[b]Anyone has an ANIMAL STORY to tell during NS/ Reservist[/
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Hi there,
Just wondering if anyone has seen and encountered rare animals in their training experience in Singapore (particularly). I guess I am asking an unusual question which is different from the usual "Has anyone seen or heard a ghost in NS?" question.
To start off with, I will relate my personal experience during NS....
This happened around 1984 (yes, long time ago). Was taking my BMT recruit platoon to the 100 m range near Mandai reservoir. It was late afternoon (5 p.m. or so), range was almost over and a bunch of us were standing next to the safety Land Rover parked at one side of the range next to a woodcutter's trail leading into the forest. We were "talking cock" and clowning around as usual.
As the sun was low in the horizon, it cast a nice warm glow and sunshine along the trail. I was enjoying the moment when I saw what I thot was a dog -like animal on the trail about 80 m away. But it did not move like a dog and in fact seemed to be grazing along the trail ... picking at the grass and plants. I moved about 10- 15m closer, and this animal looked up ... sensed that I was drawing near. At that moment, I saw its body shape more clearly and realised that in fact it was a Mousedeer ! A rare thing, previously thot extinct in S'pore, as our ancester hunted it for its meat.
After a few seconds, it decided that I was too close and trotted off into the belukar. -
Plenty.
Seeing a wild boar during my Tekong BMT was a 1st for me, having grew up in the "urban" Jalan Besar/Beach Road area. Stumbling upon a super-sized spider was also balls-stinging then; no idea what type it was but it was as big as a frisbee, very reddish but not hairy so it couldn't have been an oversized tarantula.
Taiwan is full of stray dogs; I even "kidnapped" a mongrel to bring back to Meiling camp (from where it ran confusingly around the base for days). Anyway, I saw a 5-legged canine during my 2nd Hsing Kuang ICT. Also came across a shredded snakeskin in the bushes there; its size suggested it must've been very long, but wasn't a python. That's Arty recce for ya.
One thing that's always bothered me is that I saw no birds when I was attached to 6 SIR during their jungle-training in Brunei. Dead snakes (roadkill), living scorpions, jungle chickens, fishes in streams - all yes, but absolutely no birds for 5 weeks for some reason. -
There was i time where i went to the reclaimed land in Tekong for recce ex i am walking in tall grass then suddenly come to a open clearing in the tall grass with many trails leading to it. At first i don't think too much of it but then i suddenly remember what my BMT PC told me that this is a wild boar nest! This means that there is a female around with piglets,the females will be very defensive with piglets around and may charge. I quicky got out of the place.
The second time i saw a wild boar is the real thing,the male is huge like a baby rhino and definitely not look like a fat domesticated farm pig . It is leading its family and walk past us during our briefing...
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What about wild boars at Lim Chu Kang training area ... saw a family of 7 during one of the move-to-contact training near to "Matilda" in 1994, the highest knoll in Area D.
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Wild Boar, Monitor Lizard, Small Cobra, very big very long cobra, Owl, some kind of raptor n its nest n the most common will the pythons..caught a 3m one before..
all that u can see it in my Airbase.. -
Seen a large herd of wild boars in tekong.
My buddy who don't see where he is walking nearly jump onto a crocodile! but someone spotted it and put him back on time.
Encounter another crocodile, another time when whole sect taking short cut and walking in waist deep water, spot each other in water about 2m away from each other, both side stare for 5 sec before we swim and ran like hell through the whole jungle, with the crocodile also run like hell the other side.
Got chase by a huge viper for 300m as we though it dead and wanted skin .....
Encounter a huge Tiger shark out in southern island and dohpins of tekong on assault boats -
We were doing a topo ex in Lancer and came across a sun bear and her cubs.
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Cool stories guys... I am a bit of an animal buff, hence my interest.
2 of the stories standout.
The one about the "raptor" creature. I had an encounter with something quite large (medium size dog-size) in an area called "Bah Soon Pah". This area is now an HDB estate just north of Orchid Country Club.
Happened to lean against a tree at night. Disturbed something in the tree. It fell down a few feet behind me and gave a loud "HISS". Could sense that it adopted a kind of aggressive stance as its feet shuffled in the grass and was still hissing behind me, and probably figuring out what animal I was also.
I turned around with bayonet in hand (!!!), and wanted to face down whatever animal it was. It then scuttled away. My sense that it is some kind of large lizard.
The one about crocs (in Tekong ?!). This is new to me. I am impressed. I did read articles in the Straits Times about crocodiles in the sea off Woodlands, around the mangrove swamp areas. But these articles were in the late 1970s when I was a primary school kid. -
seen/come accross so many, so won't bore with details
tekong - wild boar, spitting cobras, orb spider (also legs span is abt dinner plate, web was 4.5 m across path), centerpide and scopions hiding in my uniform in bunk, paggolin (scaly anteater), iguanas (many more than 4 ft long), dolphins (off east pier).
Ubin - (during OBS, before army) jungle fowl.
Hill 265 - python
specforce story- must be either iguna or jungle cat (very rare in Singapore so unlikely), few animals make sound like spitting.
