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Into the heart of nature

You can hardly walk 10 metres in the rainforest without tripping over a different species of plant, insect or bird

RICH BIODIVERSITY A sampling of the stunning variety of flora and fauna found at Taman Negara PHOTOS: ANAND SANKAR

"All the tigers have fled from India to Malaysia because you shoot them," my guide said. The tigers now living in India speak Tamil, he added. I gave him a grimace that said: "Spare me the torture." And he laughed: "Relax, just joking!"

This conversation happened while trying to pass time during the two-and-a-half-hour boat ride to the Taman Negara National Park in northern Malaysia. Coming from India, I had an impression that Malaysia was a small country, but the boat ride made me truly appreciate distances. The park, which is a protected rain forest and tiger reserve, is totally cut-off from civilisation and the only way to reach it is to take a 45-km boat ride on the winding Sungai Tembling river.

As soon as I got on the boat, I felt like I was transported to the set of some Vietnam War movie. The boat was the traditional long boat fitted with a powerful engine. It skimmed the water's surface while zigzagging across the wide and muddy river to avoid submerged rocks and fallen branches. The eastern bank of the river is a dense forest, while the western bank has partial forest cover and a few tribal settlements. I almost felt as if some Vietcong guerrilla unit might ambush us with rockets from the jungles! But the ride was smooth with only the constant drone of the engine to contend with.

The last stand

Now, why all the talk about tigers? The 4,000-plus square kilometres of Taman Negara is home to over 200 Malaysian (Indo-Chinese) tigers (Panthera tigris corbetti). It is the place where the tiger is making its last stand in Southeast Asia. With populations in Thailand, Southern China, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam decimated, the protection offered by Taman Negara is very valuable. The other tiger populations in Southeast Asia are only found in the Indonesian islands of Bali and Sumatra and they are a different species altogether.

In addition to the tiger, the clouded leopard, Asian elephant, macaques, sambhar deer, mouse deer, barking deer and wild boar are the other large mammals that inhabit the forest. But for any tourist going from India, the rainforest is something of a culture shock. In the rainforest, you are lucky if you see five feet into the vegetation. So, spotting any of the big game is sheer luck. My forest guide, who had worked in the forest for over a decade, had seen the tiger only twice, the clouded leopard once and the elephant a handful of times. What you must appreciate in the rainforest, though, is the sheer bio-diversity. You can hardly walk 10 metres without tripping over a different species of plant, insect or bird, and this is exactly what the activities at Taman Negara intend to showcase.

To truly explore the place one needs at least four days but I tried to do it in 36 hours. My first activity once I got off the boat was to join the night walk into the forest. Armed with torches that cut through the pitch black of the night, we made our way into the forest. A few steps and we found our first specimen — a giant spider crawling down the bark of a tree. Soon we saw dozens of stick insects sleeping motionless beneath leaves. A huge black scorpion came out of its burrow only to be frightened by our presence. The sting of the scorpions found here are not very poisonous, unlike the desert scorpions, my guide said. The highlight of the night walk was seeing the birds perched motionless on branches, fast asleep. The number of birds that you find is mind-boggling. Rows of parakeets sleep, blinded by the night, and you almost feel like reaching out and picking up one to take home. At the end of the walk, you are taken to a hide (watch tower) erected near the edge of a natural salt marsh. All the animals have to come to this muddy pool to get their daily dose of minerals. If you stay silent, you can watch herds of deer, with their eyes shining in the powerful torch beam, come out for a drink.

The next morning I decided to explore the forest on my own, armed with a trail map. I set out early just as the early morning light was filtering through the thick canopy, but the forest floor was still dark. Just a few minutes into the forest, I realised that it was quite dumb to set out without a guide. As the forest closes in around you it is hard to not feel claustrophobic. Giant tree roots snake around the forest floor and resemble giant lizards in the dim light.

Since this forest is always "alive", there is constant rustling in the bushes and every rustle feels like a predator is stalking you. Every species here has to face a constant battle for survival.

A troop of macaques swing in the canopy over my head and one monkey came down to pick a shiny red fruit that is protected by a nest of thorns. After a couple of attempts and some pain, the monkey got its way.

Even though it was hardly 7 a.m., the humidity was stifling. Rivers of sweat was running down my face and my shirt and trousers were soaked. Finally, after 30 minutes of fast walking, I reached my destination — the canopy walkway.

The Malay Forest Department has built a rope bridge over the forest canopy so that visitors can explore the diversity there. But to my disappointment I found that its entrance was padlocked and a board said it opens only at 9.30 a.m. I trudged back to camp, head down, and was almost there when I froze on hearing a really big rustle in the bushes ahead of me. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears and I moved forward with my camera tripod held in front of me for self-defence.

I stepped back in fright as the creature emerged from the bushes, but the wild boar squealed in fright that seemed definitely greater than mine, and rushed off into the undergrowth.

That's Taman Negara for you.

Travel tips

To get to Taman Negara, you have to first take a bus to Kuala Tembling jetty. The journey takes about three hours from Kuala Lumpur. There are only two buses every day — one departs from Hotel Crown Plaza at Kuala Lumpur City Centre and another from Hotel Mandarin Pacific at Chinatown. Both depart at 8.45 a.m.

At the jetty you have to get a permit to enter the forest (one Malay Ringgit per head) and a permit for photography (five Malay Ringgit per camera). The boat ticket costs 50 Ringgit per head for a round trip.

At the park accommodation, food can be found at the Mutiara Taman Negara Resort. They offer dormitories priced at 75 Ringgit to 1,200 Ringgit for a bungalow per night. But they have a campsite where you can pitch tent for 14 Ringgit. The best thing to do is opt for the package deals that the resort offers. It includes transport, room rent, food and activities.

For bookings visit www.mutiarahotels.com.

Be prepared

Always carry enough water while entering the rainforest, as the risk of dehydration is high. Wear comfortable shoes and cotton socks. Ankle-length boots are best because they prevent leech bites.

Only cotton works in the humidity, wearing synthetic materials is lunacy. Avoid bright colours and perfumes are a strict no. Trail maps are available to guide you on treks but it is advisable to take a guide along.

ANAND SANKAR

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