Bamboo rats are a common rodent in bamboo thickets in mountainous areas of northern Vietnam. Hmong tribal people in remote regions still hunt them regularly for food. Although hunting bamboo rats is officially prohibited, the practice is still widespread. To…

A magnifying glass has been used to start fires since ancient times. Greek and Roman writers recorded the use of ‘Burning glasses’ for domestic and war purposes. A concise history of these applications can be found on Wikipedia. Nowadays, fires…

Mangrove oysters (Isognomon ephippium) are the species most commonly found growing on mangrove trees in Northern Australia. Its other common English name is ‘Saddle tree oyster.’ These oysters are one species eagerly collected and eaten by Bardi people at the…

Some times ferns are eaten in large quantities. At highland pig kills, ferns are one of the most common edible greens. Some ferns are only eaten with meat. Some other ferns are eaten more regularly and are very much liked….

Most areas of Papua New Guinea have bananas. Some people have them as their main staple food while in other areas they are just a snack food. There is a very large amount of variation within the banana varieties in…

Orang Rimba (locally called Kubu) shelters and dwellings in the forests are designed in different styles rooted in their semi-nomadic lifestyle. These structures can be divided into two main groups: semi-permanent structures and shelters when they are on the move….

Tok Pisin: Tu lip; Scientific name: Gnetum gnemon What does a tu-lip tree look like? It is a small tree often only 8-10 metres high. It is a fairly straight tree with one trunk that has branches spread out along…

Who are the Orang Rimba people? The expression ‘Orang Rimba’  means ‘People of the rainforest,’ but this name is primarily used by scientists internationally. In Indonesia, the people call them ‘Kubus,’ which means being outside or on the fringe of…

Asian honey bees and their combs are a special treat for the local population of backcountry areas at Pu Luong Nature Reserve in northern Vietnam. The harvested honey is seldom sold and is mainly used by the villagers. The grubs,…

Edible shipworms, in this case Bactronophorus thoracites, are also known as Naked clams, Priyang talay (เพรียงทะเล), and various other common names throughout the region where they occur. They bore into wood immersed in salt water and are a major hassle…

Potassium permanganate is an essential chemical for various simple living applications. One is its disinfecting effects, and the other is the possibility of chemically starting fires. This article discusses disinfecting water on a small scale for drinking purposes. We will…

Pipi clams (Donax deltoides) are also known as Surf clams, Sandy Donax, and a wide range of other common names. In Thailand, they can be found on most beaches in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. They are…

The following information was gathered from a Urak Lawoi man who has lived in the Rawai Beach Sea-Gypsy Village for 27 years. He was 57 years old and only had one tooth (incisor) left in the middle of his upper…

Rectangular squid traps are used in the Gulf of Thailand and along the coastline of the Andaman Sea in the same way as semi-circular traps. Both types are used mainly for catching Bigfin reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana) but will also…

Mud crabs are common in mangrove areas in Thailand. They are primarily caught in crab pots for commercial purposes. However, my Urak Lawoi friends and I specialized in digging up and catching these crabs by hand. Who are Urak Lawoi…

Ambarella fruit (Spondias dulcis Parkinson; syn.: Spondias cytherea) is native to Melanesia and Polynesia and was introduced worldwide throughout the tropics. Its other common English names are Jew plum and Golden apple. In the Mekong Delta, it is omnipresent in…

Trapping eels is a simple way for rice farmers in the catchment area of the Red River in North Vietnam to provide themselves with animal protein. No special skills are required, as with angling or net fishing. The activity is…

Rock snails of the genus Cyclophorus are highly sought-after wild foods in rocky limestone mountain areas of Vietnam. These snails are not only regarded as food but also as medicine against various ailments. The local Vietnamese name is Ốc thuốc,…

Blowpipe hunting is still prevalent in many Orang Asli communities in Malaysia. Although the government strictly enforces hunting rules and regulations, it is practically impossible to supervise all the remote small hamlets and villages. On the other hand, it is…

Bibi worms (Sipunculus nudus Linnaeus, 1776) belong to the Peanut worm phylum. They can be dug up at the intertidal zone of flat, sandy beaches on temperate and tropical beaches. These worms are primarily used as top fishing bait. At…

Ginger flowers are eaten in many Southeast-Asian cultures. In Indonesia, most ginger varieties are known from Siberut Island. The native population of this island has utilized the flowers of Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M. Sm.) since ancient times for…

Young cassava leaves are a regularly eaten side dish for Mentawai people. Cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz) is endemic to the southern rim of Amazonia in South America. There, it was domesticated around 5000 BC. In the 16th century AC, Spanish…

Vegetable ferns (Diplazium esculentum (Retz.)) are among the few wild vegetables Mentawai people in the forests eat regularly on Siberut Island. By Mentawais, they are called ‘Laipat.’ Other wild vegetables are cassava leaves, ginger flowers, taro stalks, and wild eggplants….

