# General > Member's Lounge > Nature and Conservation >  My trip to Endau Rompin during the weekend

## Simon

Along with some butterflies buddies, we left for Endau Rompin for our scheduled survey on the local butterfly population in the nature reserve. We joined up with the Fish group from MNS. This time round was to survey the Peta campsite. The bio-diversity is some much different compared to SG, we were greeted with hoards of butterflies upon reaching the boundary of ER.

sights like this is common there, on the dirt track


and river banks


.

We reached to ER visitor center and found this species, which was said to be only found in the mountains. Considered very rare. Stated in our butterfly reference book as a species not seen here since the last century

wrongly IDed, shld be _Taenaris horsefieldii_

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## Simon

seen here, me and another buddy on the track  :Razz:  


we travel by boat to our destination, along the river of Sg Endau



Logging in the forest has caused errosion which raised the level of the river bank that makes boating thru parts of the river a little bit more challenging

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## Simon

our camp site



this is what we normally do after dinner  :Razz:  



a freshwater catfish caught


pictures shown belongs to Gan CW and Soon chye

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## Simon

some more pix

water is collected from the river, boiled for coffee and tea  :Laughing:  


bathing time  :Angel:  


another shot of our camp site

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## Simon

forgotten to add, we got 2 Orang Asli aka native aborigine people as boatman and cooks.

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## ranmasatome

Ahh...Mud puddling... :Smile:  great ain't it... did a paper on this behaviour last year.. :Smile:

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## Simon

> Ahh...Mud puddling... great ain't it... did a paper on this behaviour last year..


great?  :Shocked:

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## hwchoy

wow! reminds me of my trip to Gunung Tahan all those years ago, when the only way there is by boat.

you guys must be so sweaty and stinko, because butts like to land on your sweaty bare backs to lick the salt.

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## Simon

nope, the ride there was a breeze, becoz it was downstream.. got my body drench when pushing the boat, lose footing into deeper water, luckily got hold of the boat.. or else be drinking alot of river water

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## ranmasatome

Yeah...GREAT!! as in why they do it and the behaviour behind mud-puddling for butterflies.. its actually quite intrigueing..if you're interested i can get you the paper that we did or reccomend you some papers on this behaviour.. :Smile:

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## Simon

nah, have enough reference books to occupy myself already ;P, the book on Butterflies of the Malay Peninsular will keep me busy for many many months

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## hwchoy

> a freshwater catfish caught
> 
> 
> pictures shown belongs to Gan CW and Soon chye


mmm looks like a _Batasio_  :Huh?:  mind if I post it in another forum for ID?

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## hwchoy

see that you guys are camping on the sand bank. does this place gets flooded during rainy season?

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## Simon

be my guest... most likely those fish guys from MNS might have IDed it. I just dunno about it  :Razz: 

yes, the water level varies from time to time, from the pier we left from. The orang alis tied their boat right at the top. (we have to walk down slope for 50m). so you can imagine how high the water will be during the monsoon period

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## benny

Looks fun!

What other fishes did you guys see?

Cheers,

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## Simon

kekee... some rasbora, a few diff goby (one looks like soon hock :P).. the rest I dun really know. I'm a plant guy. (no crypts seen, only a strange looking aquatic plant.. ) have to ask around and see if anyone took a shot of it

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## ranmasatome

Haiz...must go get a permit to do some collections there...lol...it looks pretty awesome!

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## Simon

collection? I rather go there to enjoy :P

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## Green Baron

> Looks fun!
> What other fishes did you guys see?


Not many species and nothing exotic this time as we only have a few hours to sample the main river. 

Cheers,



> Haiz...must go get a permit to do some collections there...lol...it looks pretty awesome!


Sorry, no collecting allowed in the nature reserve  :Grin:

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## catus36

I went there 4yrs ago, the water in the river is very clear with a spendid waterfall.

However, during my trip, i was staying at a environmental friendly chalet styled longhouse. The place is powered by solar energy and using mountain spring water to bath, plus using wood to cook our food, very relaxing and enjoying.
Will try to post some of my trip pixs.

Cheers

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## Green Baron

> I went there 4yrs ago, the water in the river is very clear with a spendid waterfall.
> 
> However, during my trip, i was staying at a environmental friendly chalet styled longhouse. The place is powered by solar energy and using mountain spring water to bath, plus using wood to cook our food, very relaxing and enjoying.
> Will try to post some of my trip pixs.
> 
> Cheers


That is the NERC (Nature Research and Education Center) at Peta side. That is where we usually stay but for this trip we camp along the river. The facilities at NERC is very good - clean bed, water, electricity and catered meals

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## Simon

And the water used in the toilet smells the same as the one they serve u :P

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## ranmasatome

> Not many species and nothing exotic this time as we only have a few hours to sample the main river. 
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Sorry, no collecting allowed in the nature reserve


Collection possible when you have a permit and follow certain park guidelines.. :Smile:  and of course strictly only for scientific purposes.. :Smile: 
i've done some bees there.. :Smile:

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## andrewtyr

eh, the last time I was this close to nature, was when I was at Outward Bound School. Also fun but more to a physical side. There are many nice islands around Singapore but still secondary forest. 
I can still vividly remember the sandfly bites while camping by the river bed.

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## Blue Angel

wow.........  :Shocked:   :Shocked:   :Shocked:

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## sayhitojason

Yeah... ditto OBS. Those were the days....

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