April - Jun 2007 Vol. 4, Issue2 The Quarterly Newsletter of the Malaysian Karst Society For members only
Inside this issue: Message from the President World Cave News 2 Dear Fellow Members, We will continue to raise awareness of MKS and its goals. This is be done using all available Recent Trips 4 First and foremost, on behalf of MKS, a big media and medium necessary. We will continue Thank you to our past president Mr Philip organizing trips to caves and karst areas to help Kota Gelanggi Leong and his committee members over the raise awareness of the society among members Pos Dipang last four years who has worked tirelessly to get and the general public. MKS to its current position. In that time, MKS MKS guides STAR 6 under Philip has been able to build up a good We want to be the National representative at BRATs base for the future. It is now time for MKS to International level for Cave and Karst. play a more prominent role in the conservation Malaysia's karst biodiversity is rich but Malaysia Coming Trips 7 and management of Malaysia's cave and karst is not formally represented at any international resources. forum at the moment. Locally, MKS will be positioned as the central body that regulates The new Executive Committee has met three and control all activities related to cave and Membership 8 times now and we have been able to put karst. Application/Renewal together a program that we feel will help MKS achieve this. The components of the program is We want to diversify MKS' income source to summarized below. ensure longer term sustainability of the society.
MKS has to be a scientific and information As you can see, we have a lot of work to do in based organization. This means MKS must the coming months. To this end we have establish itself as THE source of information identified two major projects which we hope to and expertise in our field. We have to gather, see initiated. Projects needs money which MKS Committee store and use this information to achieve our means we need to seek funding for these 2007/2008 goals. Where needed, we may have to establish projects. These are the Kinta Valley Limestone field projects to gather primary information. Project and the Establishment of a Malaysian Hymeir Kamarudin Cave and Karst Database. In a way, the former With this information and expertise, we have to project would be synergistic with the latter President position MKS as THE organization when it project. Please feel free to contact us if you comes to caves and karst in Malaysia. We hope need any information on these projects or on that MKS will then be able to earn the anything regarding MKS. Yong Shim Hian credibility that is needed if we want to be taken seriously and be respected among Malaysia's Lastly, I would like to appeal to members to Vice President cave and karst stakeholders. contribute in helping MKS achieve our vision. This could be in monetary aid or simply MKS has about 120 members at the moment contributing your time. MKS is our society and Loo Voon San and we intend to increase this to at least 300 any help is certainly welcomed. Thank you and Secretary members. Although we hope to attract people hope to see you all soon. Ciao. from all walks of life, we plan to actively recruit members among the scientific and academic fraternity, particularly among those who are Bernard Lee active and passionate about cave and karst. Hymeir Kamarudin Treasurer President Kinta Valley Mohd. Tajuddin Robert Percival Liew Chin Chow Yin Ee Kiong Committee Members Page 2 The Quarterly Newsletter of the Malaysian Karst Society
Note from the Editor
For the benefit of our members, here is a brief explanation of the Kinta Valley Limestone Project and the Establishment of a Malaysian Cave and Karst Database. The Kinta Valley Limestone project hopes to achieve several landmarks in the management and conservation of cave and karst in Malaysia. Here we will be concentrating on the very prominent and highly conspicuous karst landscape of the Kinta Valley. We want to show that there are better ways to exploit limestone resources while conserving a better part of the hills and maintaining the unique karst landscape scenery. This project will involve a lot of lobbying, advocacy, field and awareness activities. The project to establish a Malaysian Cave and Karst Database (MCKD) will set up a GIS (Geographical Information System) database on Malaysia's caves and karst. This project will independently obtain field and secondary data to establish the most comprehensive database on anything to do with cave and karst in Malaysia. The MKS committee would like to appeal to any members who can offer help in these projects to contact the committee and work together with us for the conservation of cave and karst in Malaysia.