Encountered enuff snakes to write a book. Most suprize to find 8 inch centerpide at home (east coast) in between clothes hung outside to dry! -
I knew cicadas can be big-sized, but some of the ones I encountered in Brunei are quite gigantic. Coupled with the noise they made at night, it's as if they were mutating in pain!
What, no one's gonna mention the foot soldier's main bane (leeches)? Insect repellent is a godsend....
Orb spider: just checked an online photo of it. Nope, not the one I saw. -
Hi Baer,
Your theory about the Hissing animal being a wild cat of some sort could be right. All I know is that I sensed that it was not a small animal and it was sort of bracing for a fight as it was surprised by me leaning on the tree. I am not kidding when the sense I felt was so strong that I had to draw my bayonet in anticipation of an attack by this animal !!!
Anyway... here is a second hand story, which has no collaboration. A regular NCO told me that he encountered a giant land tortoise in Seletar Reservoir forest area in the early 1980s. He claimed that it was greyish brown, looked like a small boulder and about the size of a car tyre.
However, I have seen large red-eared turtles (the kind that you can buy at the fish shop) with chinese character markings on them in Seletar. Apparently, some people buy and release them as good luck charms in the reservoir. Those that I saw in Seletar were let go some years back, as their size was 5 to 6 times of the young ones you can buy from the fish shop. -
i've seen moniter lizards, dogs, a wild boar and even a monkey run across the taxiway of my airbase. And its right next to Changi Airport
... not very safe huh? Plus lots (hundreds) of mynahs, crows, egrets flying around the fields flanking Changi's runway.
btw, iguanas are not native to S'pore. Either what you guys saw were moniter lizards or some people have been releasing pet iguanas into the wild... -
platoon 3's platoon sgt was an animal! does that count?
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Hahaha.... I have worked for some of these animal types in the SAF! Particularly those hoping for their next promotion. They turn into werewolves when the assessment period comes !!!Originally posted by HENG@:platoon 3's platoon sgt was an animal! does that count? -
We encounter the crocs in 2 instant in different place at Pierce reservoir, the first on in fact was away 300m from any water, which from then on, we alway are more careful . Which we learn one lesson, that is crocodile can be away from water for some distance. Don't laugh if you still see crocodile warning signs alone path in middle of mac ritche or pierce, it is not some worker mistake.Originally posted by specfore:Cool stories guys... I am a bit of an animal buff, hence my interest.
2 of the stories standout.
The one about the "raptor" creature. I had an encounter with something quite large (medium size dog-size) in an area called "Bah Soon Pah". This area is now an HDB estate just north of Orchid Country Club.
Happened to lean against a tree at night. Disturbed something in the tree. It fell down a few feet behind me and gave a loud "HISS". Could sense that it adopted a kind of aggressive stance as its feet shuffled in the grass and was still hissing behind me, and probably figuring out what animal I was also.
I turned around with bayonet in hand (!!!), and wanted to face down whatever animal it was. It then scuttled away. My sense that it is some kind of large lizard.
The one about crocs (in Tekong ?!). This is new to me. I am impressed. I did read articles in the Straits Times about crocodiles in the sea off Woodlands, around the mangrove swamp areas. But these articles were in the late 1970s when I was a primary school kid.
Well there is signs in Sungei Buloh and mac richite reservior. I have even explore the traps in mac richite. There been sigthing in Kanji river, singapore river, ubin, kanji reserivor, seletar reserivor. It is very common. they swim across from Malaysia and move in from the drainage system to the reservior. -
the funny thing is, this guy's a NSF.Originally posted by specfore:Hahaha.... I have worked for some of these animal types in the SAF! Particularly those hoping for their next promotion. They turn into werewolves when the assessment period comes !!! -
Yep... altho' was a NS man and then a reservist, I had the "privilege" of having to work directly for regulars in either a project team (some marksmanship improvement crap...) and in my reserve unit (all my COs and OCs were regulars). Trust me, when their assessment period coincides with the ICT/ major exercise/ project.... it gets heated even for NSFs !!!Originally posted by HENG@:the funny thing is, this guy's a NSF. -
true.Originally posted by specfore:Yep... altho' was a NS man and then a reservist, I had the "privilege" of having to work directly for regulars in either a project team (some marksmanship improvement crap...) and in my reserve unit (all my COs and OCs were regulars). Trust me, when their assessment period coincides with the ICT/ major exercise/ project.... it gets heated even for NSFs !!!
but hey, this dude is just a BMTC platoon sgt whos darned fierce. -
I remember doing river crossing in Tekong reservoir during BMT days, the one that has a old temple along one of its banks. It was a night crossing. Being the strongest swimmer in the platoon , I was volunteered by my PC to be the first in the water at night to swim across to the other bank (about 25m away ) and tie the guide rope to a tree.Originally posted by storywolf:We encounter the crocs in 2 instant in different place at Pierce reservoir, the first on in fact was away 300m from any water, which from then on, we alway are more careful . Which we learn one lesson, that is crocodile can be away from water for some distance. Don't laugh if you still see crocodile warning signs alone path in middle of mac ritche or pierce, it is not some worker mistake.
