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Habitatnews 2003-03: Sunday, 16th February 2003
The Habitat Group's Nature Information List
To subscribe, email: habitatnews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Nature-related news for the busy Singaporean.
Information and archives at: <http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg>
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Contents
- NWF Grand Prize winner – Malaysia: Kingfishers on a no fishing sign.
- "New lows in the highlands" by S. S. YOGA
- “Three men and a fish”, one of my favourite stories reissued.
---> [1] NWF's Annual Photo Contest: Grand Prize Winner: Malaysia.
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“Photo Contest” By Amy Leinbach
The winners of the magazine's thirty-first annual photography competition.
Wildlife Online, Vol. 40 (1), 16 Feb 2003, National Wildlife Federation, USA (NWF)
<http://nwf.m0.net/m/s.asp?HB8256155141X2254662X164047X>
“If timing is everything, then Koh Kok Hwa couldn't have chosen a better
time to be in the right place. The Malaysian retiree was out walking near
his home when he saw a male collared kingfisher feeding some fledglings.
Luckily, Koh had his camera with him and was able to capture an
extraordinary image of the birds on film. That image was selected by the
editors as the grand-prize of National Wildlife's thirty-first annual
photography competition. View this stunning photo along with the other
eleven winning entries. Enjoy the show!”
Editor - See some breathtaking shots by photographers who travelled far and
wide, chanced upon scenes or just staked out in their backyards!
<http://nwf.m0.net/m/s.asp?HB8256155141X2254662X164047X>
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---> [2] "New lows in the highlands" by S. S. YOGA
The Star Online, Tuesday, February 11, 2003<http://www.thestar.com.my/news/archives/default.asp?ppath=\2003\2\11&psect=Features>
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‘THIS is Blue Valley in Cameron Highlands, swathed in controversy after a
developer tried to level a hilly site to fit in a hydroponics farm. The
public uproar that followed is echoing through the hills, drawing into focus
the sad state of affairs at the highland resort which has, over the years,
been carved up to feed private interests.’
Excerpt - "IT’S the same old tune that has been played time and again. A sad
song of wanton destruction of the environment, of illegal carving of the
land for selfish gains, followed by the media splash and subsequent public
outcry.
The authorities rush out from their offices to give statements and promise
to do something; committees are formed and recommendations are made – it’s
part of the dance ritual that accompanies the song. Then the song stops for
a while and all is seemingly calm and under control. But not for long.
This time no less a person than the Prime Minister himself has decided that
the song and dance routine must stop." ...
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---> [3] A classic angler tale from 1999
-------------------------------------------------------------------“Three men and a fish” by Tommy Tan
Originally published in Habitatnews No. 99-63: Friday, 31st December 1999
Tanjung Berlayar (Labrador Beach) Park jetty, Monday, 27th December 1999.
I meant to go fishing at Pulau Ubin last Monday (27 Dec 1999), but with sea
levels at an all-time high, and two young kids in tow, I opted for the
safety of Labrador Park instead. Reaching there, we walked onto the recently
completed jetty judging by the barnacle-free pillars.
Being an inexperienced angler, I decided to catch relatively easy prey - the
Congaturi halfbeaks [Hyporhamphus limbatus]. Approaching another fisherman
with his two kids, I asked them about their day. A highly excited kid
proudly talked about his prized catch of two halfbeaks.
With their leave, I start fishing at the same location. Surprisingly, I
hooked a halfbeak within seconds. The second cast got me two more, and
within 30 minutes, I had caught more than 10 fishes. The now disgruntled kid
complained to his father about the situation (he was no longer catching
fish) but was graciously advised that there were many more fish in the sea.
I was too embarrassed to continue, and abandoned the spot.
Reaching the other end of the jetty, we watched three young men fishing with
a hand reel and an empty film canister as floater. Amazingly, they had
acquired a decent catch, and were outperforming the other fishermen, who
were well equipped with rod and reel.
One couple in particular were intent on some serious fishing. Initially
catching small fish, they used these as bait on a larger hook. Casting off
far away into the sea, they waited.
It was quite Monday evening and everyone enjoyed the quiet ambience of the
waves washing against the jetty. Then, the couple shouted - a huge fish had
been hooked!
Initially coming straight for the jetty, it suddenly started swimming
parallel to it, forcing the couple to run along the jetty to keep up. They
created a stir as they shouted "Skew me! Skew me!" to the scattered crowd
which had been leaning on the jetty railing.
Taking turns on the rod, the couple struggle a long time with the fish.
Eventually, it approached the jetty. Just as they thought they had him, the
fish accelerated under the jetty. The crowd, following this scene intently,
realised that the line was now in danger from the rough jetty edge. True
enough, the line broke, the man and his wife were disgusted, and the crowd
sighed with disappointment.
Throughout all this, the three men had not abandoned their home-made
equipment. In fact, one of them started reeling in his line just then. Lo
and behold! The large fish that had escaped the couple earlier had run out
of luck. The remnants of the torn line had entangled with young men's
fishing line, and was being reeled in to the fascination of the crowd.
The drama did not end there - the two lines then got caught between some
pillars, and the fish, a sea catfish (Arius sp.), was floating in between
them. Now there was a problem - how to collect the fish without getting the
thin lines cut again? Many people began offering their opinions about
recovering the fish. And typically, the non-fisherfolk had the most
opinions.
Finally, someone cut one of the lines, and the catfish was landed. Then the
crowd got really interested. Who keeps the fish? The couple, who originally
hooked and drew the fish in, or the three lucky young men whose simple line
had entangled the escaping fish?
The problem was resolved peacefully when the couple offered the three young
men a slightly smaller catfish caught earlier. The young men agreed - they
had a fish they could eat, the couple had a fish they could photograph, and
everyone else was satisfied and there was peace in the world (except for the
poor fish).
The crowd dispersed. Everyone went back to their little spot in the jetty.
The couple carried their big catfish back with a big grin. The three young
men carried their smaller catfish to their own spot. Carefully putting a
raffia string through the operculum (gill opening), they began gently
lowering it into the sea to keep it alive and fresh.
The string broke, there was a big splash, and the fish got away.
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