Two of the HOSCAP Borneo team – John and Seth – work with researchers from the Leibniz Institute, Berlin , to monitor wildlife in Deramakot Forest Reserve, Sabah. This is the first logging concession in Malaysia to be certified as sustainably managed by the international standard Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The way things are done in Deramakot are VERY different from the way things are done in Sarawak logging concessions! Sarawak and Sarawakians have a LONG way to go before we can claim to have any idea how to manage our forests sustainably. Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone!

John Mathai_HOSCAP Borneo at Carnivore Symposium

John Mathai taking soil samples in Deramakot FR, Sabah

John Mathai collecting soil samples

Field Team_IZW+HOSCAP Borneo

Jurgen Niedballa showing Len how to transfer camera trap data

Forest Camp

Local research assistants, Jereo and Bendy, out fishing

Following a stream to get to a survey point

Cantor’s Giant Softshell or Frog-faced Softshell Turtle (Pelochelys cantorii)

Cooking fish by the fire

A damaged camera trap, with fresh elephant tracks all around

Asian Giant Tortoise (Manouria emys) crossing a logging road

Measuring fruits with a Rite in the Rain notepad. courtesy of Peter Wimberger

More beautiful forest mushrooms

Beautiful forest mushroom

Gibbons through the binoculars from the field station

Jurgen Niedballa showing one of our local research assistants, Len, how to fill out habitat data forms

Horsehoe bat hiding out from the rain

Spiny turtle, Heosemys spinosa, or Malayan Flat-shelled Turtle, Notochelys platynota

Entering and surveying the harvesting area

Seth Wong walking through a stream

Azlan Mohamed and some local research assistants following a stream to get to a survey point

Azrie and Kinduk resting after a long days work

The field station – living quarters at the Sabah forestry complex, Deramakot Forest Reserve, Sabah

Forest ginger and ferns for dinner

Bornean keeled pit viper

Lantern bug

Azrie with the compass

More ferns! Heading off to the survey point

Azlan Mohamed and Azrie in a sea of ferns

John Mathai & team waiting for a lift back to the field station

John Mathai showing the new local research assistants how to set up camera traps

Fresh elephant tracks along an old logging road

Active harvesting area

John Mathai & Azlan Mohamed mapping out roads and access in Deramakot Forest Reserve, Sabah

John Mathai with HOSCAP Borneo and Leibniz Institute researchers

John Mathai with Leibniz Institute team in Deramakot FR, Sabah

John Mathai showing Azrie how to construct habitat plots