Spiny Hill Terrapin (Heosemys spinosa)

Spiny Hill Terrapin (Heosemys spinosa), Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

I had the most pleasant surprise of meeting my first Spiny Hill Terapin on 8 Jan 2013. My colleague spotted this beautiful creature after a heavy rain. Knowing that this was a rare sight, we took it into the office to record measurements and to take photographs. Unfortunately I only had my iPhone with me so I apologise for the grainy photos.

But before reading on, you might be asking, "what is the difference between a Turtle, Tortoise and a Terrapin?" Well, all three are reptiles and the main differences between each can be generally put as such: Turtles have webbed feet and live in the sea, tortoise have claws and live on land, and terrapins are turtles that live on land and near fresh or brackish water such as streams and ponds.

All three have similar structures which comprises mainly of the upper shell (carapace) and the lower shell (plastron). These shells are covered in hard protective plates called scutes. The patterns and arrangement of scutes, plus the overall look of the individual are often the first visual sign to aid identification in the field

In the case of the Spiny Hill Terrapin, the distinctive serrations along the margins of the carapace indicate that this is a juvenile. Adults will lose the deep serration for most of the margin, replacing them with a more rounded edge. Only slight serrations are left at the rear of the carapace.

Adult Spiny Hill Terrapin (photo from www.ecologyasia.com)

This shy creature is a native of our forests and is the only true forest terrapin we have in Singapore. This terrapin is mainly a land dweller and is encountered on the forest floor sometimes not far away from water. We have not observed any for quite some time so it was an even greater joy to know that they are breeding. I found out yesterday that about the same time, another juvenile was spotted at another part of the Central Nature Reserve. Not much is known about their breeding habits but at least we know that this time of the year is when we can expect juveniles to be around.

We took measurements of the one at BTNR and he/she was tiny! (i am still unsure of the sex of this terrapin). The carapace length was 6.5cm and the weight was 48.9g. An adult can attain a carapace length of more than 20cm.

A closer look at the marginal serrations and the vertebral keel that runs down the centre of the carapace. (note the handy Moleskine grid notebook below!)

View of plastron. Note the reddish scutes on the feet.

After a quick round of photo-recording and measurements, we released it back into the reserve. Good luck little one, we look forward to seeing you again!

Slaty-legged Crake (Rallina eurizonoides) spotted in Bedok!

Slaty-legged Crake, Bedok North Ave 1 (9 December 2012)
(Note: black and white barring on the breast but none on the wings.)

"What bird is that darling?" asks my wife as we were looking out the window of our 7th storey flat in Bedok.

"Erm.. looks like a Red-legged Crake! What's this bird doing here in a housing estate?" I replied, peering through my binos which i had hastily grabbed from the living room.  Red-legged crakes are pretty shy birds which are usually found in forested areas near water, so seeing one in the middle of my housing estate invoked enough curiosity in me to go down to have a closer look.

Armed with just my iPhone, i followed this bird around the carpark and finally stopped at the Ixora hedge in which it had chosen as cover from this inquisitive human. I stooped low and took a few photos of it. It was a surprisingly cooperative model and i managed to get a decent photo of most of its body. Then it struck me: its legs weren't red!

Photo of a Red-legged Crake (Rallina fasciata). (Taken from ehmatias)
(Note the barring extends to the wings and the bright red legs)

Excited that it might be some other species, I hurriedly sent the photo out to several persons who are well versed with birds. After a few days of impatient waiting, my suspicions were confirmed, the bird I spotted was indeed a Slaty-legged Crake!

Slaty-legged Crakes are migratory birds water birds and are an extremely rare sight in Singapore. It could have wandered from the nearby Bedok Reservoir Park or a patch of Acacia forest that is near my flat. Since it was spotted during the rainy season, it could have found the frequently flooded conditions of these two areas were good to hang out in. According to Nature Society of Singapore, this bird  breeds in the Indian subcontinent, northern Vietnam and SE China. 

I tried locating it again a few days later but could not find it again. If you stay in the Bedok area, do help look out for this bird the next time December comes along.

[Credits: Thanks Benjamin, Krish and Ding Li for helping to confirm the identity of this beautiful bird]

Pre-Trip Report: Xueshan (Snow Mountain), Taiwan

Xueshan (Snow Mountain), Taiwan. (photo from AMCI Mountaineering Club, Inc)

"Somewhere between the bottom of the climb and the summit

 is the answer to the mystery why we climb." 

- Greg Child

Instead of muttering "Because i want to", I should have probably said something as cool as that when my mom asked me "why do you need to go climb that mountain in Taiwan??"

It is almost 4 weeks more to a long awaited trek to Xueshan or Snow Mountain in Taiwan. It is only the  second-highest peak in Taiwan after Yushan or Jade Mountain, but because of its relatively more accessible routes and more picturesque qualities, Xueshan is one the must-climb mountains in Asia.

With a height of 3886m, it will be the highest summit for me. The only other trek I have done before is to the Crater Rim of Gunung Rinjani at 2639m. And because I will be trekking in winter, it will be my first ever winter mountain trek. This will also be my first totally self-supported trek (i.e. no porters), which is something i have always wanted to do.

An idea that spawned from wedding banquet table talk, I am stoked that this is actually happening. I am going with 2 good mates, both of whom were part of that same conversation 7 months ago. One of them is CW, who has done this route twice before and a bunch of other crazy routes in Taiwan. He just got back from a 10 day solo trek on the Holy Ridge Trail, so he is probably the fittest of the three of us. I am also grateful to my supportive wife who has let me go on this trip with the boys (thanks baby!).

I will be journalling our experiences on the journey, which we will embark on in February 2013. I will also be reviewing gear and kit used during the trip.

Stay tune, and happy trails!