gunung Chante. More commonly known as Temple’s Pit Viper, this breed has an unusual habit of remaining motionless for a long period of time and posts danger to trekkers brushing by unknowingly. It hunts with a lie-and-wait approach. Knotting its tail on branches to prevent from falling off, it also knows a thing or two about insurance.

To stay away from snakes, one has to think like a snake. Here’re the facts : you’re cold-blooded, need daytime sleep and can only swallow prey the size of your mouth.

Well, first of all, you would naturally want to stay clear from peopled places for undisturbed sleep, right? Secondly, why hunt and waste precious poison on humans? No snakes, except pythons (that’s another story), can swallow a 60kg trekker. Snakes would rather tag small mammals or other bite-size meal. Also, after a long cold night and being cold-blooded, you’ll want some warming up in the morning before you go to sleep again. And so, you actively seek out sunny spots to bask. Simply put, stumbling on frisky snakes are more likely to happen in early morning. If you ask us, the best time for jungle treks is between 10am - 7pm.

Lastly, human footsteps sound like earthquakes to snakes on the forest floor. Most snakes won’t want to hang around to see who’s coming and would’ve scooted off 20 paces away. So, take heart. Snakes want to stay out of the way as much as we do.

So, to avoid snakes, the mantra should be …..

- Try to do all trekking in day time.
- Make lots of footstep noises when trekking.
- Don’t run. Walk slowing. Give these critters time to back off.
- Look carefully before you grab on any branch for balance on rutted path.
- Avid photographers have a bad habit of veering off from the trekking group abruptly when spotting a good subject. Go slow and tell your guide of your intentions. Don’t be too engrossed with angles and getting good shots.

Jelatang a.k.a Malaysian poison ivy

If there are any plants you should be aware of in the rainforest, the jelatang should top your list. Because a slight brush with its ordinary looking leaves will give you an extraordinary itch and burning sensation for the next few days.

Even the fiercest tigers and biggest elephants are known to scoot off at the sight of jelatang. On contact, one’s skin will experience a hellish burning sensation that will last for 3-4 days. Washing with water or lotion application won’t help. Nothing can curb it.

Looking out for jelatang is already hard during day time as they are usually tucked among other plants but at night, it becomes impossible. After dark, it’s best to put on a long-sleeved shirt and long pants before going into the jungle. You’ll never know where they lurk. A gentle wipe on the face is all that’s needed to spoil your holiday. That’s why, hiring a good Orang Asli guide who knows local floral and fauna is money well spent.

The funny thing about jelatang is, if one touches it with the palm of the hand, it’s OK. Anywhere else is a no-no. Botanists have no explanation for this.

Whatisname

Others can call it what they want but “Ouch !!” suits us fine.

From far, pink dollups of flowers make the scrub look attractive. But go close enough and you’ll discover its replusive nature. It is not the plant to accidently fall into.

Yup, we got this thorn bruise on purpose, just to show you what it’s like to rub by on bare skin

Babi Hutan

Forget about tigers and carnivorous animals. Your worst four-legged nightmare in the jungle would most probably be a herbivor.

Say hello to babi hutan, or the Malayan wild boar (Sus scrofa). They are everywhere and crossing path with them is high possibility - come day or night, 24/7. They usually travel in groups of 5-20 and you can bet the alpha male would be around to give one a nasty welcome. They have bad eye sight but make it up with a very good sense of smell.

One may ask: How on earth an animal that looks so cute can cause any harm?

Well, when defending their feeding ground and nest, an alpha male is very aggressive and its sharp teeth - and tusks - pack the wallop. Despite weighting up to 300kg and growing roughly 1.8m in length, they are anything but clumsy. Thousands of years living with tigers and other carnivores as neighbours have made them fierce fighters - and they have good speed too. Believe us, we have not met anyone who can out run a charging boar in the rutted jungle floor.

Babi hutan’s lair is made of dried grass and leaves. This photo was taken behind a cluster of bamboo as protective barrier. We have a lot of respect for them, mind you. It’s not advisable to go near lairs anyway, empty or not, because many are brimming with ticks

So, one can imagine all that momentum and locomotion aiming at your sorry behind. The sight isn’t going to be pretty. At best, you could climb up the nearest tree. Or make a dash for the nearest river and dive in.

Whenever we come across fresh tracks or muddy grounds stampeded by group of babi hutan, we always quit trekking and head back to base camp. We have seen trekkers and hunters with badly gnawed rears. It’s good reason enough for us to call it a day.

More good reads

1. Leeches …. arrghh
2. What to pack for a jungle trip