Scissor traps are universal traps that can catch all kinds of small rodents. They are easy to produce from bamboo but need one item to be sourced in the villages. These are strips of bicycle tubes, which are not easy…

Bow traps are used by Black Thai tribal people in Northern Vietnam to catch small rodents. These ingenious devices are carved from pieces of bamboo and some strings. The closing force of the scissor comes from a bow-like structure above…

Domestic pigs are a typical gift from a Mentawai family to a shaman for his support or services. In our case, Aman Aru attended a ceremony in a neighboring Uma (family home in the forests), which had to be cleaned…

Deadfall traps with a Figure-4 trigger are essential knowledge for survivalists and bushcrafters worldwide. Thái Đen (Black Thai) tribal people at Pù Luông Nature Reserve in Northern Vietnam use these traps and the Figure-4 trigger in a modified version. Modifications…

The Mentawai people at Siberut Island use forest huts (called Sapou by them) for various reasons and purposes. One is a permanent dwelling for single, old men who do not live with their family in the Uma (family home in…

Rattan fruits are available throughout the year in all Southeast Asian rainforests. There are about 600 different species of rattans, and many of them bear edible fruits. However, rattan prickles are a common nuisance when walking in the jungle. Nevertheless,…

Two types of carrying baskets were used during my stay with the Mentawai people at Buttui on Siberut Island. One, locally called Opa, was fully enclosed on the sides and had an open rattan bottom. The other type was entirely…

The cutting tools of Mentawai people living in the forests are adzes, axes, machetes, and one specialized knife. All these tools have a solid historical background and are still used today. During my stay with a Mentawai family in December…

Sago worms are one of the food items that come naturally with the Mentawai’s staple food, sago flour. The worms grow in felled palm trunks or saplings. They are not worms but larvae and pupae of the Palm Weevil beetles…

Domestic chickens are omnipresent around every Uma (family home) in the forests of Siberut Island. During nighttime, they are kept in closed coops to protect them from predators like civet cats. While staying with Mentawais, I observed no nesting boxes…

Rattan leaf stalks have been, since immortal times, the tools with which Mentawai people have been grating coconuts. These long-lasting tools grate the coconuts into the required size of flakes. When worn out or broken, a new one will be…

Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) is one of the three staple food items of the Mentawai people on Siberut Island in Indonesia. The other two are sago and bananas. In many other countries, taro leaves and corms are eaten. Mentawais…

Roasted sago starch is the staple food for Mentawai people living in the moist, tropical forests of Siberut Island, off the coast of Western Sumatra in Indonesia. On the other hand, sago, boiled to porridge, is eaten as a staple…

White Ginger Lily (Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig) belongs to the Zingiberaceae (Ginger) botanical family. Mentawai people use the crushed stem to clean their hands after touching arrow poison or one of its two poisonous main constituents. In another article on…

Asian elephants (Elaphas maximus) are smaller than their African cousins but not less dangerous when in musth. That danger was already described for African elephants in this article on this website. In the following, we briefly compare the differences between…

The Mentawai people use poison on their arrows to hunt game. In previous articles on this website, we discussed the Mentawai people’s hunting methods. Then, we presented an actual hunt for Flying foxes. We then discussed the longbows used on…

Bows and arrows are the primary hunting weapons used by the Mentawai people. Their bows were already described here. This article will explain the different types of arrows used for these bows and give an insight into the quivers used….

