Mother Teresa at 100 today

When was your last time lending a helping hand to the orphans? the old folks? the handicapped? the needy? the homeless?

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.

Mother Teresa

Turtle Blogathon!

They stay up all night to raise funds + educate on turtles + chat with friends! This fun activities is one of the first in its kind that I've heard of!


HOW YOU CAN HELP??

Just click into this website from 9pm [25th Oct] until 9pm [26th Oct].

All you have to do is CHAT about turtles! And leave the rest to them! Aren't they kind to us?

Or you can opt to publicize this fun event! Ask questions on turtles to your family and friends, and have them posted to the bloggers [below] !


WHO ARE THEY??

Turtle lovers who consist of blogger, environmentalist, conservationist, student, lecturer, animal lover, journalist etc.... who have been working hard so many years to make the world a kinder place for turtles. They have been struggling at length to educate and to conserve turtles. Their website is where you can learn all about the Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC')s effort.

Photo credit : Chan Eng Heng
Here the turtle warriors are, getting bucked up for the blogathon!!!
From left, Fong, Pelf and Chan with all their turtle signatories.

WHAT TO DO NOW??

It's your chance to do charity this weekend! So, CLICK here.

&

Have fun starting tonight!

Su Su... CAT MISSING

Friends, relatives, colleagues, readers, bloggers;

Please help me to search for my beloved cat, Su Su. She had been missing since last Saturday. She never failed to return home every day....

MISSING CAT

Su Su

Tabby Cat.
Domestic Short Hair.
Grey with white stripes.
White belly.
Black-coloured paws.
Pink collar with small bell.
3.5-4kg.
Light meowing sound.
Very afraid of strangers.

Please... please keep an eye. Alleys, drains, underneath you car.... Even carcasess....

Breast Cancer Awareness

Pink for October 2009 !

Participate by :
1. Turn your website PINK!
2. Educate yourself on breast cancer.
3. Educate others.

Blog Action Day 2009

It has arrived this year! Get registered and write about Climate Change, the hottest topic to discuss at recent. Date to publish : October 15th!

Dogs dumped at deserted island

Lately, news spread around that dogs from Pulau Ketam [Ketam Island] was dumped in an isolated island a few kilometres away. This was highlighted in China Press on 30th April. I wonder if anybody can share the plights of the news with me here?

I might not be the best person to be informative, but I can spill some of the milk based on the best info available to me. The animal rescuer who saved the first dog brought him to our veterinary centre. He was too frightened, skinny to the bones, cold, shivering, extremely hungry and thirsty, dehydrated and shabby with dirt all over him. Most shockingly, was his hollow stares. He just lay still in the cage for as long as I've remembered.

She shared her experience with us during her first rescue mission to that island. The island is unhabited by humans or other pet animals. So food is scarce and barely even available at the mangrove forest. According to one of the fisherman who helped in the rescue operation, some of the dogs even feed on their own kind because there's no food for them. Yes, it is survival of the fittest for them. Meaning, these dogs were dumped there and actually leave to die.

There was no intention to ferry them back to Pulau Ketam, at all....

Villagers from Pulau Ketam cramped those dogs into a wooden box to be ferried over to the deserted island. They stuffed as much dogs as they could into the fitted box to make lesser trips over the distance. Can you imagine, initially, there were up to 200 dogs straying around the island? I wonder what happen to the huge lot, now that there's about 10 of them left in desolation...

Several newspapers are covering the news, do keep an eye on the papers this week. I hope that all of you would try to understand the seriousness shown in the attempt to save the dogs from rotting to death one by one. It is undeniably remarkable how your understanding can contribute to the dog's welfare as I'm saying this.

We can always speak on their behalf, it matters just what we are trying to deliver.

YOUTH 2009!!!

Malaysia's Largest Youth Lifestyle Festival Return!

9th-11th JANUARY 2009

Time : 10.30am - 9.30pm
Venue : Putra World Trade Centre, KL

Check out cool events at Youth '09!

The Learning Workshops may just introduce you to your new hobby??!