World Cave News
Tiny Blind Animal Halts Billion Dollar Even short exposures to sunlight can be fatal. Aussie Mine Extensive research and sampling conducted By Michael Perry from Reuters by the proponent has identified a number of new species of troglobitic fauna. An EPA Mar 29, 2007 report into the project found 11 species of SYDNEY (Reuters) - A blind spider-like troglobites in the area and said mining would animal has stopped development of a multi- extinguish at least five of them. The EPA billion-dollar iron ore mine in Australia after judged that a proposed mining exclusion an environmental body rejected the project zone at the site would be inadequate to for fear the tiny cave-dweller would become protect the tiny animal or aboriginal heritage extinct. in the area. "There is also concern over the long term structural stability of the landform Western Australia's Environmental post-mining," said the EPA report. Protection Authority (EPA) rejected the proposal by Robe River to develop the iron Rio Tinto said it would appeal against the ore mine in the Pilbara region after the decision. An appeals report will be sent to company unearthed troglobites, which the state's environment minister who will measure just 4 millimetres (0.16 in) in length. make a final decision. Unlike the EPA, which can only consider environmental issues, the A troglobite is an animal that lives entirely in minister can take into account social and the dark parts of caves. It has adapted to life economic factors. Robe River already mines in total darkness and may have no eyes or iron ore in nearby areas in the Robe River pigmentation, using feelers to explore its Valley. It currently produces 32 million tons way through the dark. Troglobites are per annum of ore, but the existing deposit unable to live outside their pitch-dark world will be exhausted by 2010. because they would die from ultraviolet light. April - Jun 2007 Page 3
12th Century Paintings of Buddha how much we don't know, how much there Found in Remote Nepalese Cave is to discover, explore and understand," Coburn said, adding they plan to return to By Binaj Gurubacharya, Associated Press the cave next spring to conduct more Writer research. The area has for centuries been KATMANDU, Nepal May 4, 2007 (AP) used as a major passageway between Nepal and Tibet. Paintings of Buddha dating back at least to the 12th century have been discovered in a cave in Nepal's remote north-central region by a team of Giant Crystal-Filled Cave Discovered international researchers who were in California tipped by a local sheep herder. A mural from National Geographic News with 55 panels depicting the story of Buddha's life was uncovered in March, By Blake de Pastino with the team using ice axes to break through a snow path to reach the cave in Nepal's Mustang area, about 160 miles northwest of the capital, Katmandu. "What we found is fantastically rich in culture and heritage and goes to the 12th century or earlier," Broughton Coburn, a writer and conservationist from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, told The Associated Press. Coburn said the main mural measured around 25 feet wide, and each panel was about 14 inches by September 26, 2006—Four amateur 17 inches. explorers have discovered a giant, crystal- filled cave in California's Sequoia National The team of Nepalese, Italian and Park that scientists are hailing as a major American archaeologists, art experts, find. Only a small portion of the cavern has and climbers, were tipped by a local been explored so far. But researchers say sheep herder who mentioned that he they have already found several large had seen a cave with old paintings chambers with a variety of formations, several years ago when he took shelter including thin curtains of minerals several from the rain. Besides the main mural, feet tall, slender "soda straws" up to six feet paintings were discovered on other walls (two meters) long, and sheets of glimmering of the cave which they believe were crystals on the cave's floors and walls. made slightly later. A nearby cave had manuscripts which were written in Explorers have also found animal remains, Tibetan language, which were including the skeleton of what resembles an photographed by the team and will be ancient bear. That find inspired researchers translated by experts. Coburn said the to name the cave Ursa Minor—Latin for team planned to perform limited "small bear" and the name of the Little excavation, collection and cataloguing of Dipper constellation. The cavern was found photograph provided by Americian Sky the manuscripts. on August 19 by members of the Kentucky- based nonprofit Cave Research Foundation, Door Productions One of the 55 panels The five Americans in the team included depicting the story of Buddha's life is which has been surveying the park in search renowned mountaineer Peter Athans seen at an estimated late 13th century of new cave complexes. Scientists don't yet who has scaled Mount Everest seven old cave in Mustang area, Nepal. know how large the Ursa Minor system is, times and film maker Renan Ozturk. but they say they have already seen enough Other members included Italian art to believe it could yield many new insights expert Luigi Fieni and two Nepalese into the ancient past of the U.S. West. archaeologists. "There are things in the cave that could The team has refused to reveal the exact really open windows into our knowledge of location of the caves, fearing visitors geologic history and the formation of caves could disturb the centuries-old art. The throughout the West," park cave manager expedition spent three weeks in the Joel Despain told the Associated Press. remote mountainous area, where there "We're just beginning to understand the are few people due to the extreme scientific ramifications of this." weather and barren land. "We learnt Page 4 The Quarterly Newsletter of the Malaysian Karst Society