Mangrove apples are the fruits of Sonneratia sp. trees, one of the important genera of trees in the Mangrove forests of Southeast Asia. All species of Sonneratia will develop edible Mangrove apples. The various Sonneratia species differ slightly in shape,…

Rice farmers in secluded areas of the Red River Delta in Northern Vietnam need dietary additions to their staple rice dishes. Vegetables are harvested from around their homes and surrounding tropical Evergreen forests. Animal proteins are mainly collected in and…

Natural shampoo can be extracted from a variety of plants worldwide. In the evergreen forests of Lowland in Northern Vietnam, we used the leaves of a so-called soap plant. With these leaves, we regularly washed our hands and bodies. In…

In Indonesia, there is a wide variety of traditional fishing boat designs. Most of them are variations of standard types adapted to local needs and conditions, and many of them have not been systematically described yet. This article presents one…

When hiking in Pu Luong Nature Reserve in northern Vietnam, we found a species of Stinging Nettle Slug Caterpillar on a Banana leaf. My local friends got highly nervous when they saw it, and I was intensely warned against touching…

Boiling water in green bamboo stems (‘culms’ would be the botanically correct term) is not a significant skill, but it represents the basic cooking technique in Southeast Asian forests. One of the following articles will build on that and explain…

Trapping Snakeskin Gourami fish (Trichopodus pectoralis) is commonly done all over Southeast Asia. However, a specific trap for catching them was developed in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Its simple principle could be easily applied to many other areas of…

The Green-billed Malkoha is a common bird in Vietnam’s semi-deciduous tropical forests. An expedition led to the capture of one who was cooked for lunch. This and other species are often hunted by villagers supplementing their diet with this and…

Sea-Gypsies – Urak Lawoi, Moklen, and Moken – traditionally catch octopuses along the Andaman Sea’s rocky shores. Using a metal skewer and baited bamboo stick, they locate octopuses in holes with foam or clean pebbles. Patiently baiting them, they impale…

Hunting bows are the primary hunting weapon for the Mentawai people and are very personal items for a hunter. They have excellent skills in using them and practice shooting from childhood onwards. During my stay with the Mentawais, I looked…

Flying fox hunting remains a prevalent activity in Indonesia, particularly in Sumatra. Aceh, the northernmost province, is the epicenter of the trade in Flying fox meat. Locals believe that this meat possesses qualities to alleviate asthma, although this claim lacks…

The hunting methods of the Mentawai people have developed over about 3000 years. Their ancestors were of a Mongolian race that migrated from Taiwan via the Philippines to modern-day Indonesia. They arrived around 1000 BC at Siberut island in West…

Tok ples: Fongaar Scientific name: Ipomoea macrantha Roemer & Schultes; Synonyms: Ipomoea tuba (Schlechtend.) G. Don; Plant family: Convolvulaceae What is the plant like? The plant has a long angular vine 5 to 6 metres long and it climbs up…

Roof thatching is vital for shelter waterproofing in the Mentawai tribe, which has around 6,000 members, on Siberut Island, Indonesia. Siberut lies about 100 miles (160 km) west of Padang in West Sumatra. Of the 6,000 Mentawai people, roughly 1,000,…

Three types of pitpit grow in Papua New Guinea: Coastal pitpit The pitpit plant looks like sugarcane to which it is related. Normally the stalk is thinner than sugarcane. It can grow up to 3 metres high and produces suckers…

The Pandanaceae botanical family comprises the following six species in Papua New Guinea: ‘Karuka’ and ‘Marita’ were already discussed on this website in two former articles. ‘Karuka’, see here, and ‘Marita’ see there. In the following, ‘Wild Karuka’ and Pandanus…

Tok Pisin: Karuka Scientific name: Pandanus jiulianettii Two species of pandanus are commonly used for the nuts that are eaten. They are Karuka (Pandanus jiulianettii Martelli) and wild Karuka (Pandanus brosimos Merr & Perry). At least 3 other species of…

Ghost crabs (genus Ocypode) comprise 22 different species, and they are commonly also called `Sand crabs.` The scientific name Ocypode has Greek origin and means swift-footed. Ghost crabs are semi-terrestrial crabs that dig deep burrows in intertidal zones of sand. They…

English: Giant taro; Scientific name: Alocasia macrorrhiza (L.) Schott; Synonyms: Alocasia indica (Lour.) Spach; Plant family: Araceae Description of Giant Taro plants A very large herb of the taro family. It has a stout erect trunk up to 4 m…

During the Neolithic Age (8000 BCE—1400 BCE), people across various regions began to adapt to the evolving natural environment following the Ice Age. This era is characterized by the emergence of earthenware artifacts and groundstone tools and the establishment of…

English names: Marita or ‘Red Fruit’ Tok pisin name: Marita Bahasa Indonesia name: Buah Merah Scientific name: Pandanus conoideus Lamarck The marita pandanus plant A short much branched screw pine with many prop roots. The prop roots have prickles. Trees…

Four species of yam are commonly grown and used for food in Papua New Guinea – but often naming in villages and naming by scientists do not agree. Many village people regard potato yam and 5-leaflet yam as varieties of…

