MERAPOH TIGER TRAIL CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

MERAPOH TIGER TRAIL CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO GUIDE We would like to thank you for your interest in joining the Conservation and Community Development Project, located on the Sungai Yu Wildlife Corridor on the border of Taman Negara. In collaboration with our partner organization MYCAT, you will be amongst the few that have helped to collect wildlife data, search for snares and patrol these forests, thus reducing the number of wild animals and tigers being poached. Whilst at the same time helping the local indigenous group through community programmes. The rainforests of Peninsular Malaysia are known to be the oldest in the world and harbour species such as Malayan Tigers, Leopards, Asian Elephants, Gibbons, Gaur and Tapir. You will be taken off the beaten track into these forests and explore beautiful rivers, jungle and caves. Play your part in helping these species survive another century whilst going on an adventure of a lifetime! Contents 1. Know before you go guide contents 2. Before you go Introduction Travel arrangements 3. Visa Insurance Healthcare 4. What to bring 5. Contact information 6. While you are here Accommodation Food 7. Your placement 8. ECO walk conservation patrols 9. Caving 10.Batek 11.Travel safe The weather Currency 12. Local customs Language 13. After your placement 14. APPENDIX A- Basic Malay 15. APPENDIX A 16. Donations 1

1. BEFORE YOU GO 1.1 Introduction If you are reading this guide, it means that you have already confirmed your reservation and that you will be joining us on our Conservation and Community Development Programme! With that, kindly send us a copy of your passport as soon as your reservation is confirmed on the programme. We will need these for your forest reserve permits. If we do not get your permits in time it will most likely result in denial of access into some Forest Reserves and trekking routes. 1.2 Travel arrangements Project location Merapoh, Pahang. Merapoh is a less well known alternative entry point to the Taman Negara National Park compared to the main entrance located at Kuala Tahan, Jerantut. Upon Sundays arrival, you will need to get the 10AM Transnational bus from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (located at Bandar Tasik Selatan) going to Kota Bharu. You will need to prebook the ticket, please email us at explore@ecoteer.com if you would like us to do this on your behalf. Please arrive at the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan at least an hour before your departure time to locate your bus at the bus terminal. If you need help finding your bus, kindly ask for the bus station staff assistance using your bus ticket as reference. The journey takes around 4-5 hours from Kuala Lumpur and you will arrive at Merapoh by 1-1:30PM. You will be greeted by a member of the FUZE-ECOTEER team at the restaurant in Merapoh where the bus stops for lunch. 2

1.3 Visa In Malaysia it is possible to volunteer on a tourist visa. Tourists from the following Countries will receive a 90 day free tourist visa upon arrival: Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kirgystan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Lienchestien, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherland, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Qatar, Romania, St Marino, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Yemen. 1.4 Insurance All volunteers are required to have their own travel insurance. Ecoteer does not provide insurance cover for its volunteers and accepts no responsibility for any accidents or injuries a volunteer may sustain during your stay with us. 1.5 Healthcare Must have injections/inoculations Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Typhoid/Measles (MMR) Tetanus/Dipheria Mumps Rubella Malaria and Dengue are present in and around Taman Negara. In Merapoh there is a small clinic that can treat most injuries. There is also a hospital in Gua Musang, a 30 minute drive from Ecoteer HQ. 3

1.6 What to bring Equipment Toiletries Sleeping bag Torch Penknife (optional) Day back pack 3.5lt Thin travel towl Minimum 1.5 water bottle Hiking boots Zip lock bags/tupperware Tooth brush/tooth paste Deodorant Repellents with DEET Shower gel/shampoo Sun block Face wipes/tissues After sun cream Flannel Treks in the rainforest can be quite wet. Therefore we recommend you bring thin clothing items that can dry quickly in the sun. Likewise it is recommended to wear walking shoes or old tennis shoes over walking boots. Attire Non-compulsory Long pants (warm) Thin trousers Shorts Swimwear Camera Hammock, including mosquito net Books/Mp3 player CELCOM Malaysian sim card This network has the best coverage at the project site; We suggest RM30 credit for 4 weeks. First aid kit - Anti histamines - Antibiotics - Diarrhoea medication - Anti-inflammatory for ears, throat etc - Hand sanitizer T-shirts Jumper/fleece Rain jacket (optional) Socks Hat/cap Flip flops/sandals 4

Money - We recommend you have a minimum budget of RM200 for your time spent in Merapoh. Rentals - If you are unable to bring any of the recommended items, you will be able to rent / buy them in Merapoh from SGI Outdoor who sells all sorts of camping gears (located within 15 minutes walking dinstance from the house). All rental items must be cleaned before return. Damaged items will incur additional charges. Contact Information: Ecoteer Project Leader Merapoh Intern Team Ecoteer Founder Azee Email used by interns Danial Quilter Azee@fuze-ecoteer.com +6 011 2338 6489 merapoh@fuze-ecoteer.com +6 012 217 3208 daniel@ecoteer.com Fuze Founder Pavin Moreno pavin@fuze-ecoteer.com Inquiries and Bookings Manager Website Amirthan Loganathan -> amir@fuze-ecoteer.com Facebook -> www.ecoteerresponsibletravel.com Merapoh Conservation and Community Project 5

