Take a Second Look

The rare proboscis monkeys are endemic to Borneo. They commonly live in groups of one male and 4 to 5 females plus offspring. All male groups also exist. Males use their unusually large noses to honk loudly during mating calls. I saw the male in this picture in the State of Sarawak, Malaysia.

A Jeepney driver in Manila keeps his collected fares in a safe place: between his fingers

A fully grown crocodile sun-bathes at the banks of the Temburong River in Brunei, northern Borneo.

This is the north coast of Borneo in the Bako National Park near Kuching, Malaysia. Check for salt water crocodiles and snakes before you jump into the inviting waters.

This beautiful eagle circled above us on a beach In Bako National Park, Malaysia in search for food. Does anybody know what kind of eagle it is?

The fiddler crab's asymmetric claws are the first thing you notice. The bigger claw is a multi-purpose device: it is used in fighting off competing males (here, size DOES NOT matter as smaller claws may be more powerful), and a vigorous wave with the big claw is used to attract females (in this case, size DOES matter). Fiddler crabs live in marshy waters and no, they do not fall over because of their lopsidedness.   

The wild bearded pigs of Borneo feature long facial hair as protection. The long yellowish whiskers protect the pig from getting bitten or stung while foraging the forest floor for roots, shoots or fallen fruit. In the wild, bearded pigs have a life span of approximately 10 years.

...Actually, the flying lemur is not a lemur at all. Lemurs are endemic to Madagascar. This gliding mammal is a Colugo. It is nocturnal (thus the large eyes) and, because it has membranes between its limbs, can glide from tree to tree, up to a distance of 70 m (230 ft). During the day it is quite lazy and likes to hang upside down from tree branches. This one lives in Boku National Park, Malaysia.

Travelling up the Temburong River in the Bornean jungle.

A juvenile turtle catches a ride on it's mom's back.  The murky waters of the Liberation Pond at the Kek Lok Si Buddhist Temple in George Town, Malaysia is home to hundreds of turtles. According to Chinese tradition, the turtle is a symbol of longevity and endurance. As a spiritual practice and an act of liberation, Chinese worshippers catch turtles and release them in this pond.

A row of precisely positioned Buddha figures make for great visual effects at the Kek Lok Si Buddhist Temple ("Temple of Supreme Bliss") in George Town, Malaysia. To many Buddhists, the long ear lobes are a symbol of a conscious rejection of the material world.

The third largest reclining Buddha can be found in the Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple in George Town, Malaysia. From head to toe this remarkable Buddha figure measures 33 m (108 ft).

Two elephants at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka enjoy an outing to the river. Here, they can drink, play and be washed.

Traditionally, elephant keepers come from a long line of mahouts. As the life span of a person is roughly similar to that of an elephant, it is common for a young man to be given a young elephant as a means to earn a livelihood. Often, it is a relationship that lasts a life time. Being the owner/caretaker of an elephant is neither glorious nor easy; it is hard work. Every morning this young man takes his elephant to the river where she is washed and scrubbed. The elephant will also drink from the river. Urine and dirt from her night’s sleep have to be washed off. Here, this young mahout uses the inside of a coconut shell to scrub his elephant clean.

The Buddha in a meditation pose.

A group of volunteers prepares lotus flowers for an upcoming festival in the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Smiles come easy with Sri Lankans. They smile from the heart.

The legendary and much-loved Star Ferry in Hong Kong has been ferrying passengers between Kowloon to Hong Kong Island since 1888.

With 118 stories to climb, Hong Kong's ICC (International Commerce Centre) Tower is the 7th tallest building in the world. It is also home to the highest hotel (Ritz Carlton) on earth. Hong Kongese do not easily run out of extremes.