Common water monitor (Varanus salvator)

Biawak or common water monitor (Varanus salvator) is a species of animal in Varanidae, large lizards that live near freshwater and mangrove forests, semi-aquatic, good swimmers with paddle tails, strong jaws, sharp hoofed legs, adapt and thrive in local areas farms and cities with canal systems for elevations below 1000 meters.

V. salvator has a length of 1.5-2 meters and weighs up to 20 kg as the second heaviest lizard in the world after the Komodo dragon. A muscular body with a long, strong and paddle tail. The scales on the keel and on the head are larger than those on the back.

Commonly brown or blackish in color with a yellow spot on the underside and tends to disappear gradually with age. The band extends from each eye and back over each edge of the back, upper tail and upper legs.

Very long neck, elongated muzzle, powerful jaw, serrated teeth and fingertips ending with sharp claws that can be used to climb trees. Long tail, shaped like a paddle, black with yellow rings and pointed tip.

Common water monitors have a semi-aquatic lifestyle inhabiting various natural habitats in primary forests and mangrove swamps. Adapt and develop in vegetated rivers in agricultural areas and cities with canal systems.

Biawak defends itself using its tail, claws and jaws. Carnivores that eat a wide variety of prey including fish, frogs, rodents, birds, crabs, snakes, turtles, young crocodiles and crocodile eggs. They eat by tearing open chunks of meat with sharp teeth while holding them with their forelegs.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Sauria
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Species: Varanus salvator
Subspecies: Varanus salvator ssp. andamanensis, Varanus salvator ssp. bivittatus, Varanus salvator ssp. macromaculatus, Varanus salvator ssp. salvator, Varanus salvator ssp. ziegleri

Crested blue ear (Cyanotis cristata)

Crested blue ear ( Cyanotis cristata ) is a species of plant in the Commelinaceae, a fleshy and strong herb, growing as a vine. Leaves 8 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, oblong, rounded or heart-shaped base, blunt or pointed tip, sparsely ciliated at the edge; sheath loose, up to 8 mm long, scaly. C. cristata has flowers 6-7 mm in diameter. Calyx tube 2 mm long, lobes 2-2.5 mm long, hairy. Corolla pale blue to purple, 6 mm long. Stamen filaments bearded, purple. Ovary rounded, hairy at the apex. Capsules 2-3 mm long, ovate. Seeds about 1 mm long, trigonous, 2 large holes on either side. This species grows in grasslands, degraded forest areas, wastelands, waterways and roadsides. C. cristata is found in wet rocky areas, moist soils, grasslands, ravines and riverbanks. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Liliopsida Order: Commelinales Family: Commelinaceae Subfamily: Commelinoideae Tribe: Tradescantieae Genus: Cyanotis Species: Cyanotis cristata

Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)

Broad-leaved dock ( Rumex obtusifolius ) is a species of plant in the Polygonaceae, herbaceous perennial, growing broadly, up to 150 cm tall, large, oval-shaped leaves with a heart-shaped base and rounded tip, large taproot with many branches extending to a depth of 150 cm. R. obtusifolius has leaves up to 30 cm long, 15 cm wide and green. Stems are long, hard, alternate, green or reddish in color and unbranched until just below the inflorescence. A main vein in the middle and green or reddish in color. Flat or wavy surface. The inflorescences consist of large clusters of racemes that contain small, greenish flowers that turn red as they mature. Seeds are reddish brown and dry. Broad-leaved dock grows in fertile soils, grasslands, waste lands, roadsides, ditches, coastlines and riverbanks, forest margins, forest clearing and agricultural land. The leaves are used as a salad to make vegetable broth or cooked like spinach. Dried seeds are used as a spice. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tr...

Thomas Sutikna lives with Homo floresiensis

BLOG - On October 28, 2004, a paper was published in Nature describing the dwarf hominin we know today as Homo floresiensis that has shocked the world. The report changed the geographical landscape of early humans that previously stated that the Pleistocene Asia was only represented by two species, Homo erectus and Homo sapiens . The report titled "A new small-bodied hominin from the Late Pleistocene of Flores, Indonesia" written by Peter Brown and Mike J. Morwood from the University of New England with Thomas Sutikna, Raden Pandji Soejono, Jatmiko, E. Wahyu Saptomo and Rokus Awe Due from the National Archaeology Research Institute (ARKENAS), Indonesia, presents more diversity in the genus Homo. “Immediately, my fever vanished. I couldn’t sleep well that night. I couldn’t wait for sunrise. In the early morning we went to the site, and when we arrived in the cave, I didn’t say a thing because both my mind and heart couldn’t handle this incredible moment. I just went down...

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