MERAPOH TIGER TRAIL

CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

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KNOW BEFORE YOU GO GUIDE

We would like to thank you for your interest in joining the Conservation and Community

Development Project, located on the Sungai Yu Wildlife Corridor on the border of Taman

Negara. In collaboration with our partner organization MYCAT, you will be amongst the

few that have helped to collect wildlife data, search for snares and patrol these forests,

thus reducing the number of wild animals and tigers being poached. Whilst at the same

time helping the local indigenous group through community programmes. The

rainforests of Peninsular Malaysia are known to be the oldest in the world and harbour

species such as Malayan Tigers, Leopards, Asian Elephants, Gibbons, Gaur and Tapir.

You will be taken off the beaten track into these forests and explore beautiful rivers,

jungle and caves. Play your part in helping these species survive another century whilst

going on an adventure of a lifetime!

Contents

1. Know before you go guide

contents

2. Before you go

Introduction

Travel arrangements

3. Visa

Insurance

Healthcare

4. What to bring

5. Contact information

6. While you are here

Accommodation

Food

7. Your placement

8. ECO walk conservation patrols

9. Caving

10.Batek

11.Travel safe

The weather

Currency

12. Local customs Language

13. After your placement

14. APPENDIX A- Basic Malay

15. APPENDIX A

16. Donations

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1. BEFORE YOU GO

1.1 Introduction

If you are reading this guide, it means that you have already confirmed your reservation

and that you will be joining us on our Conservation and Community Development

Programme! With that, kindly send us a copy of your passport as soon as your

reservation is confirmed on the programme. We will need these for your forest reserve

permits. If we do not get your permits in time it will most likely result in denial of access

into some Forest Reserves and trekking routes.

1.2 Travel arrangements Project location

Merapoh, Pahang. Merapoh is a less well known alternative entry point to the Taman

Negara National Park compared to the main entrance located at Kuala Tahan, Jerantut.

Upon Sundays arrival, you will need to get the 10AM Transnational bus from Terminal

Bersepadu Selatan (located at Bandar Tasik Selatan) going to Kota Bharu. You will need

to prebook the ticket, please email us at explore@ecoteer.com if you would like us to

do this on your behalf. Please arrive at the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan at least an hour

before your departure time to locate your bus at the bus terminal. If you need help

finding your bus, kindly ask for the bus station staff assistance using your bus ticket as

reference. The journey takes around 4-5 hours from Kuala Lumpur and you will arrive at

Merapoh by 1-1:30PM. You will be greeted by a member of the FUZE-ECOTEER team at

the restaurant in Merapoh where the bus stops for lunch.

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1.3 Visa

In Malaysia it is possible to volunteer on a tourist visa. Tourists from the following

Countries will receive a 90 day free tourist visa upon arrival:

Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina,

Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany,

Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kirgystan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic,

Lebanon, Lienchestien, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherland, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland,

Qatar, Romania, St Marino, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden,

Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United

States, Uruguay, Yemen.

1.4 Insurance

All volunteers are required to have their own travel insurance. Ecoteer does not provide

insurance cover for its volunteers and accepts no responsibility for any accidents or

injuries a volunteer may sustain during your stay with us.

1.5 Healthcare

Must have injections/inoculations

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Typhoid/Measles

(MMR) Tetanus/Dipheria

Mumps

Rubella

Malaria and Dengue are present in and around Taman Negara.

In Merapoh there is a small clinic that can treat most injuries. There is also a hospital in Gua Musang, a 30 minute drive from Ecoteer HQ.

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Attire Non-compulsory Long pants (warm) Camera

Thin trousers Hammock, including mosquito net

Shorts Books/Mp3 player

Swimwear CELCOM Malaysian sim card – This network has the best coverage at the project site;

We suggest RM30 credit for 4 weeks.

