While the oriental pied hornbills are iconic to Pulau Ubin, the flying lemurs can be considered as iconic to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. If you see something gliding around at night, it might be a flying lemur. This caught visitors by surprise. The Malayan flying lemur (Cynocephalus variegatus) is a nocturnal mammalian arboreal folivore that inhabits the forests of Southeast Asia. I didn't realised that the colugos wear different clothes until I saw the difference between this one and those from previous sightings. Pei Yee Oh's 4 research works with 8 citations and 1,100 reads, including: Hematology and serum biochemistry of captive Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) in Wildlife Reserves Singapore The colugos are nocturnal animals and usually feed and move around at night, some times on the ground in search of food, and are always high up on the trees during the day. Distributed in Myanmar, Indochina, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and Java. Ecology: Native species. 80 pp. The Sunda (or Malayan) flying lemur or “colugo” does not belong to the prosimian group like true lemurs, but is in a zoological order of its own, Dermoptera or "skinwings", which has only one genus and two species: the Philippine and Sunda flying lemurs. External Links. Colugos are also called flying lemur. A brown-furred one this time, sticking its tongue out to clean its face. A closer look at the same duo. Malayan Colugo | Low C H, Flickr ✿⊱╮ Galeopyerus variegatus--The Sunda flying lemur--found throughout Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. #Asia; #cool; #Planet Earth ; Siamang Gibbons Send a Message. The Sunda flying lemur is protected by national legislation. The other is the Bukit Timah forest and some patches found in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. Singapore: Draco Publishing and Distribution Pte Ltd. 180pp. Surveys were conducted from August to November 2003 to estimate the population density of Malayan flying lemurs for the first time in the Singapore Zoological Gardens. The Malayan colugos, or Sunda colugos, can be found in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. It is a skillful climber but is helpless on the ground. They are shy and friendly creatures. The photos in this post are taken using DSLR and in recent months only. 78 pp Singapore Biodiversity Records. After less than an hour of being there, it started to climb up the tree. Visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens and you'll soon understand why this is the only tropical garden in the world that is World Heritage-listed. Do both colugos look fierce and are gritting their teeth? Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve. The most striking aspects of the book, adapted from Lim's undergraduate thesis at the National University of Singapore, are the stunning full-page photographs … I will try for another chance again. The Sunda flying lemur is not a lemur and does not fly. Three days later, a dark-coloured and white-spotted one was seen close to the last sighting of the duo. fur with spots and patches of white. In Singapore, it occurs mainly in the Central Nature Reserves and adjacent plantations and parkland, and in the Bukit Batok Nature Park. Flying lemurs are such wonderful creatures that I decided to share about them in this post. The Sunda flying lemur is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia, ranging from the Sunda Shelf mainland to other islands – Northern Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia (Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak), Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia (Kalimantan, Sumatera, Bali, Java), and many adjacent islands. There are just two species each in its own genus, which makes up the entire family Cynocephalidae and order Dermoptera. Other than climbing trees and snuggling its young, it can glide distances of more than a hundred metres. While they can climb trees with ease, they are slow and clumsy when on the ground. Upperparts may either be grey or reddish-brown, mostly with irregular black streaks and white blotches with whitish eye ring. Solitary, nocturnal and arboreal. Philippine colugos are of a different specie that can only be found in the southern islands of the Philippines, but their population is decreasing due to poaching for their meat and fur and clearing of rainforests. This arboreal mammal uses a thin, blanket-like membrane extending between its front and hind limbs to glide through the jungle in silent escape. Although called a flying lemur, it cannot fly and is not a lemur. "Flying Lemur thriving in Singapore's Nature Reserves" By Chang Ai-Lien The Straits Times on the Molluscan Trails forum About Norman Lim and his study of our wild colugos Fact sheet and photos of colugos on Kwok Wai's WildLife Singapore website Visit our forests to see our colugos Two videos of … However, one nature enthusiast managed to spot the rare creature at an estate along Hillview Avenue. Bukit Batok Nature Park: Secret Home of the Flying Lemur (Malaysian Colugo) - See 73 traveller reviews, 133 candid photos, and great deals for Singapore, Singapore, at Tripadvisor. Baker, N. & Lim, K. 2008. Last Saturday (June 2017), these two colugos were spotted on the same tree together, a pretty rare sight. Colugo: The flying lemur of South-east Asia. Two species of colugos are found in the world but in Southeast Asia only. Hopefully, walking in a different direction will increase your chance. More Info at Wild Singapore website. Though they are the most capable of all … Singapore: Draco Publishing & Distribution Pte Ltd and National University of Singapore. Occurs mainly in the Central Nature Reserves and adjacent plantations and parkland, and in Bukit Batok Nature Park. Flying Lemurs of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Singapore. On closer inspection, it is actually a stripe of white fur above the mouth, not its teeth. The flight was over in less than a second. Check for flying lemurs in areas where there are tall trees. Colugos, also known as flying lemurs, are uncommon in Singapore. However, there are not closely related to the true lemur, which are found in Madagascar. Too bad I was not videoing it, if not, it would be easier to see how it moved. Usually clinging on tree trunk or gliding between trees. A month later, this baby colugo was spotted. First of all, these mammals are erroneously called "flying lemur". Wild animals of Singapore. There are just two species each in its own genus, which makes up the entire family Cynocephalidae and order Dermoptera. Instead, it glides as it leaps among trees. Binomial:Galeopterus variegatusAudebert, 1799* *It