Project update - Malaysia Tropical Forest Conservation Project - April & May 2004
Added to website: 01 May 2004
Project Brief
Aim
The Malaysia Tropical Forest Conservation Project is a collaborative project between Coral Cay Conservation and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks. The aim of the project is to conduct rapid biodiversity assessments of the islands forests, in order to compile a detailed species list and highlight the species distributions between and across the two main islands.
Location
The islands of Besar and Kecil of the Perhentian Archipelago, Terengganu, approximately 20km off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
CCC Partners
CCC is working at the invitation of and in partnership with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan).
Terrestrial Science Programme
Baseline Surveys
Number and location of Surveys
So far baseline biodiversity surveys have been performed at six sites, two at the North of Kecil Island, three on the Southern side of Besar and one in the North. These have been supplemented by survey work at base and a mini-trek to a site of interest on the southern coast. In the next month we are aiming to survey the North of Besar more thoroughly and to extend our survey of Kecil to the Southern part of the island.
At each site we aim to complete a minimum number of surveys:
Interesting / Unusual Sightings
Based on surveys so far, there appears to be a difference in small mammal distribution across Besar. There have been four possible sightings of the Nicobar pigeon, a IUCN red listed species. We have found 36 new species for the islands, including 7 bird, 8 mammal, 14 reptile, and 2 amphibian species. During this month we came across a nesting Green Turtle and then protected her nest from a group of egg thieves. We also discovered many new reptile species for the islands.
Environmental Awareness
Capacity Building/Training of Local Counterparts
We are planning a questionnaire to be used in the fishing village to tap into peoples’ knowledge of the islands’ species and land use. Following on from this we will liase with the head of the school with a view to offering an education program.
Two local volunteers and two wildlife rangers successfully completed the SDP this month. In addition we had four more officials join us from the wildlife department whose training was more hands on in the field.