2. While You are here 2.2 Accommodation Volunteers will stay at the Ecoteer House HQ in Merapoh. Large A/C room with choice of double or single bed. Note: We do not have a safe box in Merapoh. Shops are available in the village to purchase toiletries, snacks and drinks Laundry: Laundry service is available for MYR10 depending on load. 2.3 Food Your programme package includes all daily meals Breakfast - We normally take breakfast in the house, cereals, toast etc. You can also try some local breakfast at the nearby food stalls. Lunch - You will be provided with packed lunches. The packed lunches are normally rice, with fish or chicken and some veggies. If you have any diet restrictions please inform us. Dinner - The team normally cook and eat at home in the evenings. You will however have opportunities to eat out at both Merapoh (Monday) and Gua Musang (Thursday) night markets. You will also have the pleasure of eating a traditional Malay meal with a Malay family on Wednesday, and a BBQ/picnic on Saturday. Camping - On Saturday you will camp out with the Batek eating bamboo-cooked rice, vegetables and chicken. 6

2.4 Your placement SUNDAY (Arrival day) MONDAY TUESDAY Programme Itinerary MYCAT brief village walk ECO Walk (Jungle trekking) Merapoh night market ECO Walk (Jungle trekking) WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY Morning English class Caving Malay dinner Morning English class Batek foraging session Gua Masang night market Overnight camping with the Batek SATURDAY SUNDAY (Departure day) Return to the village BBQ/Picnic at sunset point Morning English class REST DAY 7

ECO Walk Conservation Patrols - Jungle trekking MYCAT stands for Malaysian Citizens Action for Tigers. It is an alliance between Malaysia Nature Society, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Wildlife Conservation SocietyMalaysia Programme and WWF-Malaysia, Supported by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia for joint implementation of the National Tiger Conservation Action Plan for Malaysia (www.malayantiger.net). The aim is to have 1000 Tigers roaming Peninsular Malaysia by 2020. Ambitious, but with your help definitely achievable! Walks are generally 5-7 hours long depending on the group and the route chosen. These jungle walks are fascinating and will really allow you to feel like one of the animals in the forest, documenting pugmarks, collecting camera trap data and looking out for signs of humans and poachers. If any snares are found, the GPS locations will be recorded and the snares will be destroyed. Even old discarded snares continue to catch animals so it is vital that they are removed to prevent any further harm. In an effort to deter these activities in what is essentially a wildlife highway. Fuze Ecoteer has a Merapoh based branch and is in essence, MyCat s foot soldiers conducting 2-3weekly jungle treks. With our presence in the forest acting as a useful deterent. PLEASE BE AWARE Large animals live in these forests, but it is very rare to actually see any because they are mostly nocturnal. Your role is to look for signs of their whereabouts and locate snares whilst acting as a deterrent to poachers. A MEDIUM level of fitness is required for the Jungle walks. The walks are supposed to be slow to enable the guides to search for tracks and animal signs however this is a tropical rainforest where humidity can reach 90-100%. It may not be hot but between the humidity and the inevitable encounters with leeches, this is not a trip for the faint-hearted! 8

Caving There are over 60 limestone caves in the Merapoh region. The caves that you visit will depend on weather, group size and group ability. The caves are fantastic - some even have rivers and Waterfalls inside. These caves are home to various animals including thousands of swifts that group together at sunset. The Batek people have also used these caves for centuries so you may spot some of their many cave drawings on your visit. Fuze Ecoteer visits these caves in support for a local campaign - Save the Caves of Merapoh. SCM strives to prevent limestone caves, along with their species, from the threats of mining. Your presence in these caves can make all the difference! 9

The Batek Tribal Village The Batek tribal people are the Malay aboriginals or Orang Asli meaning original people in Malay language. Although living in villages for the last decades they are still very much a hunting and gathering people having a deep and meaningful relationship with the surrounding jungle. A Batek guide will accompany us most of the times on our treks. We will also spend plenty of time with the Batek women going out foraging and camping. Spending some time with the Batek people will hopefully give you a taste of their unique culture and traditions and some new knowledge on how the raw jungle can be so plentiful. The Batek have very little educational support from the local government and so Fuze Ecoteer is providing a weekly schooling program at the village community centre. The program focuses on improving the Batek s reading and writing skills in Batek, Malay and English. You will be supporting our Ecoteer teacher in carrying out this program 3 times a week. 10

2.4 Travel Safe Malaysia is a safe and a peaceful place to visit and theft is rare in Merapoh. Nevertheless volunteers should always keep track of their personal belongings. Common sense knowledge on safety is essential such as locking your rooms when you leave, not wearing expensive looking jewelleries which could draw the wrong attention, keep your important belongings in a safe box, be cautious while travelling alone at night or when talking to strangers, etc. More travelling safety tips available here: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html 2.5 The Weather Malaysia is a hot and humid country all year around. The hot season starts from March - September with occasional heavy rain in the evening or night. The rainy season or monsoon season will be from late October - early February with daily rain. During the peak of the monsoon season, this project will be closed (December - February). Temperature in the day will be around 30 C or more and about 25 C at night. 2.6 Currency Currency in Malaysia is Ringgit Malaysia (MYR or RM which is used locally). No ATM is available in Merapoh, so volunteers will need to bring enough cash. 11