Hurry up & Get your free passes here!

Life at a veterinary center

I had been helping out at a veterinary center for two weeks now. Working around the clock had me physically and mentally exhausted, but my sweat paid off well. The job was exhilarating as I had hands-on experience all the time.

Everyday I face ailing and sick animals coming into the clinic. Some cured from their illnesses and some succumbed to viral infection. Eventually, there are few cases where the best option is to ease their suffering and put them to sleep. It is, the best option available for the animal as presented by the professionals in that profession.



It is never easy to see the animals die after you had been nursing them ever since they were hospitalized. Setting them on IV drips, jabbing them with antibiotics again and again, force-feeding, giving them their medication, holding the struggling animals, applying antiseptics and alcohol solutions, putting them on general anaesthetics, putting muzzle on their gaping mouths, cleaning their discharge etc.



This is my daily routine. Believe me, none of those were easy to do. Every time, it was a proven struggle. I'm lucky that I managed to catch and insight of the daily happening in an eventful clinic. The veterinarians are very professional and knowledgable who helped me gain more than what I have personally seen and heard there.

Pets did not just waltzed-in to the clinic, they are the responsibilities of their own pet owners. Some are attentive and some are icy-cold. Pets who are blessed with good owners end up with proper lifestyle and care. Unfortunate ones would probably be lying in cages in the clinic, suffering from diseases or left there to die.

Being emotionally attached to them, I know, if these animals can choose, they would want to live a better live.

Say "NO" to Turtle Eggs!

I need help and participation from everyone, and yes, you too. (",)


Prof Chan, who studied about turtles initiated a campaign to stop the selling and consumption of turtle eggs. Say "NO" to Turtle Eggs is an effort to help retain the critically endangered population of turtles in Malaysia. Leatherback turtles are already extinct! Do we want to wait until Hawksbills, Greens, Olive Ridleys and terrapins to perish as well?

" Many domestic tourists who arrive in Terengganu buy and eat turtle eggs out of curiosity. Even tour guides help sell this activity by saying that it is a “must do” when tourists come to Terengganu. Fueled by an increasing demand, an ever-increasing supply of turtle eggs have found their way into the markets of Malaysia, especially along the east coast. Many of the eggs have been smuggled over from East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) where the sale of turtle eggs have been banned by law. A recent report from Manila has revealed that thousands of turtle eggs are also being smuggled from the Philippines into Malaysia.....[more]"

Here's what you can do :-

1. Be a turtle ambassador - just download the pledge form and send the signatures back to address stated at the bottom of the page.
2. Email turtle@umt.edu.my with your full name, MyKad no. (for aunthentication) and the message, "I pledge NOT to eat turtle or terrapin eggs for the rest of my life".
3. Put up a poster as above in your site and spread the word.
   
4. Make this a noble duty for nature club/societies that you join.
5. Gain signatures & pledge from friends & families.
6. The more the merrier. Make photocopies of the pledge form!!!
   

If we manage to get 1 million signatures by Malaysians, we are en-route to prohibit the selling and poaching of turtle eggs. At the mean time, we only manage 5000. The success of the campaign will halt the unruly demand for turtle eggs in Malaysia. Visit TRRG for more detailed information.

Say "NO" to Turtle Eggs!

Pulau Upeh Turtle Nesting Site

This is a continuation from my visit to Turtle Management Center in Melaka.

Pulau Upeh is one of the main nesting site for Hawksbill turtles in Melaka. This is Pulau Upeh in daylight. The water is murky and dirty. This island also used to be a popular tourist attraction for Melaka a few years back. But, the industry died quickly after the government refused to supply freshwater to the resort. Therefore, you can see there's an abandoned resort situated in the island in the pictures below. The sofas, cupboards, tables and bed were taken out from the resort to the jetty by fisherman who take refuge there.

Thankful I must say, those are the only things that the volunteers and wwf staffs relied on upon arrival every single night. The island was deserted, and we were the only people visible there. In case of emergency, we are equipped only with cellphones. I must salute their endurance for allocating themselves at such dangerous positions. Their working hours span from 10pm to 6am during fasting month to give way to their Muslim boatman.

