Researchers on scientific expedition in Pulau Gaya

KOTA KINABALU: Researchers are taking scientific snapshots of a rainforest and mangrove swamps that are barely a 10 minute-boat ride from the city here.

A team of Malaysian and foreign scientists are currently scouring Pulau Gaya to take stock of its fauna, flora, marine community and ecotourism potential. The six-day scientific expedition on the 1,465ha island that is part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park would also enable Sabah to update its biodiversity data.

Sabah Park director Dr Paul Basintal said the outcome of the expedition would enable authorities to know whether the island’s biodiversity had improved or was degra­ding. Three resorts have been set up in Gaya over the past decade.

Sabah Park chairman Tengku Datuk Zainal Addin Tengku Mahmood said only one-tenth of the island’s area was allowed to be developed due to Gaya’s rich biodiversity. “The mangrove swamps in particular play an important role in preventing erosion and in being a habitat and breeding ground for a variety of marine life.

Gaya’s relatively untouched rainforest was also important as many native plants at the park’s four other islands had been re­­-placed with secondary jungle, he added.

Tengku Adlin also said Sabah Park was facing an uphill task to clean the rubbish that was washed up from the mainland and ended up on the park’s five islands.
He said some RM10,000 was spent every month for the clean-up. Stricter enforcement of the laws and penalising litterbugs were nee­ded to curb the problem that was affecting the tourism industry here, he said.
-thestar online.
www.sabahparks.org.my