New Book
This book, Fuelling Sovereignty, contains a chapter on the formation of Brunei as an oil-rich country. Doi:10.1017/9781009444309
Checklists of Beetles
Two checklists of beetles, one from Sarikei and one from the limestone karsts of southern Sarawak have been published. https://doi.org/10.17576/serangga-2023-2803-10…https://doi.org/10.17576/serangga-2023-2803-03
New Species
A new species of Cicadidae has been made known to science from Sabah.
Brunei Beliefs
The change from Islam and traditional beliefs to pure Islam in the Malay community of Brunei is discussed in this essay. https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v5i2.354
Species in reforested lowlands
We quantified wildlife presence in two reforestation areas of Gunung Palung National Park (GPNP), one of the top biodiversity hotspots in Indonesian Borneo. Forty-seven wildlife species were recorded, including mammals (31 species), birds (14 species), and reptiles (2 species). Eighteen of these species are listed as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Tropical Natural History 24(2024): 8-19
Human Disturbance and Bearded pigs, Sambar deer
We found travelling with bearded pigs that they became active during the day time. The deer were active at both day and night periods. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4279935/v1
Turtles
An article about turtle politics in the Sarawak Museum appears in the publication “Transnational Island Museologies”. Interestingly, it discusses the floods of 1963 and how the Museum was directly responsible for the rains because a fisherman caught a live river turtle and donated it to the Museum. The Museum placed it in a tub and it was only released after Curator Harrisson traded it for three jade pieces. The rains stopped after that. see p. 175 in Transnational Island Museologies or I have a copy.
Giant Turtle
We present here the complete mitochondrial sequence of the critically endangered Malaysian giant turtle, Orlitia borneensis. The assembled mitochondrial genome includes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), and one control region.
Worms and Lizards
The Asian Water Monitor Lizard, Varanus salvator, an endangered species used for the pet trade, grilled as satay and grilled meat provides relief from skin diseases and provides for sexual prowess according to Indonesian lore. However, the lizard is infected with many worms. The research found that 95.5% of the tested lizards were infected with worms that cause a problem for human health. Herpetology Notes, volume 17: 277-284 (2024) (published online on 3 May 2024)
Swallow Tail Butterflies
In this study, no differences in colour were discovered in the butterflies that were collected at different heights in the mountains of Sulawesi. The butterflies were not affected by climate change. DOI: 10.1111/icad.12744
Palm Oil
Rodents have been studied as to the effects of palm oil on their health. However, no conclusions can be reached because of the differences between rodents and humans. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuae038
New Species
A new species of Mayfly has been made known to scientists from Kalimatan. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17327
Orangutan
Our results suggest that orangutan populations in Borneo could potentially recover from recent declines if the removal of orangutans by hunting, retaliatory killings, capture and translocation is reduced, and habitat connectivity is maintained within human-modified landscapes. https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/105835
Selako People
The Nyangahant ritual is a celebration dedicated to the god Jubata among the Selako People. They ask for help in times of trouble, protection from threats and calamities, blessings, fertility, and wealth. The foods convey symbols of deep symbolism and cultural significance in the Nyangahant ritual. DOI:10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i8/18011
Cancer in Brunei
This article discusses the cancers in Brunei and their causes. The top three are colorectal, breast and lung cancer overall with lung cancer topping the list for men. doi.org/10.1016/j.jtho.2024.02.002
Mesilau Stream Toad
The Mesilau Stream toad, thought extinct after the 2015 earthquake washed away its habitat in Sabah, has been rediscovered. Found only above 1600 feet in the Mesialau watershed, a sub-adult male and several tadpoles were discovered in the Mesilau River and a tributary. DO10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5447.2.6
Enamel Thickness of Orangutans
A study of fossil teeth compared with the teeth of current orangutans has revealed no difference in enamel thickness. doi.org/10.1016/j.hevol.2024.103493
Cats
The areas which are conserved and more acreage added for small cats in Borneo occur in the central highlands and the protected areas of Sabah. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4326115/v1
Very Early People
There is an increasing body of evidence to suggest Homo sapiens emerged from Africa episodically with at least one of these early dispersals reaching Southeast Asia and Australia; however our understanding of how, when and where this took place is still evolving.https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses1/1812; I also have a c
Suluk Identity
The Suluk is an indigenous ethnic group or Anak Negeri or Orang Asal Pesisir of Sabah. They mostly live near coastal areas. The Suluk are devout Muslims. They inhabit the rest of the Sulu Archipelago of the Sulu-Celebes Seas, bounded by the north-eastern Borneo. Their former state with a sultanate political system based on Islam was established in Buansa on 17th November 1405 AD. The origin of the word Suluk comes from a Sufistic word, ‘Suluk,’ a ‘pathway,’ eventually shortened to ‘Sūk,’ and then to ‘Sūg.’ I have a copy. Just ask.
Salt Licks
The survey revealed that the salt licks in Central Borneo were mainly utilised for hunting (92.6%) or to collect salt (7.4%). A majority of respondents (57.1%) reported catching one to two animals on each hunting trip near a salt lick. Sambar deer (38.5%) was recorded as the most commonly observed animal at these sites, followed by wild boar (24.6%) and muntjacs (15.4%). Other species include macaques (10.8%), langurs (7.7%) and mousedeers (3.1%). The study highlights the importance of salt licks and can be used to formulate the development of conservation strategies and management plans for these sites in Sarawak. 10.62613/mnj.24761.03
Caddis Fly
The group of Caddis flies has a water-borne larva but land-based adults. The fore wing of the insect disappears rapidly when preserved and so other characteristics have been used to identify individuals. https://doi.org/10.18348/opzool.2024.1.1
Orangutans
This study aims to investigate the population dynamics of the Bornean orangutans and changes in land cover in West Kalimantan and to analyze the relationship between the orangutan population and land cover change. The results showed that the orangutan population in the Bukit Semujan Semangit Menyukung Melingkung and Sungai Putri locations tended to increase. On the other hand, the orangutan population in the Belaban and Embaloh Sibau watersheds tended to fluctuate. The land cover in the Belaban, Bukit Semujan Semangit Menyukung Melingkung and Sungai Putri tended to fluctuate, while that in Embaloh Sibau was steady. DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d250453
BorneoHistory.net