Kota Gelanggi Caves, Trip Report Text by Robert P; Photos by M. Tajuddin
The Kota Gelanggi Caves are located in Pahang their home here, feasting on the abundance of between the towns of Raub and Maran. There insects in this cave. We even saw a cave racer, are about 100 caves in the area and the geology making this a cave which can be considered as is estimated to be about 150 million years old. one teeming with animal life i.e. bats, insects, These caves were first recorded in 1882 and centipedes, toads and snakes. various findings of archaeological importance have been discovered there. Our next cave was the showcave, Gua Terang Bulan. At the end of this cave there is a high The trip started with a long drive to Pahang via chamber with an opening at the top and it is the road to Frasers Hill which continues on to said that when the moonlight shines thru this Raub. The route is very scenic and it passes the opening, it lights up the formations inside in a new dam that has been built on the upper beautiful way. There are some interesting reaches of the Selangor River. All of us arrived formations and deep pools in this cave. at the Tekam Plantation Resort at around 4pm, Formations resembling an elephant, an old man, and after a delayed a cupboard and various check-in, we felt that it other shapes can be seen was too late to do any Gua Sanding chamber with a little imagination. caving for the day. Some According to the guide, of us decided to spend some of the pools here the rest of the evening are so deep that no one relaxing at the pool thus has been able to measure saving our energy for the depth yet. This exotic-looking centipede is some serious caving the found inside Gua Tangga 99. next day. After lunch and a shower, we went to visit the small After a simple buffet museum near the caves. breakfast, we followed The museum showcases our guide to the the archaeological findings entrance of the main discovered in these caves. cave complex about 7km Stone tools, pieces of from the Resort. The pottery, animal bones, first cave we visited was freshwater shells and a dry cave and its human remains dating entrance was reached back to 1500 years were after a short uphill trek found in these caves. through secondary However there was a jungle. Inside the cave power blackout at the were the usual museum so we were not formations of able to see the artifacts stalagmites, stalactites and columns. One clearly or read the information presented on chamber had its ceiling and walls covered with the discoveries that were unearthed. hundreds of brown spots. It looked like we were inside the belly of a Leopard and On the second day we only had half a day for surrounded by its skin. The second cave was caving so we were led to Gua Angin and Gua more interesting. To reach it, we had to climb Sanding. Strong breezes are said to blow up quite a few iron ladders bolted to the side of through Gua Angin but we did not experience the hill. Thus the name of the cave "Gua Tangga any while we were there. Gua Sanding has a 99". Inside this cave, is the home of tens of very large chamber which is about 150 meters thousands of bats and the floor is ankle deep in across and about 120 meters high. At one end guano. They were not happy with our presence of the chamber stands two rock formations and flew about wildly, stirring up a lot of dust. which resemble a Malay couple in a wedding Breathing is not so easy here as your nose is ceremony. This magnificent chamber gives the soon clogged by the dirty air. With all this impression of a great hall where a bersanding guano around, this cave supports a multitude of ceremony is in progress. Sadly, with time animals. Cockroaches scurried on the ground running short and a long journey home ahead of and tiny fly like insects buzzed in the air. We us, we had to leave the caves and head back to also spotted some cave centipedes about 15cm our lodgings. After cleaning up, we said long running over the guano, their long legs goodbye to Kota Gelanggi and headed back to A road that passes thru a tunnel Ipoh with a wish to come again another time! with the stalactites intact. keeping their bodies above the mess on the ground. Cave toads as big as a saucer also make April - Jun 2007 Page 5
Pos Dipang Waterfall, May 2007 Text by Robert P; Photos by Jon Tan
Seven of us gathered at the Gopeng toll to make the trip to the impressive Pos Dipang waterfall. On the way, we picked up Hafizi and a friend who were our guides, as Philip could not be with us that day. We parked at the Pos Dipang Orang Asli settlement and hiked through a rubber estate, durian trees and jungle as we searched for the waterfall site. We lost the trail for a while and had to go down to the river and follow it upstream, climbing over boulders and slippery rocks for a distance, before finding the trail again. Leeches were out in full force that day and hardly any of us escaped without a few leech bites on our legs and bodies. There were also quite a number of butterflies in the area including the Rajah Brooke and Chocolate Albatross. Finally we arrived at the main waterfall where the water drops from a height of the base of the falls as the current there about 12 metres into a large pool, churning looked strong and would likely suck you up the water and making a loud roaring down to the bottom. About 20 metres sound. After a short rest, some of us downstream, there are smaller pools and ventured into the cool waters to enjoy its an area with a natural waterslide where we refreshing effect. No one dared to swim to spent most of our time enjoying the delights this spot had to offer. Bernard and a few others were more interested in the beauty of the falls and spent their time taking photographs of the beautiful scenery. After spending an hour and a half at the falls, it was time to pack up and head back to Pos Dipang, happy with a day well spent in the bosom of Mother Nature.