Well there is signs in Sungei Buloh and mac richite reservior. I have even explore the traps in mac richite. There been sigthing in Kanji river, singapore river, ubin, kanji reserivor, seletar reserivor. It is very common. they swim across from Malaysia and move in from the drainage system to the reservior.
Back then, the fear I had was some damned Croc grabbing me by my legs.
Perhaps my fear is justified. -
I'm sorry Heng@... I thot you were referring to my NS/ reservist status.Originally posted by HENG@:true.
but hey, this dude is just a BMTC platoon sgt whos darned fierce.
Well, you have those kinds of seniors in the Army. When I was a recruit, I had a rather bad PC. He was currying favour with the OC and was always mean and unreasonable with us .... not sure why, as your NS performance reports only contribute a small degree to whether you get promoted to CPT in the reserves. Anyway, I met him a few years later in a bank. He looked pretty "down and out" and I hope he was!
By the way, Heng@, are you overseas like me ? You seem to be on-line at a strange hour (by S'pore standards). -
Yes, it is well justified. After all the saltwater croc is one of the most dangerous creature you can find.Originally posted by specfore:I remember doing river crossing in Tekong reservoir during BMT days, the one that has a old temple along one of its banks. It was a night crossing. Being the strongest swimmer in the platoon , I was volunteered by my PC to be the first in the water at night to swim across to the other bank (about 25m away ) and tie the guide rope to a tree.
Back then, the fear I had was some damned Croc grabbing me by my legs.
Perhaps my fear is justified.
Some unit like the armour now have anti-croc drill incoporated into their water crossing, something they brought back from australia, think 2 SAR with 5 rounds on the 2 safety boat. It is a good drill, but after reading so much on crocodiles, think they should have 10 round each.
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haha well its ok.Originally posted by specfore:I'm sorry Heng@... I thot you were referring to my NS/ reservist status.
Well, you have those kinds of seniors in the Army. When I was a recruit, I had a rather bad PC. He was currying favour with the OC and was always mean and unreasonable with us .... not sure why, as your NS performance reports only contribute a small degree to whether you get promoted to CPT in the reserves. Anyway, I met him a few years later in a bank. He looked pretty "down and out" and I hope he was!
By the way, Heng@, are you overseas like me ? You seem to be on-line at a strange hour (by S'pore standards).
erm, nope. im in singapore. see i DO live weird hours. but im gonna be overseas soon. so i guess that makes no diff.
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anyways, this BMTC sgt was just fierce by nature la. can't quite blame him.Originally posted by specfore:I'm sorry Heng@... I thot you were referring to my NS/ reservist status.
Well, you have those kinds of seniors in the Army. When I was a recruit, I had a rather bad PC. He was currying favour with the OC and was always mean and unreasonable with us .... not sure why, as your NS performance reports only contribute a small degree to whether you get promoted to CPT in the reserves. Anyway, I met him a few years later in a bank. He looked pretty "down and out" and I hope he was!
By the way, Heng@, are you overseas like me ? You seem to be on-line at a strange hour (by S'pore standards). -
Quite impossible as the part of the reservoir in Tekong for watermanship is a part of the reservior which is blocked off by a bund (raised road) which has some culverts (buried pipes) to allow cross flow etc. No chance of a croc there. Anyway Tekong reservoir is too small and too shallow for any large wildlife. BTW the temple is still 10 minutes walk away from the crossing point (you must have got muddled up with the last rest point before the crossing site).Originally posted by specfore:I remember doing river crossing in Tekong reservoir during BMT days, the one that has a old temple along one of its banks. It was a night crossing. Being the strongest swimmer in the platoon , I was volunteered by my PC to be the first in the water at night to swim across to the other bank (about 25m away ) and tie the guide rope to a tree.
Back then, the fear I had was some damned Croc grabbing me by my legs.
Perhaps my fear is justified.
On other storysecond hand story, which has no collaboration. A regular NCO told me that he encountered a giant land tortoise in Seletar Reservoir forest area in the early 1980s. He claimed that it was greyish brown, looked like a small boulder and about the size of a car tyre.
I hope it wasn't the tortoise which walked away with a MILES helmet gear. We lost two sets during SAFINCOS, spent next 4 weekends combing the training area for them (somehow traineees dropped them during excercise). Found one 'worn' by a tortise (I kid you not), somehow it must have snagged the equipment and dragged it along for a bit before we found it. If so, say "hi" to her and send her on her way please.
BTW in Burnei - we had cicadas as big as mess tin (captured by hand then injected with meth spirit), they looked like a huge fly (bug eyes and double wings) and has a nasty habit of flying inside the bunks!! Outside we did not say much except huge spiders, giant ants (~3cm length) etc. Even say fresh water prawns in streams. -
Yeah tell me about weird hours. By the way, I am living and working in the UK now. Been disrupted from reservist since 1995. Hence, some of my terminology for the SAF is dated.Originally posted by HENG@:haha well its ok.
erm, nope. im in singapore. see i DO live weird hours. but im gonna be overseas soon. so i guess that makes no diff.