T-shirts First aid kit

Jumper/fleece - Anti histamines

Rain jacket (optional) - Antibiotics

Socks - Diarrhoea medication

Hat/cap - Anti-inflammatory for ears, throat etc

Flip flops/sandals - Hand sanitizer

Equipment Toiletries Sleeping bag Tooth brush/tooth paste

Torch Deodorant

Penknife (optional) Repellents with DEET

Day back pack 3.5lt Shower gel/shampoo

Thin travel towl Sun block

Minimum 1.5 water bottle Face wipes/tissues

Hiking boots After sun cream

Zip lock bags/tupperware Flannel

1.6 What to bring

Treks in the rainforest can be quite wet. Therefore we recommend you bring thin

clothing items that can dry quickly in the sun. Likewise it is recommended to wear

walking shoes or old tennis shoes over walking boots.

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Ecoteer Project Leader

Azee Azee@fuze-ecoteer.com +6 011 2338 6489

Merapoh Intern Team

Email used by interns

merapoh@fuze-ecoteer.com +6 012 217 3208

Ecoteer Founder Danial Quilter daniel@ecoteer.com

Fuze Founder Pavin Moreno pavin@fuze-ecoteer.com

Inquiries and Bookings Manager

Amirthan Loganathan

amir@fuze-ecoteer.com

Website -> www.ecoteerresponsibletravel.com

Facebook -> Merapoh Conservation and Community Project

Money - We recommend you have a minimum budget of RM200 for your time spent in

Merapoh.

Rentals - If you are unable to bring any of the recommended items, you will be able to

rent / buy them in Merapoh from SGI Outdoor who sells all sorts of camping gears

(located within 15 minutes walking dinstance from the house). All rental items must be

cleaned before return. Damaged items will incur additional charges.

Contact Information:

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2. While You are here

2.2 Accommodation

Volunteers will stay at the Ecoteer House HQ in Merapoh. Large A/C room with choice of

double or single bed. Note: We do not have a safe box in Merapoh.

Shops are available in the village to purchase toiletries, snacks and drinks

Laundry: Laundry service is available for MYR10 depending on load.

2.3 Food

Your programme package includes all daily meals

Breakfast - We normally take breakfast in the house, cereals,

toast etc. You can also try some local breakfast at the nearby

food stalls.

Lunch - You will be provided with packed lunches. The packed

lunches are normally rice, with fish or chicken and some

veggies. If you have any diet restrictions please inform us.

Dinner - The team normally cook and eat at home in the evenings. You will however have

opportunities to eat out at both Merapoh (Monday) and Gua Musang (Thursday) night

markets. You will also have the pleasure of eating a traditional Malay meal with a Malay

family on Wednesday, and a BBQ/picnic on Saturday.

Camping - On Saturday you will camp out with the Batek eating bamboo-cooked rice,

vegetables and chicken.

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Programme Itinerary SUNDAY

(Arrival day) MYCAT brief – village walk

MONDAY ECO Walk (Jungle trekking) – Merapoh night market

TUESDAY ECO Walk (Jungle trekking)

WEDNESDAY Morning English class – Caving – Malay dinner

THURSDAY Morning English class – Batek foraging session – Gua Masang night market

FRIDAY Overnight camping with the Batek

SATURDAY Return to the village – BBQ/Picnic at sunset point

SUNDAY (Departure day)

Morning English class – REST DAY

2.4 Your placement

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ECO Walk Conservation Patrols - Jungle trekking

MYCAT stands for Malaysian Citizens Action for Tigers.

It is an alliance between Malaysia Nature Society,

TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Wildlife Conservation Society-

Malaysia Programme and WWF-Malaysia, Supported

by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks

Peninsular Malaysia for joint implementation of the

National Tiger Conservation Action Plan for Malaysia

(www.malayantiger.net). The aim is to have 1000

Tigers roaming Peninsular Malaysia by 2020.

Ambitious, but with your help definitely achievable!

Walks are generally 5-7 hours long depending on the

group and the route chosen. These jungle walks are

fascinating and will really allow you to feel like one of

the animals in the forest, documenting pugmarks,

collecting camera trap data and looking out for signs of

humans and poachers. If any snares are found, the GPS

locations will be recorded and the snares will be

destroyed. Even old discarded snares continue to catch

animals so it is vital that they are removed to prevent

any further harm. In an effort to deter these activities

in what is essentially a wildlife highway. Fuze Ecoteer

has a Merapoh based branch and is in essence, MyCat’s

foot soldiers conducting 2-3weekly jungle treks. With

our presence in the forest acting as a useful deterent.

