Originally Posted by GreyWolf

If you are into eco/wildlife stuff this country is awesome. There are areas so damned rich they have been rated higher than the Amazon basin for their intense biodiversity.

There are also a good number of wildlife experts living here - know a few - and that is an awesome education into a world most of us never know about. Got one friend who specializes in "slithery creatures" (he reckons he not as popular as specialists in "nice furry creatures *lol*) - and supposedly has handled many reptiles from all over the globe. I've had "demos" from him of viper attacks - eg.. get a pair of thick gloves on and firmly hold a perspex sheet in front of you - then feel the impact of a snake strike the perspex. Some have amazing power and it's like a punch against the perspex.

The same guy is attributed to the recovery of a tiny rainforest frog which was supposed to be extinct. Apparently this frog played a major role in the ecology of rainforests and he found a small group of them - and has since recovered that species and spread them thru the rainforests again.

Then there is the big cat in his kitchen He found it injured and kept it in the kitchen for a while till it recovered - apparently it stood no chance in hell of survival otherwise.

It's a very interesting place when you can meet up with people who know their own fields of expertise.