Over 100 Bird Species Documented in Seberang Perai’s Forest Reserves

Over 100 Bird Species Documented in Seberang Perai’s Forest Reserves: The report from The Sun states that the Nature Sustainable Ecosystem Society (Nest) has recorded more than 100 species of birds through observation activities among its two forest reserves within Seberang Perai, Penang.

"The field activity is part of the project called "Forest Bird Species Checklist Survey in Seberang Perai" which is intended to update data on bird species to support conservation activities. Biodiversity acts very important roles in maintaining the ecological balance as well as the benefit of sustaining human life", explained Shariiful Azhar Abu Bakar, the fieldwork coordinator of Nest.

To fund the comprehensive checklist report on forest bird species, which serves as a reference for research, policy, development planning, and eco-tourism initiatives, Nest has also been awarded a grant from Think City, which is a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad.

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Shaiful revealed that the project just commenced at the Air Hitam Dalam Forest Reserve and that data collection has already opened, with around 60 bird species recorded. Meanwhile, Bukit Mertajam Forest Eco Park has already contributed 40 species to the list. The next survey will be at Bukit Panchor State Park, in Nibong Tebal.

While observations in Air Hitam Dalam Forest Reserve, researchers also observed flocks of young birds, which include the Black Kite, suggesting an increase in breeding activities in the area. Shaiful holds hope that more species will be identified in the next rounds of survey.

Activities

While observation activities also involve 10 birders, mostly experts from local universities, the team includes a few veteran birders and photographers documenting both local and migratory species. Shaiful added that the data collected would lend to the forest reserve's long-term sustainability, thus enabling bird populations to thrive and return yearly.

“This observation process is usually conducted in three sessions—morning, when birds are most active searching for food; afternoon, when they return to rest; and night, to observe nocturnal birds like owls,” he explained. The team also faces steep terrains whereby equipment is quite heavy to carry into the field.

Simultaneously, according to project coordinator Dr. Siti Norasikin Ismail, this project is in line with the empowerment of Seberang Perai, with the results fed back into a checklist report for Think City and MBSP.

“This project is also an effort to provide a report on knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions, as well as to raise awareness about bird conservation within the Seberang Perai community,” she said.

In addition to this, print materials, short videos, and digital contents about forest bird species will be developed for public appreciation. Siti Norasikin further argued for the importance of bird data maintenance and upgrades, as these generate quite significant contributions to eco-tourism development and a good repository for researchers and nature enthusiasts alike.

Workshops and discussions to raise awareness

In addition, the results of the survey will be shared with people at workshops and in discussions of natural heritage, particularly around issues of bird conservation and habitat protection. Participants will learn about birdwatching, species identification, data-sharing methods, and bird photography techniques.

In another development, the Department of Fisheries (DOF) urged the fishing community in Malaysia to adopt green technologies in fishing and conservation measures to conserve marine resources sustainably.

Urgency for closed fishing seasons, catch size limits, and the utilization of fishing gear causing minimal environmental harm came from DOF Director General Datuk Adnan Hussain.

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“The DOF is conducting training and awareness programmes to educate fishermen on the importance of using sustainable fishing gear. Additionally, the department provides technical support and incentives to encourage the fishing community to transition to more eco-friendly equipment,” he said.

One campaign is toward using trawls with turtle excluder devices (TEDs), which help reduce bycatch while specifically targeting certain fish species.

Currently, there are 112,344 registered fishermen in Malaysia. In addition, the duly put enforcement measures pertinent to destructive fishing practices such as the use of bubu naga fish traps have been outlined. The DOF is also capitalizing on the real-time monitoring of fishing activities through the usage of Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) to avoid unsustainable practices.

“The DOF also promotes the use of advanced fishing technology, such as sonar, echo sounders, and GPS, to help fishermen locate fish more efficiently while preventing overfishing. This includes the implementation of Fishing Site Identification (FSI) technology,” Adnan added.

He stressed that the fishermen act as the "eyes and ears" at sea who usually report about illegal activities and the use of prohibited fishing gear.

Reports indicated that alternative economic initiatives such as aquaculture and marine eco-tourism are being promoted actively by the Department of Fisheries to lessen the burden on marine resources. These programs are supposed to provide income-generating activities for fishermen but aim to conserve the marine ecosystem for future generations.

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