Rangalau Kiulu Phantom

Basic Introduction:

In the forest of Sabah, always respect the forest and you will be safe. But, if you do not respect the forest, the ‘Guardian of the forest’ will be waiting for you. Always remember; do not turn back when you hear your name being called and do not call the guides by their real name in the forest so that the spirits would not know their names too.

Origin of Story:

The night of the incident, a family of environmentalists who had come to do research on the jungle area had just moved into their new house and had just gone to sleep when they were attacked by a cobra. It was obvious how the cobra entered the vicinity, as there was an outlet in the ceiling that was left unclosed after maintenance.

The cobra was able to slither up into the ventilation system, which led to the sleeping area. This let the cobra loose, where it came across three defenseless humans sleeping.

While the bodies of the parents were found, their little daughter disappeared, and since has never been found. Many questions and skepticisms arose from this event. Despite extensive searching by the local police force, no traces of the little girl had ever been found.

It soon arose that the little girl somehow survived but lost her sanity. She became known as the ‘Guardian’ of the forest. There have been incidents of people being attacked by hordes of snakes, somehow commanded by the 'Guardian' and used as her weapons. However, as locals have been the only source, there is little evidence exterior to this whether this claim is credible or not, after all, no traces of the girl had been found.

Some locals say that all this transpired because the researchers angered the spirits, and as punishment they were murdered and their daughter was abducted and transformed to suit their uses.

Snakes:

Of the snakes the ‘Guardian’ commands, vipers and cobras are the most famous among them, but you should fear the banded sea krait or yellow-lipped sea krait (Laticauda colubrine) the most, because one drop of its venom can kill three adults and there is no antidote. They are commonly found in rivers in rainforests as well as tropical coasts.

Sea snakes are trapped in the fishing nets occasionally. When an unfortunate fisherman is busy sorting out the fishes, he might be bitten by sea snake without knowing it, due to the anesthetic effect of the venom. The poison dissolves the muscles of the body and his urine will turn into cola red color. At last, he dies in enormous suffering. Sea/River snakes are common in sabah and they are frequently seen around Rangalau Kiulu.

First Victim:

Two Australian snake hunters hiking in the Sabah area, specifically the Kiulu Valley near the river, were searching for an exotic and undocumented species of snake when they were allegedly attacked by the Guardian of the forest, commanding vipers to bite them. The local guides that were with them had specifically warned of the threat of the vipers commanded by the ‘Guardian’ and laid down rules. Foreigners must address the guides as “Brother” or “Sister” as to not reveal their true identity to the ‘Guardian’. One hunter, with a slip of tongue, yelled out the guides name when he first saw the brood of vipers approaching. That hunter allegedly died, while the other managed to escape. The hunter’s body was never found, and was suspected to be taken away by the snakes. This prompted action from local authorities in a search and rescue effort, however, no body was recovered. Two weeks after the incident, the guide whose identity was exposed, was found dead with fangs in his wrist.

Possible Prevention:

While the ‘Guardian’ of the forest’s existence is debatable, locals vehemently stick to this folklore, citing eyewitness accounts and personal experiences. There are many options for warding off snakes, particularly the sea/river snake mentioned previously. It is common knowledge amongst the local indigenous and bushmen of the area that the colour orange is particularly effective in staving away the reptilian threat. Furthermore, locals claim that the scent of garlic or raw onion is effective in discouraging snakes from approaching certain areas. With multiple studies done in and around the area, it was found that snakes avoid natural strong scents such as garlic and onions.

Reference

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Nearby The Adventure Centre Rangalau Kiulu | Photos and Map | Websta. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://websta.me/location/756963750

Kiulu Kini. Retrieved November 12, 2015, from https://kiulukini.wordpress.com/

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The Adventure Centre, Rangalau, Kiulu. Retrieved November 12, 2015, from https://foursquare.com/v/the-adventure-centre-rangalau-kiulu/4f98ed61e4b05c77b81c078f