I was climbing mount Kinabalu in Borneo, when I spotted a tree shrew (Dendrogale melanura) close to the trail. He jumped up next to me and stole some of the chocolate I was eating. I discovered that these usually shy rodents have become used to people walking the trails. These shrews have a fascinating relationship with the giant pitcher plants found on the mountain, and there was a patch of these cup-shaped plants close to where we were camping. I sat and waited, and sure enough a tree shrew appeared. The shrew jumped up onto the rim, and once it had a foothold it began greedily licking the nectar from the lid. It was once believed that the plants ate the rodents that slipped into the cups digestive juices, but in fact, in return for the sweet treat, the shrew uses the plant as a toilet - providing it with a vital source of nutrients on these rain washed slopes. I spent many hours, over the next few days, laying still amongst the moss and watching the shrews. It appeared that the same individuals followed a regular circuit to feed and deposit. A shrew would occasionally glance in my direction before continuing his feed seemingly unperturbed, allowing me to photograph the action from just a few metres away. Canon 7D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 50mm, ISO250, F4.5, 1/100 Sec