2.7 Local Customs The village of Merapoh is a Muslim village and volunteers are asked to dress appropriately whilst at the Ecoteer HQ and in the village. Shoulders and cleavage should be covered and shorts/skirts have to cover the knees. While swimming at any river, please put on dark coloured attire as light coloured clothing will often be see-through when wet. Alcohol, drugs and pork are strictly forbidden at the Ecoteer HQ. 2.8 Language Malay is the main language spoken in Merapoh. Some villagers are able to speak basic English. The Batek villagers speak their own language as well as a little bit of Malay. Some speak very basic English. Our team leader will teach you a bit of Batek during the programme as learning the Batek's own tribal language are very much appreciated by them. See APPENDIX A for basic Malay words 12

3 3.1 After your placement Departure If you need assistance to plan your onward travels after the program ends, kindly inform our project leader on the first day of briefing. Our project leader will assist if it is possible. However it would be best if you already have a confirmed plan for your onward travels (Eg: the project leader will be able to book tickets (bus/train) if you know where you want to head to after the program ends). Volunteers will need to get to Merapoh R&R and get on the bus (coming from Kota Bharu) at 12.30pm to Kuala Lumpur. 13

Appendix A Basic malay English Malay Pronunciation I/Me/Mine You/Yours Him/Her/He/she We They Saya Kamu Dia Kita Mereka Sa-ya Ka-moo Dee-a Keeta Meh-reh-ka This That Who What Where Why When Ini Itu Siapa Apa Dimana Kenapa Bila Eenee Eetu See-ah-pah A-pah Dee-mah-nah K-nah-pah Bee-lah Greeting Good morning Good afternoon Good night How are you? I am good What is your name? My name is How old are you? Selamat Selamat pagi Selamat tenga hari Selamat malam Apa Khaber Khaber baik Siapa nama Nama saya Umur kamu berapa I m 23 years old Thank you You are welcome Umur saya 23 tahun Terima kasih Sama sama Se-la-mat Se-la-mat paggy Se-la-mat the-n-ga hari Se-la-mat mah-lam Ah-pah kah-bar Kah-bar ba-ek Si-ah pah nah-mah Nah-ma sa-ya Oo-more kah-moo b-rahpah Oo-moresa-ya 23 ta-oon Te-ri-mah ka-se Sah-mah Sah-mah Where are we going? What is this? What is the name of this? Where is the?? Kita perggi mana Apa ini Apa nama ini Di mana Kee-tah per-gee mah-nah Ah-pah ee-nee Ah-pah nah-mah ee-nee Di mah-nah 14

English Malay Pronunciation Can I eat this? Boleh makan ini Boh-leh ma-can ee-nee Is this poisonous? Ini racun Ee-nee rah-choon Pug mark Tanda haiwan Tan-dah hay-wahn River Sungai Soon-gai Tree Pokok Poh-kok Fruit Buah Boo-wah Path Jalan kecil Jah-lan keh-chil I feel sick/have pain Saya rasa sakit Sah-yah rah-sah sah-keet Jungle Hutan Hoo-than Animal Binatang Bin-tahng Tiger Harimau Hah-rih-mau Elephant Gajah Gah-jah Bird Burung Boo-rohng Bear Beruang Beh-roo-ang Tapir Tapir Tah-pir 0 Kosong 8 Lapan 16 enam belas 1 satu 9 sembilan 17 tujuh belas 2 dua 10 sepuluh 18 lapan belas 3 tiga 11 sebelas 19 sembilan belas 4 empat 12 dua belas 20 dua puluh 5 lima 13 tiga belas 30 tiga puluh 6 enam 14 empat belas 100 seratus 7 tujuh 15 lima belas 15

4. Donations Here, at the Merapoh Conservation and Community project. We are always in need of a few essential items that benefit both aspects of the programme. Ranging from puzzles and games for the local children to play with, to rechargeable batteries and SD cards for our camera traps. Any donation you wish to make, no matter how big or small will be greatly received. Here is a short list of items that would benefit the project immensely. Thank you! - Pencils - Colour pencils/crayons - Stationary i.e. rulers, erasers etc - Stickers (bright and colourful) - White board marker pens - Puzzles - Learning flash cards - Board games - Colouring books - Paracetamol - Ibuprofen - Anti-septic wipes - Diarrhoea tablets - Dettol - Anti-histamines - SD cards 16GB, 32GB - Batteries AA, AAA (rechargeable if possible) 16

THE WEALTH OF THE NATION IS ITS AIR, WATER, SOIL, FORESTS, MINERALS, RIVERS, LAKES, OCEANS, BIODIVERSITY THAT S ALL THERE IS. THAT S THE WHOLE ECONOMY.THESE BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ARE THE SUSTAINING WEALTH OF THE WORLD. - Gaylord Nelson Pictures courtesy of Josh Gray and Toby Holbeche 17