Page last updated on 11 September 2011
SUCCESS IN PROTECTING A WILDLIFE AREA
IN THE CENTRE OF BANDAR MELAKA
The area of Bandar Hilir in the heart of Melaka Town has but little unspoiled natural coast line remaining, but that which is still there is used extensively by twenty species of waterbirds. For many years MNS Negeri Sembilan/Melaka Branch Bird Co-ordinator and Bird Conservation Committee (Waterbirds Group) member Ang Teck Hin, has monitored the area and found that the number of waterbirds has increased dramatically over the past few years. Developments further along the coastline, have forced the birds to congregate in a small mangrove forest close to the access bridge to an island of reclaimed land; Pulau Melaka. |  |
The area is just three hectares of recently reclaimed coast and yet, over the last decade, mangrove trees have taken root in the mud and flourished there. Ideally located, the bridge forms a perfect viewing gallery for bird watchers; access to the mangrove trees is perfectly restricted, as it guarded on one side by buildings and on the other side by the sea, thus the birds, when in residence, cannot be easily disturbed by humans.
In his quest to protect the area, Ang Teck Hin was able to attract the attention of Melaka State Assemblyman YB Tey Kok Kiew and, following a press conference to announce it, an awareness event was held on 10 October 2009 at the site.
At 6pm on 10 October 2009, more than two hundred people joined YB Tey and Ang Teck Hin at the Pulau Melaka bridge. They included many local families, tourists and MNS members along with many reporters from the press. Fortunately, the birds did not disappoint and arrived promptly on time. An exciting and exhilarating sight to see flocks of large birds flying across the sky towards you. We all felt privileged to witness such a natural sight as the sun was setting behind the Melakan less natural skyline of high rise hotels and shopping malls.
The Cattle Egrets in their thousands are the prominent species roosting at this site as night falls, and they are joined by Black Crowned Night Herons in their hundreds. During his observations in 2009, Ang has recorded sightings of various species at Pulau Melaka (see species list), resting and feeding as they migrate north to their breeding grounds in Central Asia, Siberia, Mongolia and Northern China. Of special interest were three Eurasian Curlews and five Pacific Golden Plovers (first seen wintering here).
YB Tey Kok Kiew took the need to protect this area to the Melaka State Assembly and the Melaka Tourism Development Corporation, and we are very pleased to see his efforts were rewarded with the erection by the Melaka Wildlife Department of an illustrated signboard. The signboard states that the birds are protected and any disturbance of them or their habitat is prohibited by law. This is the first time the MNS Negeri Sembilan/Melaka Branch Committee, ably lead by Chairperson Lim Ming Hui, has been instrumental in protecting a secure habitat and hopefully it will help to open people’s eyes to the thrill of watching the rich wildlife of Melaka and the need for its protection.
