I saw I saw a Flying Lemur with her baby !

Saw this animal last month the week after CNY during our regular Saturday hike. We were on our way downhill when we came across this animal carrying her baby wrapped under her stomach. They were lying in the drain full of dry leaves. At that time, all of us was thinking it's a flying fox and must be injured while fighting or something which caused her to fell down somewhere from the trees above.

The animal was a bit clumsy in movement. We tried our best to move her up the slope from the drain, but she was too heavy to be moved. Poor animal. We are not sure how we could help the poor animal and her baby at that moment apart from getting her out from the drain to the much higher and 'safer' place. Hope she can survive with her baby.

It was only few weeks after that when I came across an article with the picture in the newspaper writing about Sibu rain forest that the animal is called Flying Lemur! Amazing and I'm really glad that I have the chance to come face to face with such a rare animal. Below are some of the facts of this Flying Lemur. Happy reading...

Malayan Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus

Status: Vulnerable.

Interesting Facts: Colugos are also called flying lemur. However, there are not closely related to the true lemur, which are found in Madagascar. Flying lemurs are classified in the order Dermoptera, from the Greek words derma, meaning "skin", and the ptera, meaning "wing", thus "skin-wing". These creatures have membranes that connect their legs and tail, enable them to glide from one tree to the other. There are 2 species of colugo in the world; the Malayan Flying Lemur and the Philippine Flying Lemur. It is reported that there are approximately 1500 Malayan Flying Lemurs in Singapore.

Size: About 70cm

Diet: Mainly leaves, young shoots, flower buds and sap.

Activity: Arboreal, largely nocturnal. It is usually seen perching against a tree trunk with its head pointing upwards. When disturbed, the Colugo has two defensive reactions: It will either freeze and hope not to get noticed or scramble up the trunk higher into the tree.
It can glide from tree to tree in a steady controlled manner, landing with the head up neatly and precisely.

Habitat: Forests. Adapts quite well to disturbed Forest edges and coastal plantations. . This species has a wide distribution in Southeast Asia.

KOMTAR Tower Run 2010 : 5th June 2010

Komtar Tower Run 2010

Date : 5 June 2010 (Saturday)
Time : 6:00am
Venue : Komtar, Penang
Website : http://www.komtartowerrun.com.my/

Wanna train up your leg muscles? Then this is the time and event for you not to miss out! After all, it's a privilege for you to climb up to level 64 of the iconic building of Penang, the Pearl of Orient. Better start training now :p

HOMEDEC 2010 Penang Stop 2-4 Apr 2010

HomeDec 2010 Penang

Date : 2nd to 4th Apr 2010

Time : 11am to 9pm

Venue : PISA Arena

It's time again for our annual home decoration exhibitions. After all, we have this event not once but twice last year. I still remembered I bought a few items for my house through this event. It's a place where you can gather ideas of home deco as well as hunt for bargains. You can even seek professionals advices on how you should set up your dream house. An eye-opener for those seeking to know the latest house furnishing trends as well budgeting and planning for one's own house time to come :)

Happy shopping and happy exploring!

China To Become World's Top Tourist Destination By 2015: UNWTO

Wow, looks like China is going to be a leader in everything sooner or later :) Instead of look west, we should now look China...hahahaha.

Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Taleb Rifai on Sunday said China is expected to become the world's largest tourist destination by 2015, reported Xinhua news agency.

"China as being the the world's fourth largest destination for incoming tourists, and since the rates of growth are moving so quickly, UNWTO predicts that China will become the world's no.1 tourist destination by 2015," Rifai said.

France is currently the country receiving the most international tourists, at 80 million per year, followed by the United States and Spain, both at 60 million a year, while China has about 48 million, he said.

"China's tourism economy has moved incredibly in the last ten years. The number of incoming tourists rose from 8 million to 48 million. The potential of the growth is still big because of the size of China," Rifai said.

Rifai said the global tourism industry is improving but challenges remain due to the weak economy.