A MEDIUM level of fitness is required for the Jungle walks. The walks are supposed to be

slow to enable the guides to search for tracks and animal signs however this is a tropical

rainforest where humidity can reach 90-100%. It may not be hot but between the humidity

and the inevitable encounters with leeches, this is not a trip for the faint-hearted!

PLEASE BE AWARE

Large animals live in these forests, but it is very rare to

actually see any because they are mostly nocturnal. Your

role is to look for signs of their whereabouts and locate

snares whilst acting as a deterrent to poachers.

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Caving

There are over 60 limestone caves in the Merapoh region. The caves that you visit will

depend on weather, group size and group ability. The caves are fantastic - some even

have rivers and Waterfalls inside. These caves are home to various animals including

thousands of swifts that group together at sunset. The Batek people have also used

these caves for centuries so you may spot some of their many cave drawings on your

visit. Fuze Ecoteer visits these caves in support for a local campaign - Save the Caves of

Merapoh. SCM strives to prevent limestone caves, along with their species, from the

threats of mining. Your presence in these caves can make all the difference!

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The Batek Tribal

Village

The Batek tribal people are the Malay aboriginals or “Orang Asli” meaning original people in

Malay language. Although living in villages for the last decades they are still very much a

hunting and gathering people having a deep and meaningful relationship with the

surrounding jungle. A Batek guide will accompany us most of the times on our treks. We will

also spend plenty of time with the Batek women going out foraging and camping. Spending

some time with the Batek people will hopefully give you a taste of their unique culture and

traditions and some new knowledge on how the raw jungle can be so plentiful.

The Batek have very little educational support from the local government and so Fuze Ecoteer

is providing a weekly schooling program at the village community centre. The program

focuses on improving the Batek’s reading and writing skills in Batek, Malay and English. You

will be supporting our Ecoteer teacher in carrying out this program 3 times a week.

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2.4 Travel Safe

Malaysia is a safe and a peaceful place to visit and theft is rare in Merapoh.

Nevertheless volunteers should always keep track of their personal belongings.

Common sense knowledge on safety is essential such as locking your rooms when you

leave, not wearing expensive looking jewelleries which could draw the wrong

attention, keep your important belongings in a safe box, be cautious while travelling

alone at night or when talking to strangers, etc.

More travelling safety tips available here:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html

2.5 The Weather

Malaysia is a hot and humid country all year around. The hot season starts from March

- September with occasional heavy rain in the evening or night. The rainy season or

monsoon season will be from late October - early February with daily rain. During the

peak of the monsoon season, this project will be closed (December - February).

Temperature in the day will be around 30°C or more and about 25°C at night.

2.6 Currency

Currency in Malaysia is Ringgit Malaysia (MYR or RM which is used locally). No ATM is

available in Merapoh, so volunteers will need to bring enough cash.

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2.7 Local Customs

The village of Merapoh is a Muslim village and volunteers are asked to dress

appropriately whilst at the Ecoteer HQ and in the village. Shoulders and cleavage

should be covered and shorts/skirts have to cover the knees. While swimming at

any river, please put on dark coloured attire as light coloured clothing will often

be see-through when wet.

Alcohol, drugs and pork are strictly forbidden at the Ecoteer HQ.

2.8 Language

Malay is the main language spoken in Merapoh. Some villagers are able to speak

basic English.

The Batek villagers speak their own language as well as a little bit of Malay. Some

speak very basic English. Our team leader will teach you a bit of Batek during the

programme as learning the Batek's own tribal language are very much

appreciated by them.

See APPENDIX A for basic Malay words

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3 After your placement

3.1 Departure

If you need assistance to plan your onward travels after the program ends, kindly

inform our project leader on the first day of briefing. Our project leader will assist

if it is possible. However it would be best if you already have a confirmed plan for

your onward travels (Eg: the project leader will be able to book tickets (bus/train)

if you know where you want to head to after the program ends).

