14 June 2020

Malay weasels at Kinabalu HQ

So what is left to do during these times, other than Facebook-stalk people who live in megadiverse habitats, or Facebook info-sharing groups of places I wish I could visit now…

Well, here’s my week’s finding: remember when Jon Hall was at Mt. Kinabalu the first time, he saw a Malay Weasel and figured they would be easy to see there? That was well over a decade ago.

When I was there back in October, I didn’t get the sense that they’re still easy to see there. But despite my personal experience, apparently, while not necessarily easy (small, sneaky and relatively shy) they’re still pretty common, and “are regular at the Park HQ. We’ve seen them predating birds nests too”.

It’s always good to hear that old news about mammals are still relevant. So i I just wanted to share. Nothing like a nice, orange mustelid to start your morning.

Cheers!

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2 Comments

  • 18 June 2020
    Jon Hall

    Yes that was 16 years ago I saw my one and only. Great to know they are still around!

    • 19 June 2020
      tomeslice

      Yes!

      I actually think Kinabalu is underrated based on my experience.

      In just 3 nights we encountered quite an array of mammals including our trip’s only masked palm Civet, spotted giant, horsefield’s and Jentink’s flying squirrels, all the altitude-specific squirrels and rats, mountain tree shrew and that damned banded linsang that i personally missed. Plus some of the usuals like small-toothed and island palm civets and a slow Loris.
      I also thermal-scoped a mammal near the bins with almost no tail, which could have easily been a gymnure or a ferret badger, but we missed it with the torch.
      I think the potential there is huge.

      That’s quite impressive for such a short visit at such a popular park. If you compare it to, say, Monteverde in Costa Rica, Kinabalu is basically a mammal heaven.

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