Last afternoon on Kinbatangan River

LAST GLIDE AROUND THE KINABANGTAN

Although the long tailed macaque is the most common primate in Malaysia - the one I saw today was a five star - for me!(our guide ranks animals by stars!). It was the tiniest little baby macaque (about 6 or 7 weeks old) who was exploring its world maybe for the first time. He was very mischievous, naughty, misbehaved and he reminded me of someone I know.  

He was curious and obviously wanted to explore. He was a risk taker and resilient because he tried to climb everything and kept on going even when he fell down - many times. His mother kept close to him, but WAS more interested in eating the seeds and berries, although at one point she gently put her big hand on his little head as if to say “calm down little one”. (that’s happened to me a few times, but Mum’s hand isn’t as big as the macaque’s). Here are some photos.

When we first came down the river 3 days ago an elephant herd greeted us but today just a mum and her bubby came close to the river’s edge to farewell us. There seems to be a lot of single mums and their child in Borneo - Orangutans, Pygmy elephants, pig tailed macaques, long tailed macaques, Proboscis monkeys - and Mum & me!!

Borneo elephants usually live in herds of 10 to 20, and feed along the river banks. A herd is led by a single senior female (just like Mum, she leads the herd at home). Males leave when they are sexually mature about 10 or 12 years old, but females seem to stay with the herd for life (unlike me who will ditch my herd to lead my own!). 

Another interesting fact, at least for me (you might not be that interested!) is that Borneo elephants’ tail almost touches the ground (the Asian and African don’t). 

We saw a yellow and black snake, I don’t know what type it was, except it was a poisonous mangrove one.