Volunteers will need to get to Merapoh R&R and get on the bus (coming from

Kota Bharu) at 12.30pm to Kuala Lumpur.

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English Malay Pronunciation

I/Me/Mine Saya Sa-ya

You/Yours Kamu Ka-moo

Him/Her/He/she Dia Dee-a

We Kita Keeta

They Mereka Meh-reh-ka

This Ini Eenee

That Itu Eetu

Who Siapa See-ah-pah

What Apa A-pah

Where Dimana Dee-mah-nah Why Kenapa K-nah-pah

When Bila Bee-lah

Greeting Selamat Se-la-mat Good morning Selamat pagi Se-la-mat paggy

Good afternoon Selamat tenga hari Se-la-mat the-n-ga hari

Good night Selamat malam Se-la-mat mah-lam How are you? Apa Khaber Ah-pah kah-bar

I am good Khaber baik Kah-bar ba-ek What is your name? Siapa nama Si-ah pah nah-mah

My name is Nama saya Nah-ma sa-ya How old are you? Umur kamu berapa Oo-more kah-moo b-rah-

pah I’m 23 years old Umur saya 23 tahun Oo-moresa-ya 23 ta-oon

Thank you Terima kasih Te-ri-mah ka-se You are welcome Sama sama Sah-mah Sah-mah

Where are we going? Kita perggi mana Kee-tah per-gee mah-nah

What is this? Apa ini Ah-pah ee-nee

What is the name of this? Apa nama ini Ah-pah nah-mah ee-nee Where is the…?? Di mana… Di mah-nah…

Appendix A – Basic malay

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English Malay Pronunciation

Can I eat this? Boleh makan ini Boh-leh ma-can ee-nee

Is this poisonous? Ini racun Ee-nee rah-choon

Pug mark Tanda haiwan Tan-dah hay-wahn

River Sungai Soon-gai

Tree Pokok Poh-kok

Fruit Buah Boo-wah

Path Jalan kecil Jah-lan keh-chil

I feel sick/have pain Saya rasa sakit Sah-yah rah-sah sah-keet

Jungle Hutan Hoo-than

Animal Binatang Bin-tahng

Tiger Harimau Hah-rih-mau

Elephant Gajah Gah-jah

Bird Burung Boo-rohng

Bear Beruang Beh-roo-ang

Tapir Tapir Tah-pir

0 Kosong 8 Lapan 16 enam belas

1 satu 9 sembilan 17 tujuh belas

2 dua 10 sepuluh 18 lapan belas

3 tiga 11 sebelas 19 sembilan belas

4 empat 12 dua belas 20 dua puluh

5 lima 13 tiga belas 30 tiga puluh

6 enam 14 empat belas 100 seratus

7 tujuh 15 lima belas

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4. Donations

Here, at the Merapoh Conservation and Community project. We are always in need of

a few essential items that benefit both aspects of the programme. Ranging from

puzzles and games for the local children to play with, to rechargeable batteries and SD

cards for our camera traps. Any donation you wish to make, no matter how big or

small will be greatly received. Here is a short list of items that would benefit the

project immensely. Thank you!

- Pencils - Paracetamol

- Colour pencils/crayons - Ibuprofen

- Stationary i.e. rulers, erasers etc - Anti-septic wipes

- Stickers (bright and colourful) - Diarrhoea tablets

- White board marker pens - Dettol

- Puzzles - Anti-histamines

- Learning flash cards - SD cards 16GB, 32GB

- Board games - Batteries AA, AAA (rechargeable if possible)

- Colouring books

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Pictures courtesy of Josh Gray and Toby Holbeche

THE WEALTH OF THE NATION IS ITS AIR, WATER, SOIL,

FORESTS, MINERALS, RIVERS, LAKES, OCEANS,

BIODIVERSITY…THAT’S ALL THERE IS. THAT’S THE WHOLE

ECONOMY.THESE BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ARE THE

SUSTAINING WEALTH OF THE WORLD.

- Gaylord Nelson