has an older name:Cynocephalus variegatus Vernacular:Malayan Flying Lemur*, Malayan Colugo, Sunda Flying Lemur, Sunda Colugo In older literature, some names such as "flying cat", "cobego" or “Kubong” might still turn up. Journal of Mammalogy promotes interest in mammals by the publication of original research on their ecology, genetics, conservation, behavior, and physiology. Its preference for primary forests is because of tree biodiversity as well as the presence of tall trees. N. Lim/Nat. It is reported that there are approximately 1500 Malayan Flying Lemurs in Singapore. Jia-Wei Woo ’s video clip of a pair of Malayan Colugo (Cynocephalus variegates), also known as Flying Lemur, was documented at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (below). They glide through the air, with the aid of the large skin membranes between their limbs, when leaping from trees to trees. They are actually named as "colugos", but the term "flying lemurs" has been so commonly used that the two terms became synonymous. Wild animals of Singapore. If you can't find them from the main road, go down Kruing Path, the junction at the top of the ramp-road near the hut, and then turn right to South View Path. Colugo: The Flying Lemur of South-East Asia by Norman Lim is exemplary of this latter form, combining novel scientific results with colorful commentary and background information to produce a relevant volume of wide interest. Although they can be found in some forests in Southeast Asia, the smaller forest area in Singapore and terrain of Bukit Timah Hill allows them to be spotted much more easily. The trail will lead you back to the Visitor Centre. *The name flying lemur is a misnomer as the Colugo neither flies nor is a lemur. It is strictly arboreal, is active at night, and feeds on soft plant parts such as young leaves, shoots, flowers, and fruits. I was using mobile phones for several sightings until I started to bring my DSLR to the nature reserve. It was a weekday and with few visitors, so it probably got bolder than usual. All Rights Reserved. It was late evening and the documentation was made just before the last rays of light disappeared at 1850 hours. The Sunda Flying Lemur (Galeopterus variegatus), also known as the Malayan Flying Lemur or Malayan Colugo, is a species of colugo found throughout South-East Asia. The Sunda flying lemur is found throughout Southeast Asia in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Are they related? They are herbivorous and feed on leaves, flowers, shoots and fruits. #Asia; #cool; #monkey; Wild Dogs vs. Otters. I managed to capture 6 or 7 flying lemurs on photos on 5 visits with a DSLR, so the chances of spotting one of them is pretty high. Species: Malayan colugo (Cynocephalus variegatus), Philippines colugo (Cynocephalus volans). Draco Publishing and Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Continue to look for them while on the paths. Singapore. Do standby the camera for that golden moment. Mobile phones usually cannot zoom in close enough and with clarity. Don't miss the flying lemurs and other wild animals when you are in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve next time. Nevertheless, it was a good lesson learnt. Adult, female, Singapore. As they were in the shade of the tree canopy, they appeared dark. They may point out a Malayan colugo to you. Singapore: The Fabulous Flying Lemur Bukit Timah, Singapore's highest point, holds the only bit of real rain forest left on the island. The National Orchid Garden is particularly delightful. In Singapore, it can be found in the Central Catchment area. Muzzle is pointed and eyes very large, feet with large claws. Instead, it glides as it leaps among trees. It's an adult Malayan flying lemur with gray fur and scaly pattern. I was telezooming my camera and not able to catch that precious flying moment on photo, but I did witness it with my own eyes. Carries its young, sometimes wrapped in the membrane. I am glad they choose Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to be their habitat. Occurs mainly in forest, usually clinging to tree trunks, or suspended from horizontal branches. Next time a colugo climbs higher up, it is preparing to jump. Someone commented that it's probably the prelude to mating. © 2016 - 2020 iPackTravel.com. Order: DERMOPTERA Family: Cynocephalidae Species: Galeopterus (or Cynocephalus) variegatus Colugos are arboreal gliding mammals found in Southeast Asia. Skip areas with dense vegetation, you won't be able to see them through thick vegetation. Flying Lemur The rainforests of tropical Asia provide plenty of towering trees as launch pads for the flying lemur. Interestingly, although the Malayan colugos found in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve belongs to the same specie, they put on different fur colours and patterns. 'Flying lemurs' are primates' closest kin. I am glad they choose Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to be their habitat. On the same day (actually, it's the day before this post was published), another colugo was seen on a tree right in front of the Visitor Centre. Two free-ranging female Sunda colugos (Sunda flying lemur; Galeopterus variegates) were found dead in Singapore in November 2018 and February 2019. Its fur pattern is somewhat similar to the first one. As it climbed higher and higher, it suddenly leaped away from the tree, opened out its "wing" fully and glided to another tree close by. The Sunda flying lemur is adapted to many different vegetation types, including garden… And it's probably a male. Lim, N. (2007). Species record last updated on: 12 September 2019. Feeds on leaves, leaf shoots and flower buds. Watch your footsteps while walking, and stand still before looking up. The Philippine flying lemur or Philippine colugo (Cynocephalus volans), known locally as kagwang, is one of two species of colugo or "flying lemurs." By the way, to take photos of colugos, you will need a camera with tele-zooming capabilities, and mounted on a tripod, as they are usually up on tall trees and under shades. The message is clear: stay away from our territory! Tracking gliding behavior in the 'flying' lemur TheAllINeed.com (NC&T/UCB) Researchers in Singapore, the United Kingdom and at the University of California, Berkeley, are discovering how these animals move with the help of a miniature backpack outfitted with accelerometers. Although they can be found in some forests in Southeast Asia, the smaller forest area in Singapore and terrain of Bukit Timah Hill allows them to be spotted much more easily. This is unlike other animals that look similar to one another from the same specie. 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