Author: Kautham Sivabalan

Apa Cerita Pulai Hari Ini? Si Pulai sees a quick skink slipping across the sun-warmed path. Introducing, Many-lined sun skink (Eutropis multifasciata), a small reptile that keeps the forest floor lively.     Amid the leaf litter and the soft sunlight filtering onto the forest floor lives a companion that may seem ordinary, yet is…

Apa Cerita Pulai Hari Ini? Si Pulai greets a tall forest tree known by its local name Penarahan (Horsfieldia superba), a deep-rooted native that belongs to the old woodland heartbeat.     “Your sap runs red again, old friend. Is it pain that makes you bleed?”   “Not pain, Si Pulai—but memory. This red sap…

Apa Cerita Pulai Hari Ini? Si Pulai notices a quiet living patch clinging to bark and stone. Introducing, Lichen, a tiny alliance that tells the story of clean air and patient growth.     Along the corners of the Pulai Trail, there exists a companion often overlooked: lichen. It is neither a plant nor an…

Apa Cerita Pulai Hari Ini? Si Pulai looks skyward and sees a powerful raptor riding the air above the trees. Introducing, Crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela), a guardian of the forest sky.     The Crested Serpent Eagle has dark brown feathers all over its body, with white spots or bars on its shoulders and…

Apa Cerita Pulai Hari Ini? Si Pulai waits for dusk and watches tiny lanterns blink between the leaves. Introducing, Fireflies (Lampyridae), nature’s soft lights that turn the forest into a glowing path.     “Little ones, your light is dimmer tonight. What troubles you?”    “The town’s bright lights confuse us. Some of us cannot…

Apa Cerita Pulai Hari Ini? Si Pulai passes a hardy palm standing tough in the forest shade. Introducing, Bertam (Eugeissona tristis), a rugged palm that anchors the tropical understory with quiet strength.     Our friend can be seen all around you—the Bertam palm. It is one of the early settlers (a pioneer species) in…

Apa Cerita Pulai Hari Ini? Si Pulai hears a sharp call and spots a white flash by the water’s edge. Introducing, White-throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis), a bright hunter that brings the riverbank to life.       The White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) is a beautiful, easily recognizable bird. Our friend has a dark brown head,…

Apa Cerita Pulai Hari Ini? Si Pulai finds a climbing vine winding through the shaded trail edge. Introducing, Akar gasing bukit (Cyclea laxiflora), a forest climber with a quiet but persistent grip.     The clusters of our climbing plant are stunning—hanging like luxurious lamps! Cyclea laxiflora features a circular growth structure (from Greek “kyklos,”…

Apa Cerita Pulai Hari Ini? Si Pulai spots a twig-like insect swaying gently with the leaves. Introducing, Green-striped flying insect (Presbistus peleus), a master of camouflage in the forest breeze.     “Hey, Si Pulai!”     Huh, who’s there?     “Here, look carefully.”     Oh my, it’s you, Green Striped Flying Stick! Haven’t seen you…

Apa Cerita Pulai Hari Ini? Si Pulai points to a fast-growing forest vine, the Rattan, whose flexible stems have supported both jungle life and generations of local craftsmanship.     Our friend here is a type of climbing palm with about 104 species recorded in Malaysia. Its stems are renowned for making baskets, bindings, ropes,…