H: (Hyelaphus porcinus annamiticus)

Hog Deer

Hyelaphus porcinus annamiticus (http://www.arkive.org/hog-deer/axis-porcinus) (http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Hog+Deer&f=hp)
Hog Deer is a native of Cambodia. It is in fact a sub-species of the (Hyelaphus porcinus.) Here we have a handsome, strapping male stag, standing approximately 70cms to the shoulder. The female (hind) is smaller in comparison standing only at 60cms. They are both solidly built with long backs and comparatively short legs, unlike other breeds of deer. Their back-line gradually rises from the shoulders and up over their rump. Their ears are round in shape. The older deer are lighter in colour around their faces.

During the winter months their coats are brown to yellow colour, thick and woolly fur with a dark brown to yellow dorsal stripe, down the centre of their backs.  At the beginning of summer season, light brown spots appear on either side of the dorsal stripe from the shoulder to the point of their tail. Their tail's are brown with white long hairs at the tip which they use like a fan, this acts as a warning if a predator is close.

The male (stag) is only sociable during the mating season, otherwise they remain solitary darting off in different directions and rarely in a herd. When danger is close they give a whistling or barking sound. Males are aggressive and territorial, they mark their boundaries with glandular secretions and are always ready to defend their mate at any given time. Their young fauns are a light sand brown in colour and this species may not have spots when young.

These Hog Deer are almost extinct in certain regions and Cambodia. This is mainly due to the loss of wetlands because the land is being used for farming or building construction. Some of their main threats are hunting, lack of habitat and predators. These are another animal species red listed.

G: Giant Gourami

The Mekong river begins in Vietnam, flowing down into the Mekong basin in Cambodia, there it continues down into the Tonle Sap river. Over the years the Tonle Sap river has become one of the largest freshwater productive fisheries in the world. It helps to support and diversifies from the species and has become the home to some of the worlds, most endangered species of fish as well as reptiles and birds.

Giant Gourami - this fish is 50 cms when fully grown. Its scientific name is (Osphronemus exodon) Its natural habitat includes East Asia, Cambodia. China, Thailand to name but a few. It has been introduce to other countries because it is well liked. It's habitat is in cool lakes and rivers of the Mekong. During the wet season it makes its way up stream and does not return until after the wet season. When the river is low the Gourami migrates and in stagnant water it lays it's eggs near to the shore.

Giant Catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) all of wild life enclosed are red listed which puts them into the category for critical endangered species to name but a few. The last giant catfish which was caught in the Mekong, it weighed approximately six hundred pounds and was eight feet long. The catfish similar to the salmon swim up stream to migrate. The difference between the two fishes is that the giant catfish lives in the muddy water at the bottom of the river where as the salmon swim in from clearer waters, yet the still both swim thousands of miles up stream when they migrate. Over recent years due to over fishing, pollution, lack of damming, these fish are now in decline.  It is believed that over one hundred years ago there were around 1000 individual species. Due to the rapid decline in numbers they are trying to catch  and tagging them before setting them free.

The people of Cambodia rely on the Mekong to provide fish for market but if the Mekong river can't support the fish, then it wont be able to support the people either.

Birds, Reptiles and Monkey

The Redheaded Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) The vulture has been in decline over the years and the professional's feel this is possibly due to the the local farmers treating their live stock with the various drugs. The vulture's are being poisoned when eat the dead carcasses. According to recent facts there are only 300 vultures left in Cambodia.

Sarus Crane (Boeung Prek Lapouv Sarus Crane) This beautiful bird has red markings to its face and grey body,  it stands approximately 5'9" high and is the largest flying bird.

The Bengal floricans (Houbaropis bengalensis) looks similar to a large duck with black plumage to the head, neck and belly. Its wings look white against their black bodies or when in flight. A very rare bird and there are only 500 are left.

One of the reptile species is the Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) this is a native to Cambodia. Since the late 1990's this crocodile was thought to be extinct, however due to surveys there are more scattered throughout several other countries.

The Douc monkey (Pygathrix cinerea) which is grey, can be seen close to areas in Angkor City Complex. Their numbers have dropped also.

F: Flying

Prior to my trip to Cambodia I have a tale to tell.  A friend booked a lesson gliding for both of us.  The date was arranged and off we both went to the aerodrome in Northumberland. Perhaps I should mention here that my friend had been in the army and had flown all over the world.  However, at this point I had never been in a plane let alone flying in one.. My friend took her lesson first then on return went for a drink. I was kitted up and climbed on board. The engine started and off we went. I must say, I had no idea what was to follow. We were towed along behind another plane and  as it left the ground, what a strange feeling being tugged up into the air like that. It was worse than being towed behind a broken down old banger. However, once up in the sky we were on our own and it was amazing.

I booked my trip to Cambodia soon afterwards. My flight from EDI-AMS-HKG took fourteen hours. I stayed with my sister in Hong Kong for five days, then flew on to Phnom Pehn, Cambodia.  On arrival I was met by my niece and taken in a tuc-tuc to the Raffles Hotel where we were to stay for one night. The journey was a real culture experience.  My night at the Raffle's Hotel was lovely, I enjoyed being waited on hand and foot. It was hard to comprehend passing all those derelict building's one after the other - later to arrive at this very Grand Hotel. My room was enormous, cold marble stone floors with en-suite. The bath was absolutely humongous and took forever to fill. I think we seemed to be the only visitors that night but it was very nice.

