Colugo at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

If you have visited Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and read the information signboards, you should be aware that Malayan Colugos (Cynocephalus variegatus) can be found here.

As the title of this signboard suggests, one has to stop several times and stare into the wood to find the colugos. They are extremely well camouflaged!

On one of the days in June, I happened to pass by the area with James Choi and we stopped by to have a quick look to see if we can find any colugos in the hot noon. After about 15 mins of searching, I finally spotted one high up the tree trunk!

We decided to go closer and around the other side of the bark to have a better look at this really cute colugo.

Apparently, this colugo was quite shy. It turned around away from us when we drew close.

After much quiet waiting, we managed to have a good look of this fellow!

Here is a closeup at the colugo. A colugo is also known as a flying lemur though it does not fly nor it is a lemur. The colugo glides like a parachute from tree to tree using its patagium membrane. This explains the flap like structures connecting the neck, tail and their limbs.

Sooner than we wished for, the colugo turned again away from us...

And climbed higher! I guess it probably felt threatened by us. As such, we left the reserve yet feeling satisfied to fulfill our objective of finding one.

This was not my first time sighting colugo at Bukit Timah. Ron brought me here last year December and we found one as well after a long time of searching. I did not get a good shot that time though. He told me that colugos are very common at Bukit Timah and he has always at least seen one during every trip here.

Next time when you visit Bukit Timah, do look out for the colugos! :)