It was an impromptu invitation but I am really happy that I could show my friend some of the green gems of the Merlion City. The trip this morning was to finalise my locations for the future observations at the Chemperai Trail. This trail is mostly a route of boardwalk from start to end. 
Spot X – 1: 
Location: Beside the boardwalk that’s Chemperai Trail.
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The only quibble I have with this spot is that it’s too near the reservoir edge and that I have nowhere to sit down and observe without standing out like a spotlight to the animals that come feed on the fruits. And not unless if I shift my position to somewhere beside the boardwalk and I mean the reservoir side. Man, this is going to be a hassle explaining to the people in charge. Sigh… –.-“
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Verdict: Yes! (Maybe…)
Spot X – 2:
After much second thoughts and the following third, I have decided that spot number 2 shall be omitted. Instead I will concentrate on one the above spot along the Chemperai Trail and another two along the Golf Link at another part of the park to get my data. Instead of observing at so many places, I might as well concentrate on a few spots and let the feeding animals get used to my presence. Also, concentrating on a few would be better in a sense I would be able to see any changes (if they were to occur) at the locations in a span of 1 week or less. And by changes, I mean it in terms of the number of ripened fruits and the abundance of frugivores that come to visit the patches.
We walked while Gavin got acquainted with the Melastoma I was studying. The 4.8km trail was a breeze and indeed, it was one of the easiest trails to hike compared to another 3 trails in the MacRitchie Reservoir Park. 
I guess seeing how my friend reacted was like taking a trip down memory lane when I was still pretty much a greenhorn back in my first year. Though I wasn’t as proficient as my senior (and speak of the devil) in explaining the in’s and out’s of the forest, I tried my best to recollect whatever information I had absorbed during my Natural Heritage days. I still can’t believe that I forgot the term “emergent”, damn embarrassing *smacks forehead* >_>*
But I realised that one satisfactory part of learning is to be able to share that bit of knowledge with another (of course not if that person is being bored to death). The heart feels good. Though this action has no impact whatsoever on the chainsaw that’s razing down an entire rainforest the size of a football field per second, nothing that is worth doing for the conservation of Nature is too small. 
And one of the small treats I got from Mother Nature today was to be able to catch the Slender-tailed Squirrel (Sundasciurus tenuis) in action on camera. Its actions were slow enough for me to get a clear shot in the low light surroundings of the forest. And Gavin noticed that the cute rodent had a habit of flicking its tail upwards once every few seconds.
After googling a little, the flicking of the tail is the way these animals communicate with one another. [1] According to some, the flicking of the tail by the Slender-tailed Squirrel is its way of saying, “This is my territory. Shoo shoo!”. Indeed, there were 2 squirrels when we saw the tail-flicking in action. (This actually kinda reminded me of the dog-poo method of marking territories by our furry friends.. different tactics but same meaning.) 
Reference:
1. Ferrell, Katie & Thorington Jr, R. W. 2006. Squirrels: The Animal Answer Guide.
