Trail walking is an ideal way to view the Kuala Selangor Nature Park. There are six trails of various distances to explore. While some allow you to study the flora and fauna of a secondary forest, others introduce you to the inhabitants of the lake and mangrove forest.
Trail TIps
The Park's trails are named after animals found in the PArk, but as animals are free to roam where they please, you may not see them on a particular trail. To enjoy your experience in the Park, take note of the following tips:
1. For your safety, please stay on the trails and do not wander into the undergrowth. On night walks, always take along a companion, torchlights and spare batteries.
2. Keep the Park clean! Please semember to brig out your rubbish as there are no waste receptacles along the trails.
3. For the convenience of visitors, rest huts are located along the trails.
4. You may also chgoose to explora the park on two-wheels instead. If so, please read the page on "Essentials" for bicycle rental rates.
5. Please do not feed the wildlife; they are skilled hunters and can easily forage for food in the food-rich mangrove forest.
ACCESS to all trails begins at the €visitor's centre. Trail durations inslude the return time :
Macaque Trail - 436 metres Habitat : Secondary Forest Duration : 25 minutes
This trails takes you on half loop through secondary forest. The trail opening is off ht Egret Trail.
Egret Trail - 550 metres Habitat : Secondary Forest & Lake Duration:30 minutes
This trail is a straight path which leads you to the lake. The Egret Trail crosses over two canals, where you maybe ble to spot either the smooth otter or the water monitor lizard. A family of silvered leaf monkeys have also been sighted near the first bridge.
Brahminy Trail -988 metres Habitat: Secondary Forest Duration: 50 minutes
This trail is a bigger half loop than the Macaque Trail. The trail opening is off the Egret Trail. Some of the flora and fauna encountered are strangling figs, the little heron and pangolins.
Langur Trail - 1 100 metres Habitat:Secondary Forest Duration: 1.5 hours
The trail, which meanders through the secondary forest, begins in the middle of the Brahminy Trail. Vegetations includes stranglingfigs, Avicennia mangrove trees dan Nipah palms, Mammals like the plantian squirrel may be seen here.
Lake Bund Trail -988 metres Habitat: The Lake Duration: 1.5 hours
Follow the Egret Trail onto the Lake Bund Trail which encircles the lake. Visitors can view water birds and waders feeding in the lake.To observe water birds, there is a bird hide at the end of the Egret Trail which overlooks the brackish lake. If you remain quiet, your chances of watching these birds are better. The best time to bird watch are in the early mornings and late evenings. You will have to go around the lake to see and observe the different birds, for many have their own territories wihtin the lake. Besides birds, you can also observe water monitor lizards, mudskippers and mangrove crabs. The vegetation include Nipah palms, the sea almond tree and noni.
Coastal Bund Trail - 1 675 metres Habitat: Mangrove Forest Duration: 2 hours
Follow the Egret Trail and onto the Lake Bund Trail; this trail eventually leads you to the Coastal Bund Trail. Three habitats can be esplored - mangroves, the lake and secondary forest. As it can get hot during the day, be prepared - a hat is always useful and do bring sufficient water with you.
Amongst the Avicennia and Excoecaria mangrove trees, long-tailed macaques compete with the white-throated kingfisher for their favourite food - mangrove crabs.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The Lake
The Park has a man-made 25 acre brackish water lake, which was created to attract birds to roost and to feed. It also acts as a safe nesting area for many birds. There are a number of hides around the lake where one can observe various species of birds, especially water birds and waders. The nesting season, from March to June, is the best time to watch for birds.
Numerous monitor lizards and the occasional smooth otter are also sighted at the lake. Along the river mouth, one also gets a glimpse of various kinds of crabs, mudskippers and other animals. Periodically, brackish water is taken in from te mouth of the estuary of the Selangor River via sluice gates.
Secondary Forest
About two-thirds of the Park (201 hectares) consists of secondary forest, formed from degenerated mangrove forest. After the coastal bund was constructed, the mangrove trees were unable to compete with dry land species. With the emergemce of the mangrove fern, it became quite impossible for the mangrove trees to florish.
Although there are still some stands of mature mangrove trees, the secondary forest is now dominated by strangling figs, coastal trees like the Cordia dichotama, climbers and the mangrove fern.
Although there are still some stands of mature mangrove trees, the secondary forest is now dominated by strangling figs, coastal trees like the Cordia dichotama, climbers and the mangrove fern.
Mangrove Forest
Peninsular Malaysia has 17% of the country's 586.036 hectares of mangrove. Large areas of mangroves are concentrated in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia especially in Selangor and Perak. Although mangroves cover less than one third of the Park (95 hectares), it is the most important ecosystem here.
The Park's mangroves form a biologically rich and diverse environment and play important functions both physically and ecologically. They form part of a complex coastal wetland ecosystem and represent an intermediate phase between land and aquatic environments.
Mangroves are usuallly found growing along the coast and muddy banka of large river mouths, developing well in sheltered estuaries and deltas. The vegetation consists of trees and shrubs, which are able to thrive in tidal water.
The Park occupies the iiner edge of the coastal mangroves, consisting mainly of Bruguiera species mixed with some Rhizophora species.
The mangroves and adjacet mudflats are a rich ecosystem with invertebrates, including crabs, prawns and bivalves, which in turn support a large variety of birds and mammals.
