Author Topic: Interesting Critters in the TAR Park (Read 6036 times)

DownbelowDiver · « **on:** February 17, 2011, 03:21:05 PM »

Richard and the Downbelow boys have been spotting some seriously interesting stuff in the TAR Park of Kota Kinabalu over the last few months, and as this section of the board seemed a bit quiet, I thought I'd upload a few it.

More shots are to be had from our Facebook page or the website, of course.

Come dive with us in the TAR Park - the best city diving anywhere

Most recently Richard and Elvis discovered this seagrass bed very near the dive centre on Gaya Island.

It's a big deal, says Richard, because seagrass is quite sensitive to pollution, so to find one like this in great shape near the city speaks volumes of the TAR Park.

Dugongs also love seagrass beds, so I wonder what we have to do to attract a few of those to the TAR Park?

More to follow.

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2011, 05:13:38 PM »

Another one before going home for the day. This black tip reef shark was one of at least 2 that lurked around the TAR Park in December and Richard spotted them regularly.

So regularly, in fact, that he had the opportunity to get his photography kit and go looking for them, which is when he snapped this beauty.

There's more on our Facebook page, feel free to ask him if you he'll go show you when you come diving in the TAR Park on Kota Kinabalu's doorstep.

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2011, 04:14:52 PM »

Here's a fresh one - Cobia shot in the TAR Park over the weekend.

Richard is on the trail of the whale sharks that were sighted in the park last week and, whilst following the trial of rumours and krill, stumbled upon these two.

Cobia are scavengers that hang around bigger animals in the hopes of catching a snack off leftovers. They're apparently often linked to whale sharks, so if they're in the park, it's not a stretch to hope that whale sharks are nearby.

Here's a picture of the Cobia... hopefully to be followed up soon with a picture or two of their hosts.

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2011, 04:17:38 PM »

Sabah is such a friendly place, even the nudibranchs smile at you

Ketam · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2011, 09:38:56 AM »

Wow! WOw ! WOW!...

I miss TARP and diving with you guys!!!

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2011, 10:11:09 AM »

Hey Ketam!

I was reading your trip review / blog post a while back, enjoying your diving adventure with Downbelow.

The TAR Park is chock full of life and seems like it's getting livelier by the day. Richard has been taking pictures of really unexpected things.

Hurry back!

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #6 on:** February 22, 2011, 10:14:14 AM »

Richard found this seahorse on Ribbon Reef in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park.

But I see the picture was uploaded last year May already. I wonder if seahorses still linger there...

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2011, 03:17:51 PM »

Here's a pic fresh from diving the TAR Park yesterday, where Richard met up with an old friend. "Meet Stumpy", he says, "the Marble Ray who has been around for a couple of years and gets spotted every now and then."

Stumpy; named after his missing tail.

Richard says the photos doesn't do Stumpy justice though. "He really is a whopper", he continued, "and usually likes to bury in the sand."

But the ever-patient Richard caught him out nicely for a shot this time.

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2011, 01:29:31 PM »

A nudibranch in the midst of laying eggs, snapped by Richard in the TAR Park recently.

This is one of the images from the Nudibranch Album on our Facebook page.

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #9 on:** March 02, 2011, 10:22:14 AM »

Ever the fan of sunbursts as backdrops for clownfish and their host anemones, Richard took this shot recently when he went diving with KK Dive Club friend Rizal at the Police Beach dive site.

Ketam · « **Reply #10 on:** March 09, 2011, 01:13:59 AM »

Amazing shot!!!

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #11 on:** March 09, 2011, 09:40:17 AM »

Thanks Ketam. Richard loves signing people up for the Digital Underwater Photography Speciality Course and will also randomly share his knowledge with aspiring photographers.

He leads with the mother of all underwater photography rigs... only for those with a firm grip on buoyancy control

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #12 on:** March 09, 2011, 09:44:37 AM »

This flamboyant little poser is one of the colour creatures in the TAR Park and is aptly called the Peacock Mantis Shrimp.

He used to be frequently encountered out and about away from his protective hole, seemingly waiting for the next photo opp.

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #13 on:** May 25, 2011, 03:50:22 PM »

Richard just surfaced with these pictures and excitedly posted them on our Facebook page. It's pretty special, so I thought I'd share on here too.

MACHA · « **Reply #14 on:** May 25, 2011, 05:59:15 PM »

Great subject! Thanks for sharing....so all you Rhinopias hunter get to KK then

DEMANG50 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 25, 2011, 09:05:50 PM »

Rhinopias???? In TARP???

daud11 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 25, 2011, 09:29:13 PM »

Quote from: DownbelowDiver on May 25, 2011, 03:50:22 PM

Richard just surfaced with these pictures and excitedly posted them on our Facebook page. It's pretty special, so I thought I'd share on here too.

wow ... very nice!

Bagman · « **Reply #17 on:** May 26, 2011, 04:41:56 AM »

Oh my. What nice pics. Would love to dive TARP some day

. Just need to find the time

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #18 on:** July 06, 2011, 10:59:10 AM »

Quote from: Bagman on May 26, 2011, 04:41:56 AM

Oh my. What nice pics. Would love to dive TARP some day . Just need to find the time

Come, come, Bagman. We only find time for that which we make time

Now is an awesome time to come dive the TAR Park, loads of critters and there are regular spottings of Blacktip Reef Sharks. In Kota Kinabalu!? Hard to believe, but true!

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #19 on:** July 06, 2011, 11:05:03 AM »

As always, lots of excitement surrounded the discovery of this seahorse last week (around 30 June).

Richard was out Blacktip Reef Shark hunting, so only had his wide-angle lens - still pretty decent.

DownbelowDiver · « **Reply #20 on:** August 10, 2011, 10:47:38 AM »

Meet Custard - a juvenile frogfish hanging around Adik Reef located somewhere at the back of Gaya island.

Bagman · « **Reply #21 on:** August 13, 2011, 12:13:30 AM »

Quote from: DownbelowDiver on July 06, 2011, 10:59:10 AM

Quote from: Bagman on May 26, 2011, 04:41:56 AM
Oh my. What nice pics. Would love to dive TARP some day . Just need to find the time

Come, come, Bagman. We only find time for that which we make time

Now is an awesome time to come dive the TAR Park, loads of critters and there are regular spottings of Blacktip Reef Sharks. In Kota Kinabalu!? Hard to believe, but true!

Would love to make time. But unfortunately not in the near future as I am now working in London and will only be back in Malaysia for brief periods at a time. But will definitely try to fit TARP in my plan when I make it back home

.