Our flight from Phnom Pehn to Seim Reap was the following morning. As we waited for our flight I couldn't help noticing my niece's face each time I mentioned anything about the plane, occasionally I'd hear a chuckle, but she always avoided eye contact. When it was time to board to my horror, parked in the dock was this tin bucket shape with wings attached to some wheels (It reminded me of the tug-plane that I went gliding with back home.)  This was so dirty you couldn't make out its colour.  Once on board we belted up and the pilot a youngish looking man started it's engines. Very gradually we began to move off. The tin frame work creaked as we moved off down the runway. After two or three attempts the plane eventually lifted into the air but as it did so the engines seemed to cough and splutter like a farting cow with severe wind.  As we flew overland you could see the tops of trees through the cracks in the door of the plane. Every now and again it would lose altitude and we'd drop and then it would pick up and be fine.. It was only a forty minute flight but it felt much much longer!!

Cambodia was not very commercialised at this point.

E is for East Mebon - Temple

East Mebon sits in the centre of Baray - which is a self made reservoir that measures 4.3 miles. The island on which stands the delightful monument East Mebon with its receding terraces with five towers, the central tower is quite large in comparison with the other smaller four.  What a perfect setting beneath the sky-line the radiant sunsets reflecting in the surrounding water.

East Mebon was built by King Yasovarman II in a similar style as Pre Rup in Eastern Baray in early years of  900-986 AD. They called it temple mountain. It was built east to west and entry to it was from the east entrance. It was built of durable materials of that time, mainly brick, sandstone, laterite and stucco. The layout of the temple consisted of tiers with a central tower placed on a square platform built up of three levels. The smaller towers were built surrounding the central tower, plus an inner and outer  stone wall.

Religious carvings and statues were selected to decorate the temple monument and stone carved two metre high elephants standing independently in each corner on the first two tiers.. Sadly, the waters of the Baray have dried up, but there is still proof that water had been there by the dyke's surrounding it.




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D - for Devatas

D - Is for Devata or deity (God or Goddess) which can be either a  masculine, feminine or animal. These deities were very beautiful with their slender bodies and beautiful long hair. Shiva - a major deity is believed to be the destroyer of evil or transformer among the Tumuti which is a concept within Hinduism that comes in three forms. Cosmic creation, maintenance and destruction represented by Brahma the Creator, Hindu Triad, Vishnu maintaner or preserver.

For many lifetimes these deities were worshipped by certain clans. These clans were from various religions including Hinduism and Jainism.. They would make long and endless pilgrimage's to visit Kuladevata in Kuladeri temple in search of blessings if there was to be a marriage or some other special occasion. The Kuladevata means - Clan and Devata - Deity.

A picture of Tumuti shows three heads on a single neck and on each head, three faces, each looking in different directions.

C: Chau Say Tevoda Temple

During  1120-1150AD, King Suryavarman II, designer of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom created a small  beautifully feminine Hindu temple  Chau Say Tevoda.  King Yasovarman II, reigned 1160-1166 and during his six years he added his delights to the temple. In 1181 King Jayavarman VII, took over and incorporated his own artistic female designs, including devatas both inside the temple and out. The temple was then converted from Hinduism to Buddhism.

Chao Say Tevoda temple consisted of one central sanctuary, two libraries and four gate-ways, which stood at each cardinal point. Sadly due to centuries of natural corrosion and decay  Chao  Say Tevoda longer exists.

Ceiba pentandra
Commonly know as the kapok is very fast growing deciduous tree. Reaching well over one hundred fifty feet high. It grows in Preay Kan where its roots grow through doorways entrances and roofs. The flower blooms at night borne in clusters of pink, white or yellow. The leaves are lanceolate and palmately compound leaves (5-9 leaflets). Light weight silky-down seed pods are collected by fruit bats and scattered. Also known as Java cotton these silky-down seed heads are used for stuffing pillows, filling jackets or upholstering chairs and sofas. There is also an oil which is used for cooking and making soap. Seeds, leaves, bark and resin have been used to treat various forms of disease including dysentery and kidney disease. The trunks were dug-out and made into boats. They believed the kapok tree was sacred and the souls of the dead would climb up into the heavens.

B: Bayon Temple Of The Gods!

North of Angkor Wat we have Angkor Thom which is said to be the city of Angkor complex. Angkor Thom was built on a  large almost square site with a high and wide stone wall around it. At one time it had a huge population of people.  Sadly the palace no longer exists.

The Bayon temple was built by King Jayavarman  V11 within the stone walls of Angkor Thom between the late 12th - 13th Century! Bayon has a large centre dome and four smaller towers. Each tower has a sculptured head with a facial expression of sadness.  The heads face north, south, east and west. Each one gazes out over the land of Angkor Thom.

There were fifty-one smaller towers, each individual tower has four small heads. Bayon is surrounded by a large stone wall which formed a defence support around the temple. Five entrances, provide access to the temple, each one with gates heralded by two large, three headed, stone elephants with long thick trunks down to the ground. The roadway up and over the moat to the main gate of Angkor Thom is guarded on one side by a serpent driven by the devil whilst on the other side the gods enter.

Throughout the temple bas-relief murals are accentuated over walls and pillars. Sculptured figurines of the apsaras and deity's decorate the inside of the dome, incorporating the mythical world and the Buddha religions. The historical fighting and domestic scenes are portrayed around the outside walls.
This temple was dedicated to the Buddhists.