|
   |
|
Letters From the Field is a
blog written by contributors studying or
working with animals in their natural
habitats. It is a compilation of their
stories and/ or experiences.
If you would like to share your experiences
by contributing to this blog, please
contact us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latest stories
|
|
|
|
Asian Elephant
By Kaitlyn-Elizabeth Foley
Six years ago I was fortunate enough to see
elephants while doing some research in
Thailand. During my stay I visited the
Elephant Park in Chiang Mai, a sanctuary and
rescue centre for elephants. Here I learned
about the plight of these magnificent
creatures. I hope you enjoy the photos and
brief blog about the Asian elephant, a truly
wonderful animal ...
read>> |
|
|
Stick Your Nose In to Help Save Theirs
 By
Danica Stark
Proboscis monkeys, also called Bekantan,
received the nickname “monyet belanda”
(“Dutch Monkey”) for the resemblance first
noticed when Dutch colonizers arrived in
Borneo, characterized by large bellies and
noses. Up to 1999, proboscis monkeys were
listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, but as
their population numbers have estimated to
decrease more than 50% (but less than 80%)
in the last 36-40 years, they have been
categorized as Endangered since 2000. read>> |
|
|
Doris ... The Apple of My Eye
By William O'Neill
This 7-year-old orangutan is Doris and she
is responsible for melting my heart and
leaving me with the best memories from
MWC.
She is extremely docile and quite the
"people ape". Her mother was killed
when she was one-year-old and Doris
eventually found her way to MWC. She has
been released a total of 3 times and she
kept coming back. I am not saying that she
roamed free but just came back to the center
every once in a while ...
read>> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous Blogs
|
|
|
|
Piping Plover
By Kaitlyn-Elizabeth Foley
This month I am back home in Rhode Island.
Nothing beats going for a hike in the woods
or taking a leisurely stroll along one of
the many beautiful beaches. It all too often
sounds exotic and fascinating to be working
overseas in tropical climates with wildlife,
including primates. However, I never forget
my roots ...
read >> |
|
Too-ra-loo-ra-loirs
By Kaitlyn-Elizabeth Foley
I have always had a passion for wildlife and
conservation, with an emphasis on primates.
While a student at University, I was amazed
to learn about the family lorisidae
comprising of lorises and pottos. Neither
monkeys nor apes, the lorisidae fall under
the strepsirhini primates which also
includes lemurs, galagos, and the aye-aye.
In this blog, I would like to discuss the
slow lorises, their current threats, and
what you can do to help these large eyed,
furry primates.
read >> |
Baby Mamu
By William O'Neill
This is Mamu and she is a 2-year-old female
at
MWC. The last photo, below, of her on top of
the enclosure was my first sighting of any
orangutan at the center. It was an extremely
moving moment to see this beautiful ape
freely roaming the center. I have seen
plenty of orangutans in zoos I have visited,
but nothing compared to seeing an orangutan
outside of an enclosure.
read>> |
A Tree of Their Own
By
Danica Stark
Travelling down the rivers of Borneo, you
may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of
the unusual and distinct proboscis monkey.
Borneo is home to approximately 44 mammals
species while are endemic to Borneo, one of
which is the proboscis monkey (Nasalis
larvatus), who occupy some of the most
threatened habitat types in Borneo. read>> |
Hold That Tiger
 By
Kaitlyn-Elizabeth Foley
Tigers are symbolic of progress, strength,
courage and luck. These beautiful big cats
are highly revered and serve as national
icons for Malaysia, India, and Bangladesh.
Unfortunately, if you ask many children
today where tigers come from, they will tell
you 'the zoo'. Habitat degradation and
hunting pressures are heavily influencing
the tiger's near extinction in the wild.
read>> |
The Mighty Aman
By William O'Neill
This male orangutan is the mighty Aman. He
is the iconic orangutan at Matang and has
been in the newspaper numerous times. He is
the first orangutan, and possibly the first
great ape, to have cataract surgery.
read>> |
Why Are Millions of Macaques Coming Out of
Southeast Asia?
 By
Kaitlyn-Elizabeth Foley
Macaques are traded to supply demand from
pet and meat markets, and for use in
biomedical research. Long-tailed macaques (Macaca
fascicularis) are the most heavily
traded macaque species in Southeast Asia.
Breeding facilities have been
established in
Viet Nam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Indonesia to
supply the ever increasing demand for
macaques.
read>> |
My Summer in Sarawak
 By
William O'Neill
Matang Wildlife Center (MWC) is located in
Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The facility was
built and create around 1998. The center is
fairly new when compared to other, more
established rehabilitation centers such as
Sepilok, Tanjung Puting National Park, and
Wanariset. These centers run at full
capacity and sometimes exceed the number of
orangutans they can comfortably accommodate.
read>>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