USM / Foreign Exchange Students at Kandu Photo and text by Hong
Dr. Nurul Salmi of USM contacted MKS for a cave excursion as part of their 2-week long outdoor learning program with a group of Canadian exchange students. On May 31, Sujah, Robert and Hong of MKS led the group of 20 to Gua Kandu, MKS favorite adventure cave. Sujah did a great job presenting the cave in a such whimsical yet informative manner which the group obviously enjoyed. Dr. Nurul even asked if MKS could guide them through Gua Tempurung. Unfortunately Gua Tempurung is run by a private operator at the moment. Page 6 The Quarterly Newsletter of the Malaysian Karst Society
BRATs visits Gua Kanthan Text and photo by Hong
MKS was contacted by an events organizer featured this story on it center spread on for a cave excursion in March. The group, that day, however, MKS was also not commissioned by The Star Newspaper, mentioned here. They also got the was to organize a 5-day educational information on Gua Kanthan and the Six- outdoor trip in the Kinta Valley for BRATs mile Tunnel mixed up. (a junior journalism program) themed The person in charge of this program, Tan “Save the Hills in Perak”. Ju Eng, a senior editor of the Star could MKS provided the organizers with not be reached to explain this omission. information on sites and caves that they Our calls were not returned. could possibly visit. The group visited Gua Kanthan on 2nd June 2007, Sujah, Hymeir and Hong led this group of 30, including the organizers, reporters, photographers and the BRATs. An article was subsequently featured in the Star Newspaper on 5 June 2007 (article below), unfortunately MKS was not given credit. The Star Metro (local news) also April - Jun 2007 Page 7
COMING TRIPS
Lately we nave noticed that not many members are coming for the caving trips. Perhaps members would prefer some other type of nature related activity as a change. We will thus be organizing more hiking/climbing /waterfall trips in the hope that more members will participate and come to appreciate all the splendor that Mother Nature has to offer.
Gua Lanno
Gua Lanno, G. Lanno 22 July 2007, Sunday
Our previous planned trip to Gua Lanno in April was postponed and this is the new date for this trip. Gua Lanno, a large cave with two levels and many chambers. is an old favourite and the most beautiful cave in Gunung Lanno. It is time for a revisit and perhaps discover new passages. There are many large and beautiful formations in this cave such as helictites and calcite formations, flowstones, large columns and a rock that looks like a tortoise.
Meet at Coffee shop opposite the Simpang Pulai Police Station
Time 9.00 a.m.
Duration 4 to 5 hours Register for
Challenge rating your trips Registration is crucial for the safety of the participants as sufficient preparation needs to be made for each trip. We also need to know the Hike up a hill in Tanah Hitam number of members 9 September 2007, Sunday coming, as the trip may be cancelled if there are Tanah Hitam is a village near Chemor. Behind the village is a hill about 400-500 metres too few participants. high. There is a cleared path up the hill and from the top you can get a panoramic view of Registration can be done the Kinta Valley and the Limestone hills scattered within. Bring along some snacks and we thru email or by calling can have a picnic at the top. the MKS office. Contact info is located on the last page of this newsletter. Meet at Lost World of Tambun car park (near Rum Jungle)
Time 9.00 a.m.
Duration 3 hours
Challenge rating Vol. 4, Issue2 BOOK SALE: EXPEDITION GUNUNG LANNO
Malaysian Karst Society This book is the result of a 3 week speleological Syuen Hotel expedition to Gunung Lanno, Kinta Valley, Perak. 88 Jalan Sultan Abdul Jalil 30300 Ipoh, Perak Gunung Lanno is one of the biggest limestone Malaysia hills in the Kinta Valley. The expedition explored Phone: +6(05) 254 2993 the whole mountain, covering the surface area, Fax: +6(05) 253 5507 surveying all the known caves, and linking them to the surface survey. Research was also done Email: [email protected] on the cave fauna. Office hours: Authors: E. Geyer, P. Jeutter, S. Kogler, L. Price, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. J. Segl, F. Schmidt, Dr. H. Steiner, A.Wolf, S. Yian, Monday thru Friday Dr. H. Kusch, A. Örtel. Abstract : In November 2001 a group of speleologists from Austria, England, Germany and Malaysia held an expedition to Gunung Lanno, an isolated, densely forested limestone hill in the Kinta Valley, Perak. The expedition searched for caves and surveyed them. A good overview on the caves in the mountain was established. During 3 weeks, 32 caves were documented and 12 kilometres of passages surveyed. Aerial investigation via aeroplane showed higher entrances of which not all were reached. Four temple caves were also surveyed. On the See us online at last day of the expedition the biggest discovery was made. Gua Puncak holds western Malaysia’s second largest chamber the “Lanno Summit Chamber”, 60 meters wide and more than 180 metres long, located directly below the peak of the mountain. Other big www.mykarst.org caves are Gua Selari, Gua Lanno and Gua Kong Fook Ngam. The cave fauna was studied, and several new species were discovered. This report documents the results of the expedition in 2001, the pre-trips in the years 1998 and 1999, as well as an introduction into the area.2005, hardback, A4, 240pp, 253 figures, colour and B&W photos, maps, surveys. Views and opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the Executive RM115.00 plus post and packing RM7.00. Committee of the Society. Books are available from Liz ([email protected]).