Everyone has a price, even the fish. For the kelah (Tor trambroides) of The Kelah Sanctuary in Taman Negara, it’s seed pellets. I dunked a fistful of pellets into the pristine water, and sure enough, 30 to 40 scaly fellas darted my way.
Making haste to the Kelah Sanctuary.
Here come the pellets
Taking instructions from a fish warden.
A good skill to have for the hunt
Each one weighed a healthy 1kg to 5kg. No thanks to overfishing and land erosion, the population of kelah in Malaysian rivers has dwindled over the years. To preserve its population, the authorities have outlawed fishing in Taman Negara. Despite this, the species continues to be threatened by erosion, which damages its habitat, and fish predators like the toman and tapah.
The Kelah Sanctuary is a labour of love by the Wildlife Protection and National Park Department (Perhilitan) and Usains Holding Sdn Bhd, a research wing of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), to protect the species.
The fish are lured from the upper and lower streams of Sungai Tahan, Sungai Kenyam and Sungai Tembeling to Lubok Tenor, a 40-minute boat ride from Kuala Tahan. Here, visitors can splash around with the fish while being taught about them by the fish wardens.
Under the Eighth Malaysia Plan, RM5 million was allocated to create the Kelah Sanctuary. Additionally, entrance fees and public funds collected go towards developing the area further.
In the beginning, not all the communities in the surrounding areas agreed with the idea of a sanctuary, as it was seen as a move towards reducing available fishing ground. But through education and awareness, the authorities have helped residents understand that the protected area would help improve fishing outside the sanctuary since it provided a safe place for the fish to mature.
The project enlisted the help of the Orang Asli of the Batek tribe in Taman Negara. They made up some 30% of the workers. Poachers are not welcome in the prohibited areas, but anglers can still experience the thrill of the catch by tagging and releasing this coveted game fish at Pos Melantai 2, an hour’s boat ride from Kuala Tahan and another 3½-hour’s journey by canoe and foot.
Forest caretakers
While the world is busy marking territories, the Batek are content with their no-frills lifestyle.
Moving to a new house is such a chore. When I did it, it took an entire weekend to pack, repack and unpack. From there, it took forever to turn the house into a home.
For the Batek of Taman Negara, relocating to a new spot every few weeks is no big deal. Unlike many indigenous people, the Batek still hang on to their nomadic lifestyle. They do not farm, raise livestock or build houses where a postman can post their bills. No, possessions to them are a nuisance, so hiring a mover is unnecessary.
At the Batek settlement along the river, shacks built of natural vegetation protect them from insects. Their calories come purely from hunting and gathering. Animals living in trees are considered clean, so the men hunt birds, squirrels and monkeys using a 1.5m blowpipe.
The tip of the dart is coated with a poisonous sap from the Ipoh tree. It is slightly bended so the poisonous tip will remain in the flesh even if the prey is able to remove the dart.
The bilingual Batek don’t farm, as they detest its monotony. Instead, the women fish and collect vegetables and fruits from the forest, like wild tuber, durian, jackfruit, mangosteen and rambutan.
It surprises me that there are still people living in this way, where a good meal is simply enough calories to sustain you until the next meal.
Although some claim the Batek should not be allowed to run all over Taman Negara, it is not in the Batek character to destroy the forest.
The community moves on to a new area before the resources are depleted. In fact, there is a whole lot we could learn from them. They don’t clear the forest, only consuming what they need.
Take it from the Batek – the forest is worth looking after.
Source: http://www.cuti.com.my