How is this sago different? The Solomon’s sago palm that occurs in the North Solomon province and the Solomon Islands is quite different from the sago that grows in other areas of Papua New Guinea. It has a different scientific…

There are two Sago palm species in Papua New Guinea. Metroxylon sagu Rottb. and the other one occurs in North Solomons Province and the Solomon Islands. Its scientific name is Metroxylon salomonense. The sago palm plant The sago palm grows…

Foreword Horseshoe crabs are a species not protected in Thailand and are experiencing a significant decline. Their primary habitats, particularly the mudflats around mangrove forests, where they live and reproduce, are diminishing, and there is a growing demand for edible…

Fishing with a stomping basket has been a traditional craft in Vietnam for centuries. Postcards from the French colonial era depict this unique fishing method as a typical way for locals to catch fish. While similar techniques exist in other…

The Giant Snakehead fish (Channa micropeltes) is a highly aggressive and predatory freshwater fish. Its diet mainly consists of smaller fish, frogs, crustaceans, and aquatic prey. In Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, this fish is known as the ‘Toman’ and, along…

The National Elephant Institute of the Forest Industry Organization of Thailand conducted mahout training for amateurs near Lampang. This institute was initially established as a training center for elephants working in the timber industry, where they learned how to lift,…

Eating insects and centipedes is a long tradition in Lijiang City, in Yunnan Province, P.R. China. In addition to centipedes, other insects such as bamboo worms, silkworm pupae, and locusts are also consumed. While they are high in protein and…

In Thailand, both sea and freshwater fish are dried to increase their shelf life for later human consumption. Before the advent of refrigeration, the primary method for preventing spoilage was to salt the fish and then leave it in the…

Bamboo is a popular ingredient in traditional Vietnamese cuisine, especially during the year-end meal on the 30th day of the last lunar month of the year. One of the most famous and delicious bamboo soups is the squid bamboo soup…

In the following, we will briefly describe a specific speargun for freshwater fishing, which I bought from a fisherman in the northern suburbs of Bangkok, Thailand. It is neither as primitive as many of these guns are, nor is it…

Mechanically propelled spears for freshwater fishing are commonly used all over Thailand. Many craft these devices themselves, so there is a wide variety of principles, styles, and designs. Besides homemade spearguns, where every piece is unique, industrial manufacturing is also…

Weaver ants of the genus Oecophylla consist of two different species. One species is Oecophylla longinoda, which occurs in equatorial, tropical African regions. The other species is Oecophylla smaragdina, distributed in tropical Asia and Australia. Both of them are also…

Firesaws are only known as a traditional fire-making method on the Pacific Islands. In Australia, these methods were replaced by friction fire hand drills and later, under Western influences, by bow drills. Nevertheless, fire sawing is an interesting technique, which…

The salt intake of a human in case of an actual survival situation or when living from the provisions of a shoreline by purpose is of utmost importance to its health. If too much salt is consumed, the body has…

Traditional fishing at Inle Lake is endemic and specific to this local environment. Inle Lake is the second largest lake in Myanmar, approximately 50 square miles (abt. 116 km2). During the dry season, the average water depth is only 7…

Mankind’s use of fire goes back an extraordinary length of time. From humble collecting and guarding natural fires to producing fire by sparks or friction took about 1,5 million years. For more than 500,000 years, mankind has been producing fires…

With more than 70 bamboo species throughout the country, we can easily find bamboo thickets anywhere in Vietnam. Many could nurture one of the most popular and favored vegetarian foods for Vietnamese people, bamboo shoot harvesting. Two main types of…

Hoi An is located about 35 km south of Da Nang, which is roughly in the middle of mainland Vietnam. It is one of Vietnam’s most picturesque towns and attracts many tourists. Which in turn requires lots of fish and…

The Indochina Dragon Plum (Dracontomelon duperreanum) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Anacardiaceae. In Vietnamese, it is called chi sấu). Dragon Plums are one of the most popular trees on the side of Hanoi streets. The fruits…

Pla Ra (Thai: ปลาร้า, pronounced [plāː ráː]), is fermented fish. Traditionally, Thais in the Central and Northeast provinces (Isan) eat fish and rice. In these relatively poor provinces, there is only one rice growing cycle every year. The planting season…

There are several local names for the tree and fruits of Artocarpus odoratissimus. In English, it is simply called ‘Marang’, which is based on the Philippines’ common name for this fruit. Originally endemic to the region around Mindanao, Sarawak, Kalimantan,…