"The tourism industry has to follow and is very much affected by the general economic situation, and for sure the general economic situation has started to turn around. But we cannot call it a full recovery at the moment," he said.

Bernama

Penang Property Price Facts

Something to share from an article I read in Star newspaper today regarding the Penang property prices:

FACT 1:

Average annual household income in Penang = RM42,000

Average house price = RM578,000, or 14.2 times more !!!

FACT 2:

National average annual household income = RM38,987

Average house price nationwide = RM180,000, or 4.6 times more !!!

FACT 3:

Selling price of a condominium unit on the island had increased to RM350 per sq ft from RM250 two years ago !!!

FACT 4:

Terrace houses are now selling from RM700,000 onwards, compared to RM520,000 in the second quarter of 2009 !!!

Conclusion:

So tell me? Can you still afford to get a property for living with our average salary? Answer is NOOOOO....so what's the best way to get our own living place? Move out from the island? I just don't know, feel free to tell me :p

Walk For Sight 2010 : 11th April 2010

Walk for Sight 2010 Charity Walk

Date : 11th April 2010 (Sunday)

Time : 8:00am

Venue : Padang Polo, Penang

WHO IS THE ORGANIZER FOR ‘WALK FOR SIGHT 2010’ CHARITY WALK?
Lions Club of Georgetown Perdana, Region 1 Leo Clubs and St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang are the joint organizers of ‘Walk for Sight 2010’ Charity Walk.

WHO CAN JOIN THE WALK?
You, your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends, anyone. No age limit. It’s only 3.8km.

HOW DO I JOIN?
Fill up the registration form and pay up a participation fee of RM15.00 per person for adult and RM10.00 per person for junior.

Please submit the registration form at:
St. Nicholas’ Home
4, Jalan Bagan Jermal, 10250, Penang.

For more information, contact us at:
Tel: 604-229 0800
Email: mail@WalkForSight.com

WHERE DOES THE FUND GO?
All proceeds go to St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF FUND RAISING?
- To raise the much needed funds for St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang to help in the revamp of their Deaf / Blind Multi-Handicapped Programme.
- To assist the needy to undergo cataract operation.

WHAT IS THE ‘WALK FOR SIGHT’ CHARITY WALK ABOUT?
-The sight will lead another sighted but blindfolded on a walk, thus giving the sighted the opportunity to experience blindness, to value sight and to appreciate teamwork; to have Fun and of course raise the much needed funds by St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang to help the visually impaired.

ARE THE DONATIONS TAX-EXEMPTED?
Yes, the donations made to this charity walk are tax-exempted. Please make your cheques payable to WALK FOR SIGHT 2010. Tax Exemption receipts will be issued upon request only.

WHAT OTHER EVENTS WILL THERE BE ON THAT DAY?
- Lucky draws, entertainments, eye test, etc.

You can download the registration form here.
Please support and join this event, it's good to do charity :)

Contingency steps if dry spell continues, says PBA

Water rationing may begin in Penang if the current dry spell does not end by April.

Penang Water Supply Corpo­ration (PBA) Sdn Bhd corporate affairs manager K. Jeyabalan said this was among several steps which would be taken if rains do not come by the end of April.

He said the details on how and when the measures would be introduced will be announced at an appropriate time.

Jeyabalan said PBA would also place restrictions on activities like washing vehicles, as well as watering lawns or gardens.

“We will use the law to prevent people from wasting water,” he said when contacted.

He was commenting on the current hot and dry weather that has caused rivers and canals in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah to dry up.

It was reported that such weather was expected to continue until May.

Jeyabalan said the current water levels at the Air Itam, Teluk Bahang and Mengkuang dams were 75%, 82% and 94% respectively.

“The water at the three dams can last between 75 days and 240 days. But if there is no rain by the end of April, precautionary measures will have to be introduced.”

Other states are started the planning for water rationing as well to face the worse case senarios. Please help to save water consumptions :)