The Road to RIMBA I: Preface

POSTED ON BY Clarisse Tan

Longboat journey up Sungai Engkari towards Nanga Segerak research station. Photo credit: LKCNHM.

Last October, a team from the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) embarked on a 3-week field expedition to the depths of the Sarawak rainforests of Malaysian Borneo, as part of the RIMBA-Sarawak collaborative project between the museum (NUS) and Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).

Navigating the shallow but fast-flowing waters of Sungai Engkari. Photo credit: LKCNHM.

RIMBA-Sarawak (Research for Intensified Management of Bio-Rich Areas of Sarawak) is an initiative developed by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation as an international collaborative platform to (1) document the rich biodiversity of Sarawak, (2) improve wildlife conservation management, (3) build capacity in these two areas, and (4) share the information gathered from these efforts.

Group photo at Nanga Segerak Field Station. From left to right: Dzaki, Jay, Mingshi, Wei Song, Christiane. Photo credit: LKCNHM.

The LKCNHM team that went on this inaugural trip comprised Curator Hwang Wei Song, Specialist Associates Muhammad Dzaki Bin Safaruan and Chen Mingshi, and Field Assistant Jayanthi D/O Puniamoorthy. They were accompanied by visiting scientist Prof. Christiane Weirauch from the University of California, Riverside.

Hiking along the trails in Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, rain or shine. Photo credit: LKCNHM.

Their 3-week expedition focused on exploring the insect fauna of the remote Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuaries in the heart of Borneo.

Even the “kampung Adidas shoes” – best field footwear sworn by the locals, gave way at the end of the field trip. Photo credit: LKCNHM.

The team brought back with them a treasure trove of insect specimens, and interesting stories of adventure and discovery.

Ricki, one of our local guides, bracing for the rapids ahead. Photo credit: LKCNHM.

These stories will be revealed in subsequent posts, so stay tuned to our blog for more updates!

This post is the first of a new series documenting the inaugural LKCNHM RIMBA-Sarawak project expedition.