It is at least a 2000-year-old tradition in many provinces in China to cure and preserve meat in wintertime. Pigs were slaughtered after the ‘Light Snowfall’ date (around Nov 22nd/23rd). Then, the temperatures plummeted, and this meat had to be…

A typical fishing technique in Vietnam is ripping a weighted hook with multiple side arms through still water and hoping to hook unsuspecting fish somewhere on their body. Hooking a fish at the lips with the correct size and style…

Trapping fish in bamboo traps in Southeast Asia is normally a static affair. These fishing traps are used in still waters with or without bait inside and checked at least once daily. It was a new experience to see somebody…

Cashew trees (Anacardium occidentale) are native to areas around Northeastern Brazil. Portuguese colonists brought them around 1560 to Goa, India, from where they spread to Southeast Asia and Africa. Therefore, cashew products already have a long history in Goa and…

The Ayutthaya Historical Park covers the ruins of the old city, which was founded by the Khmer in 850 AD and named after the Hindu holy city of Ajodhya. The city was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767 and has…

Cormorant fishing is an ancient art that dates back at least 1300 years. Today, it is only practiced in the southwestern provinces of China. However, some fishermen are attempting to revive this fishing technique for tourists in water villages around…

Thai chanterelles, specifically Cantharellus minor, live in symbiosis with Gurjun trees (Dipterocarpus tuberculatus) in semi-deciduous Southeast-Asian forests. These trees are easily identified due to their double-winged (di-ptero) fruits with big seeds. Besides Cantharellus minor, other species of chanterelle mushrooms are…

We were on a weeklong trail through the Kaeng Krachan rainforest, near Hua Hin in Thailand, when we tasted Gaur meat. Together with two National Park (NP) rangers, we came across a freshly died Gaur heifer. This Gaur (Bos gaurus)…

At the Global Bushcraft Symposium 2022 in the UK, Gordon Dedman presented the bow drilling technique he teaches in Australia. Since readers are assumed to know the basics of bow drill friction fire lighting, I will only concentrate on specific…

At the Global Bushcraft Symposium 2022 in the UK, Gordon Dedman presented the hand drill friction fire lighting method he teaches in Australia. As most readers of this topic will know the basic techniques of hand drill friction fire lighting,…

At the Global Bushcraft Symposium 2022 in the UK, Gordon Dedman presented a variety of types of Australian friction-fire wood, which are well suited for friction-fire lighting methods and tinder. The signature friction-fire method, exclusively used for thousands of years…

The Southern Cross, or the Constellation of Crux – as the name implies – is visible in the Southern Hemisphere. It consists of the Southern Cross and the two pointers: Alpha-(Rigil Kent) and Beta-Centauri (Hadar). Finding direction in True South…

The Constellation of Scorpius (‘Scorpio’) is a vast constellation visible from May to November in the evening sky of the Southern Hemisphere. It is located directly opposite the Constellation of Orion – therefore, visible when Orion is not. Finding direction…

The Constellation of Orion, or ‘The Hunter’ can be best viewed in the evening skies from November to February. It holds for both the Northern and Southern hemispheres during that time. Of the three belt stars, the highest one is…

Grill spit for small fish outdoor cooking on a spit Smaller fish up to about 20 cm long are typically put on a grill spit, which is just a split stick. Often, in Thailand, this will be Pla Kod (Thai:…

In Thailand, two types of freshwater snails are commonly consumed. The first group is comprised of the larger Apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata), while the other group is referred to as Freshwater snails (Sinotaia sp. & Filopaludina sp.). These genera can…

Edible jellyfish (Aurelia sp.) is called ‘Maeng krapun jarn’ (Gulf of Siam) or ‘Lodchong’ (Andaman Sea) in Thailand. Usually, there are about three months a year when jellyfish appear for food. During this jellyfish run, sea fishermen earn a sizeable…

Squid is a main source of income for many fishermen in villages around the Gulf of Thailand. Because fish are becoming increasingly rare, whereas Cephalodoans maintain their population. Only certain types of finfish are sold profitably, and the rest are…

The Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus), called Pla Lai in Thailand, is used as a food source and for offering to the spirit deities. When still slim and young, eels are sold to the Buddhist local population for doing a…

Simple crab snare for use on a tropical beach A crab snare is usually shaped like a bait cage with about six snares around it. This set-up combines a fishing line and rod or just hung down the sea bottom…

Freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium lanchesteri), also called ‘Ricefield shrimps’ or ‘Goong foi’ in Thai, live in significant numbers in every permanent water body in Thailand. They are the primary food source for various fish and other predators, one of them being…

Small lift net for catching daily meals of freshwater prawns and fish ‘Yor lek’ is a hand-lifting net; in Thai, it means something like a ‘small lift net. ‘ ‘Yor’ means ‘lift net’ and ‘lek’ means ‘small’. Its big brothers…

Description of cast nets used in Thailand Cast nets in Thailand are available in different radius models. I prefer one with a radius of 3.5 meters, which is from the center of the net to the outer axial rim chain,…

There is a variety of small catfish species with dangerous spines living in Thai waters. One, a very abundant one, is locally called Pla Kod (Hemibagrus wyckioides); English common name: Asian Redtail Catfish; Thai name: ปลากด. The typical length for…

Most Thai water channels, khlongs, and streams are clogged with a variety of water plants, predominantly Common Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). This invasive species was introduced in 1901 by Thai Royalty from Indonesia and was supposed to be eradicated by…

Hand nets, equipment, and technique For hand net fishing, mosquito netting is used to sieve water bodies for rice field shrimps and fish fry in Thailand. In order not to lose caught animals, the netting was brought into a deep,…

Learning the craft of bamboo fish trap weaving The correct English wording for a ‘Lop’ in Thai would be ‘Horizontal cylinder trap with entry cone’. It is used to catch various freshwater fish and crustaceans, including small snakeheads, catfish, shrimp,…

The term ‘Bank line’ used in English to refer to a string of poles along a water bank is virtually unknown in Southeast Asia. Instead, this fishing method and its equipment are referred to by different names in the region….

A mudflat full of razor clams ‘Don Hoi Lot’ is a mudflat in the Thai Province of Samut Songkhram with a size of about 15 km2 (about 9 square miles). ‘Don’ means ‘mudflat’ in English. ‘Hoi’ means ‘clam’, and ‘Hoi…

Nipa palms (Nypa fruticans) are a species of palms especially adapted to muddy environments of slow-moving tidal waters and mangrove forests. They occur in Asia-Pacific tropical climates. Nipa palm fruits are delicious to eat. Both the fruits and wooden parts…

In Thailand, a variety of mudskipper species live, notably Giant mudskippers (Periophthalmodon schlosseri), Blue-spotted mudskippers (Boleophthalmus boddarti), and others. They are all amphibious fish living in muddy estuaries and tidal brackish river zones around Asia-Pacific. They live in about 40…

Swamp morning glory or Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) has various common names, like ‘Kangkong’ in Southeast Asia or ‘Kung Shin Tsai’ in China. It is a staple vegetable food throughout the Asia-Pacific region. It is deficient in calories (19 cal/100…

The fruit Durian (Durio zibethinus) is named after the Malay word ‘Duri’ for ‘Thorn’, referring to the thorny skin, and ‘zibethinus’ obviously refers to its smell. And the most sought-after variety in Malaysia is ‘Musang King’, where ‘Musang’ means ‘Palm…

In many areas of the biggest Cambodian lake, its tributary river, and the Mekong flood plains, permanent bamboo fence fish traps, or, more appropriately, catching structures, are erected and operated. The leader fence, which guides fish into the trap’s inner…

Grass trees (Xanthorrhoea sp.) and grass tree stalks are endemic to Australia. They are locally called ‘Black Boys’ due to their appearance after bushfires. They need a certain number of regular fires for their survival and are well protected against…

The common name ‘Spinifex grass’ is not entirely correct as a botanical term for discussed grasses, as commonly named ‘Spinifex’ grasses belong to the genus ‘Triodia’, whereas the genus ‘Spinifex’ itself contains mainly coastal grasses. Whatever it is, the common…

Description of Goannas The Australian sand monitor (Varanus gouldii) is also called Gould’s monitor or colloquially ‘Goanna’. There are two subspecies: Varanus gouldii gouldii and Varanus gouldii flavirufus (smaller subspecies). V. gouldii gouldii is distributed nearly all over Australia except…

In the former article, I described seeing a majestic sand monitor lizard close by on my drive from Menzies to Sandstone on a side road. Driving further on, I was surprised to see many more Goannas left and right on…

Although they are commonly referred to as “Ant beds,” particularly in Australia, the structures are actually “Termite mound.” Despite their physical similarities to ants, termites are related to cockroaches rather than ants. However, like ants, they are small and numerous….