Kota Kinabalu Wetlands Center, KK City's last mangrove frontier
A lush mangrove forest digs in its heels literaly in the backyard of
Kota Kinabalu city, thanks to the city folks’ commitment to conservation
and the wetland birds that inspired it.
Sheltered well away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the scenic
sanctuary is all that remains of Kota Kinabalu’s once extensive mangrove
forests that fringed the intertidal mudflats and coastlines of the
city.
The
Wetland Centre's 1.5 km network of boardwalk gives visitors an up-close
experience with the sights and sounds of the mangrove forest.
A mere ten minutes’ drive from downtown Kota Kinabalu, the reserve
offers visitors a window to the mangrove ecosystem, home to a wide
variety of birds, insects and fish species unique to the mangrove
habitat.
Formerly known as the Kota Kinabalu City Bird Park, the wetland reserve
covers more than 24 hectares (60 acres) of mangrove forest which was
gazetted as protected reserve by the state government in 1996.
The Rufous night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) are common sightings in the mangrove park during early morning.
Visitors can walk comfortably along the network of boardwalks(1.5km)
traversing the mangrove forest while keeping an eye for the brilliant
collared-kingfishers, white egrets combing the lagoon for a meal, the
eagles and the elusive night heron on the treetops. One can also see the
shy iguanas, mud crabs and occasional snakes under the stilt roots of
the mangrove trees.
Over
the years large tracts of mangrove forests have given way to human
habitation. Much of the city of Kota Kinabalu occupies land that was
once under mangrove forests.
Mangrove forests resembling the one in the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre
are native to the saline coastal areas, particularly in intertidal
mudflats and sandbars. The ebb and flow of the tide washes the tidal
woodland twice a day and replenishes the mangrove trees with oxygenated
salt water and a fresh supply of nutrients.
The unique wetland habitat attracts not just the birds but also human visitors, some from very far away. Among them were Len Matheson from New Zealand who came to catch a glimpse of the birds and wildlife that frequent the reserve.
While there are nine major mangrove species in the reserve, the most
commonly found include the Api-Api Putih, Bakau Minyak and Pedada, to
name three. Api-api putih(Avicenna Alba) can be readily
recognised by its leaves which appear glossy green on top and paler on
the underside, and distinctive pencil-shaped roots protruding above the
ground or water which enable the plant to breathe. Bakau Minyak (Rhizophorbia apiculata) has arching, stilt root system, and spear-shaped fruits, while the Pedada (Sonneratia alba) has typically broad, oval shaped leaves as well as cone-shaped roots that stick out straight out of the water.
The
extensive maze of roots provide the ideal shelter from predators for
commercially important juvenile marine species including prawns,
mangrove jacks, barramundis and mud-crabs.
The mangrove forest dominates the wetland ecosystem owing to its unique
ability to withstand the rigors of highly saline and brackish
inter-tidal water along estuaries, coastlines including saltwater and
freshwater marshes. The trees provide the building blocks of a complex,
interwoven food chain by producing large amounts of leaf litter, fruits
and other organic materials. They also supply nutrients for animals at
the lower end of the food chain such as worms, snails, mussels, oysters
and mollusks. In turn, these detritus eaters become a source of protein
for larger predators including barramundi, mangrove jacks, herons and
mud crabs and, high up on the food chain, other animals, including
humans.
Patiently waiting, A Striated Heron(Butorides striata) stalks its prey in the mangrove reserve.
"The best time to visit the mangrove forest is early morning when
resident birds and other wildlife in the park go out looking for food,"
said KKWC Conservation Science Officer Siti Joanni Matlan.
The lush mangroves of the KKWC play an important role in minimising
pollution by absorbing nutrients.
They also offer protection against
storms, including tsunami, as well as common wave actions that cause
coastal erosion. Its tangled labyrinth of roots forms an ideal refuge
and nursery ground that harbours many species of juvenile ocean fish,
including lobsters, crabs and prawns.
High in the mangrove canopy, a cacophony of cicadas make their presence
felt, adding to the rich luxuriant splendor of the tropical mangrove
forest.
An assembly of mangrove trees securely anchored in their extensive stilt roots
For avid nature lover, Fung Sai Hou, the mangrove park provides a rare attraction in the urban heart of Kota Kinabalu.
"The mangrove center is an idyllic retreat not far from the city
center, it’s a great place for bird-watchers and anyone who enjoys
connecting with nature," he said. -Insight Sabah
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