Upon arrival, all I can see is this...

a single lamp at the broken jetty.

At first, pitch-dark had me experiencing nyctophobia a little but, I got a hang of it after a while. I realize that the absence of light and disturbing inhabitants at the island had actually made it an absolute nesting site for turtles.

Hatchling hatched from the eggs taken from the island were released back at the island to make them commemorate their place of origin. As we waited for the hatchling to find its way to the water, mosquitoes and sand flies (hamar) were happily surrounding every part of our body which is exposed [eventhough we were already 'coated' with insect repellent].

Patrolling on a rotational basis was exhilarating with only the torch light as our companion and lightning making its mark now and then. We were almost too sure that is was going to rain that night.

As the dawn breaks, a storm was visibly seen approaching the island.

It started with strong winds and slight drizzle of rain.

And then, the storm was paving its way to make the shabby jetty look more frightening as things begin flying around. We can barely see the mainland from the jetty by then.

Scary!

There are a lot of faeces enroute to the beach due to the fact that there were cats roaming in the area. The cats can become a threat towards the turtle eggs as food are scarce in the island. As you can see, the resort is located by the beach.

The resort by the beach.
A daily paid assistant, seen here with a book in her hands. All the furniture are taken from the abandoned resort.
A glimpse of the broken jetty that is visibly battered from strong waves and started to wear off without any maintenance.

The speedboat that brace all the strong waves.

To be frank, I've never been this near to a storm in the middle of the sea. The storm halted our journey back the mainland for merely 3 hours before we wade our way back in the rain. I was already soaking wet upon reaching the mainland. Whoa!

This is what I called, an adventure.
Certainly worth experiencing!

International Coastal Cleanup Day

Source : Ocean Conservancy

Today is the-Day!

Gear up and join efforts to help clean up coastal area near you! Project AWARE and Ocean Conservancy are two of the environmental organizations which actively participate in tackling issues regarding marine debris.

This post may come to late for a planning process to take place, but fear not. You may opt to participate cleanup commencing now near your place. Find out where, over here. Some activities are meant for divers which would take place underwater while other cleanup would be carried out at beaches to ease participation. Find out how you can play a role in reducing marine debris all around the world from their respective websites.

Here's what Project AWARE are offering :

Source : Project AWARE

Splash for Trash: International Cleanup Day 20 September 2008

1. Volunteer
2. Organize a cleanup
   
3. Be an AWARE diver

Ocean Conservancy is just one of the best example which had already embark on their mission to clear all the rubbish. And here are the exciting updates from Ocean Conservancy :

Source : Ocean Conservancy

Snap tonnes of pictures during your cleanup sessions? Please share your fantastic stories with O.C. and even your underwater pictures by uploading them to the Coastal Cleanup group on Flickr!

Here's another catch from Ocean Conservancy. Did you find something unexpected during this year's Cleanup like this one from O.C.?

You'll be puzzled by what you found while cleaning up the beaches!! Haha. Post a picture of the item to the Weirdest Finds Flickr group and you might just be a winner of one of the 15 eco-friendly prizes! More about the contest, here.

Well, this meaningful event may just be the last-minute boost to your weekend! I hope you're the get-up-and-go kind. (",)

It is never too late!

Volunteering at Turtle Hatchery Melaka

This is what I promised.

It is my visit to Turtle Management Center, Department of Fisheries, Melaka more than a week ago. It was managed and run by WWF Melaka. It was a wonderful experience and very tiring as well. At this time of the year, volunteering seems quite silly as the nesting season was towards the end.

But...

I'm really thankful to witness the landing of two female Hawksbill at Padang Kemunting the very night I arrived. I managed to plant their eggs and note the nests too! At the hatchery itself, there were 8 boxes of hatchling emerging and all of them were assessed physically. Then, a rough number of 300 hatchlings were released into the sea at Kem Terendak (the army camp). As I'm the only volunteer at this odd time of the year, I am thrilled and excited to do all the work. Yes, all the work in just one night.