Besides recycling nutrients and providing protection against coastal erosion, mangroves are also the breeding ground for many varieties of commercial marine species.
The Park's mangroves form a biologically rich and diverse environment and play important functions both physically and ecologically. They form part of a complex coastal wetland ecosystem and represent an intermediate phase between land and aquatic environments.
Mangroves are usuallly found growing along the coast and muddy banka of large river mouths, developing well in sheltered estuaries and deltas. The vegetation consists of trees and shrubs, which are able to thrive in tidal water.
The Park occupies the iiner edge of the coastal mangroves, consisting mainly of Bruguiera species mixed with some Rhizophora species.
The mangroves and adjacet mudflats are a rich ecosystem with invertebrates, including crabs, prawns and bivalves, which in turn support a large variety of birds and mammals.
Besides recycling nutrients and providing protection against coastal erosion, mangroves are also the breeding ground for many varieties of commercial marine species.
HABITATS
For a comparatively small park, the KSN{ has a range of habitats such as secondary and mangrove forets, the Selangor River estuary, mudflats that open to the Straits of Malacca, and a man-lade brackish lake. There habitats shelter about 156 species of birds (resident and migratory), a variety of insects, molluscs, crabs , fish, reptiles, amphibians and mamamals.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE
The Park plays a significant role in conservation. It acts as a santuary for many mammals and for local and migratory birds. The Park is also important economically because the conservation of mangroves plays a role in the enhancement of the local fishing industry.
It is vastly encouriaging to see members of the public coming to the Park, at minimal cost, to enjoy their natural heritage. This appreciation of nature, and the need to conserve and manage the environment, is out best gurantee for the future of Kuala Selangor and of the many other existing and potential parks in Malaysia.
It is vastly encouriaging to see members of the public coming to the Park, at minimal cost, to enjoy their natural heritage. This appreciation of nature, and the need to conserve and manage the environment, is out best gurantee for the future of Kuala Selangor and of the many other existing and potential parks in Malaysia.
EARLY BEGINNINGS
Kuala Selangor has long been known for its bird life, and studies of wading birds have been conducted here since the 1960s.
Since then, there have been many changes. The construction of a coastal bund has left a healthy band of mangroves on the seaward edge. However, the inland mangroves were drying up and a gradual patchy replacement of mangroves by figs, acacia and creepers was taking place.
Further along the coast, land cleared for saltpans and a new township was for many years ideal wader roosting habitats, with shallow puddles and wide open spaces. However, now that open land is being built on, the birds must go elsewhere.
It was the anticipantion of such change that led the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) to excavate shallow lakes with islands, as wildlife habitat. Set within 600 acres of coastal mangroves and secondary forest, the lakes and vegetation support a wide variety of animals and plants. And, unlike the situation in many places, the wildlife can actually be seen!.
In 1987, the Kuala Selangor Nature Park (KSNP) was opened to the public. A year of hard work by MNS members, together with other conservation organisations and the State Government of Selangor Darul Ehsan, enabled the park to become a reality.
The then Menteri Besar of Selangor, YAB Dato Muhammad bin Hj Muhd Taib officiated the opening of the Park. The endangered silvered leaf monkey, which the Park protects was chosen for the Park's logo.
Since then, there have been many changes. The construction of a coastal bund has left a healthy band of mangroves on the seaward edge. However, the inland mangroves were drying up and a gradual patchy replacement of mangroves by figs, acacia and creepers was taking place.
Further along the coast, land cleared for saltpans and a new township was for many years ideal wader roosting habitats, with shallow puddles and wide open spaces. However, now that open land is being built on, the birds must go elsewhere.
It was the anticipantion of such change that led the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) to excavate shallow lakes with islands, as wildlife habitat. Set within 600 acres of coastal mangroves and secondary forest, the lakes and vegetation support a wide variety of animals and plants. And, unlike the situation in many places, the wildlife can actually be seen!.
In 1987, the Kuala Selangor Nature Park (KSNP) was opened to the public. A year of hard work by MNS members, together with other conservation organisations and the State Government of Selangor Darul Ehsan, enabled the park to become a reality.
The then Menteri Besar of Selangor, YAB Dato Muhammad bin Hj Muhd Taib officiated the opening of the Park. The endangered silvered leaf monkey, which the Park protects was chosen for the Park's logo.
THE PARK
Just 70km northwest of Kuala Lumpur lies the 297 hectare Kuala Selangor Nature Park. Established in 1987, the Park was developed as an alternative to a proposed golf course and it is run by the Malaysian Nature Society for the Selangor State government.
Three habitats - secondary, mangroves and a brackish water lake - shelter a myriad of flora and fauna species. A santuary for special and interesting animals such as the silvered leaf monkey, mudskipper, pangolin, leopard cat and flying lizard, the Park is also popular amongst birders. Out of 168 species of birds, 66 are migratory birds, which include skrikes, kingfishers, pond herons, bee-eaters and many species of waders.
Three habitats - secondary, mangroves and a brackish water lake - shelter a myriad of flora and fauna species. A santuary for special and interesting animals such as the silvered leaf monkey, mudskipper, pangolin, leopard cat and flying lizard, the Park is also popular amongst birders. Out of 168 species of birds, 66 are migratory birds, which include skrikes, kingfishers, pond herons, bee-eaters and many species of waders.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)