He sat, motionless, staring at the can of beer. Should I? Or shouldn't I? Frozen in the same position for 15 minutes, the Common Sun Skink mulled over this difficult decision.
As we sat down for a rest at the MacRitchie Reservoir boardwalk along the Prunus-Petai Trail, we joined the skink in its reverie, enjoying the stillness of the forest, punctuated by the shouts of canoeists having their training.
It was the second skink we saw in a week, but unlike the previous one that disappeared into the bushes when we appeared, this one gave us ample time to admire his sleek shiny body.
Also known as the Many-lined Sun Skink, it can be identified by the five or seven dark lines on its ventral surface parallel to its body line. Older, larger specimens are commonly found lacking the thick tail.
Skinks are characterised by their smooth, scaled skins, and small legs. Mainly terrestrial and diurnal, they are to be found basking in the sun along forest tracks or on tree trunks.Many of our nature walks end up being litter-picking walks. From empty drink cans, snack wrappers and plastic bags, one wonders why anyone who took the trouble to walk several kilometres through a beautiful rainforest would then desecrate it with litter.
Source: EcologyAsia
Another time, we came across bits of a torn styrofoam cup strewn all over the forest. We puzzled over which insane person might do such a thing and realized it was probably a monkey that was trying to lick up the last few drops of someone's Kopi-C.
Years ago, when we were scuba diving at Phi Phi island, Thailand, we sat on the dive boat, all excited and ready to jump into the water. Our American dive master finished up his beer and cigarette and tossed them into the sea - the very sea we were about to jump into. So much for pristine waters!
If you do enjoy nature, please help to pick up the rubbish you see along the way. It's all about loving Mother Earth and your fellow human beings, who will then get to enjoy a more beautiful nature walk.
No comments:
Post a Comment