WWF's staff couldn't stop admiring my luck on the first day of my visit. Indeed, I was the lucky one. They told me that previously, some of the past volunteers did not even managed to see any turtle nesting after having been there for 1 week!!!

Work starts at roughly 9pm and ends at 6am. Boy, I was really exhausted at my first day, not accustom to the suddent change of biological clock... Wow, it's a wonder how the staffs did it consecutively every night for all the years!!

OK.
Pictures speak louder than words. So be it.

The incubation room for eggs transported from the island.

The data sheet for the assessment of each turtle hatchling. Imagine having to go through this repeatedly from the 10pm to 3am!

The boxes stacked up after the assessment of hatchling. Plenty huh?!

Inside the incubation room were the organization of boxes. Each was labelled precisely and placed carefully to minimize any movement.

The view of one of the three hatchery in a row.

A close-up view. Notice the box netting that secluded some of the nests? It prevents the soon-to-emerge hatchling from wandering around. It could be a hazard because some of them were squashed by passing vehicles on the road (this hatchery is just by the road).

This is how we note the emerging hatchling. The used-to-be compact sand layer became soft and collapsed in the middle when the hatching move underneath the sand.

This was the huge amount of hatchling for the night. The hatchling were so distracted by the light that they could not stop moving around the styrofoam box.

I can't keep them still even in photographs!

There were shades of colours on the carapace of each baby turtle.

A close-up view.

WOW!!!

So, I've shared my valuable experience here. I'm sure volunteers at Turtle Research & Rehabilitation Group in Chagar Hutang (formerly SEATRU now known as TRRG), Terengganu also went through something similar and as enjoyable as mine. Let's share.

*Sorry for the bad resolution. Blaming it on the bad cellphone-camera, definitely.

Next on Idiosyncrasies.com : Pulau Upeh.

A Turtle-ing Commitment

Every agenda that took part in our lives needed commitment. We need to sacrifice and make ways for things to happen even if it is the least important to us. It is how we were taught and trained to be since a child. How responsibility and ethics played a role to bring us to where we are today. Don't you realize that?

It's a form of discipline.

This applies in conservation work. It is mostly driven by those who have the passion but lack the resources. Conservationists are among the most hardworking people on Earth. They work their mind, body and soul for the benefit of others.


I'm citing this example from the M'sia's turtle conservation project, Turtle Research and Rehabilitation Group. It was formerly known as Sea Turtle Research Unit (SEATRU). Prof Chan Eng Heng from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu is the heart of the group. Throughout the years, she headed the task in saving the lives of depleting marine turtles and conduct various programs to help spread the message across. Her generous effort came a long long way. It took Malaysian a few decades to realize that we are actually losing our own natural resources.

It is not often that you see successful conservation effort thriving in the long-run. Especially when problems never lost their way in you! Conservation is a tasking and tiring effort. With turtles, you work when they come to you and we don't go all out to the open sea and barge into them. No!

We silently compose ourselves in the middle of the night til morning just to wait for them to come ashore. Brushing away sand flies, mosquitoes and insects of all sorts just to wait for females to lay their precious eggs. Never giving up though there might not be a single turtle nesting for that particular week. Speed, reliability, observance and passion is needed to finalise the work.

• A determined mind battling just to keep droopy eyes awake.
• Much needed patience to dig up eggs buried deep into the sand all night long.
• A will to transfer eggs with repetition-done only with guarded care and gentleness.
• A combating effort to find the unobserved nests before it's taken by illegal egg collectors.
• A daredevil spirit to go face-to-face with nasty egg poachers armed with parang.

Can you do it?

Do you wish to join the effort in combating the turtle's lost? Thrilled seeing baby turtles making it's way to the rough sea? Be a volunteer and experience yourself the joy of saving turtle eggs.

Ooops! Only if you managed to grab a spot for yourself for the year. HOT SEATS!!!