From the Field:

The Coral Cay Conservation Malaysia Reefs and Islands Conservation Project

The Malaysia Reefs and Islands Conservation Project is a three-month pilot project to undertake a rapid assessment of the marine and terrestrial resources of the Perhentian Islands off the coast of Peninsular Malaysia. From these reef-fringed islands, Coral Cay Conservation (CCC) biologist Mandy Hengeveld reports on reef surveys, coral conservation initiatives and life as a field researcher.

Mandy's Updates:

June 18, 2003: "Welcome Back"
June 9, 2003: "Pulau Redang"
June 4, 2003: "In the Eyes of a Child"

May 13th , 2003: “On Patrol”

May 6th , 2003: “Fear for the Reef”

April 29th, 2003: "Earth Day"

April 28th, 2003: "Home of the Leaf Monkeys"

April 23rd, 2003: "Water"

April 14th, 2003: "Mami, Ani and the Wooden Boat"

April 7th, 2003: "It's an expedition, NOT a holiday!"

April 1, 2003: "Off to a Flying Start!"

“Masks on, regulators in mouth, BCD’s inflated, bums over the edge, fins crossed, dangly bits between your legs, clear behind, 3,2,1…GO!” With a swift backwards roll, the next team of surveyors enter the welcoming turquoise waters of the South China Sea.

You’d think you were attending an army drill camp, but the reassuring words of the boat marshall ensures that all divers safely enter the water.

After signaling a Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) okay back to the boat and yelling “Diver’s down!”, my dive team and I prepare to descend into the mystic water below.

Transect by transect, a multi-level picture of the Pulau Perhentian reefs are being put together like the pieces of a complex puzzle. Eleven weeks into the pilot phase, the puzzle is closer to being complete. But as one can imagine with more than six kilometers of coastline there is always more work that can be done.

“Come look at this!” I waved to my dive buddies: Ailin, Rich and Louise. Since I had a regulator in my mouth and by that time was fifteen meters below the water’s surface, I had to get my message across in a series of exaggerated movements. As exaggerated as they were, they worked. Within seconds I had all three of their attentions.

For a moment my mind wandered from the task of surveying to the incredible sight before me. A group of ghost shrimps (Periclemnes sp.) presented themselves, like runway supermodels, amidst the branches of a colonial tree soft coral. We were ecstatic to see them, after more than two months of diving these waters, this was our first ghost shrimp sighting. It was as though the shrimps had grouped together to welcome us to the reef.

I dragged my intrigued eyes from the dazzling crustaceans and refocused my energy on the task at hand. In honour of the shrimps, I designated that exact spot as the start of transect K101A: K for Kecil, the name of the island; 1 for the first survey sector in the island; 01 for the first survey in the sector; and A for first dive on that transect.
I filled the water sample bottle, took a temperature reading, signaled to Louise to tug on the surface marker buoy (SMB) so that awaiting marshall at the surface would know where to take a GPS reading, and gave the okay to the rest of the team to prepare to survey.

Rich handed me the end of the 10m rope that is used as a portable transect line and off Ailin and I swam on a 150 degree bearing that would lead us on a perpendicular path towards the shore.
As I documented substrate types and drew a sketch of the reef below us, Ailin frantically recorded the numbers and types of fish before her. The reef was teeming with life!

Once we had covered the first ten meters off the reef, I gave the ten meter line a gentle tug, giving Rich and Lou the signal to begin their part of the survey. Being the experienced volunteers that they are (this is Rich’s fifth CCC expedition), the two of them counted coral, algae and invertebrate numbers and jotted down species types with extreme efficiency.

It was only minutes before the pair rejoined us, allowing Ailin and I to travel ahead to begin the next ten meter section of the reef. This process is repeated until either the shore is reached or the team runs out of bottom time, at which point a buoy is tied off to mark where the survey was left off.

This morning was no exception. After studying sixty meters of the reef, we reached the limits of our SCUBA profile and had to bid farewell to the dazzling marine world below.

All smiles we surfaced, guzzling with excitement over what the reef offered us. We were so ecstatic about the dive, that our boat marshall began planning a visit to the site on the upcoming recreational dive day.

“Masks on, regs in mouth” The boat marshall will recite. And sploosh, the next team of divers will be free to make new discoveries.

*This is my last edition of MRICP Field Notes. I am off to work on yet another project! Thank you for joining me!

From the beautiful Perhentian Islands, Malaysia…Mandy Hengeveld.

Special thank you’s to:

MRICP Field Staff:
Mike, Lexi, Natalie, Becky, James, Chantal, Mark, Nigel and Rob.

Department of Fisheries Malaysia
Especially Rahim, Isa, Zu, Hussein, Osman, Ismadi, Rosmadi and Yusri.

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
Sabrina

Coral Cay Conservation, London
Simon and Tania

And last but definitely not least, all the hardworking and dedicated volunteers that participated on the MRICP over the course of the past three months…you know who you are!!!

June 9, 2003: “Pulau Redang”

It was only moments before Lexi (Terrestrial Project Scientist) and I completed the sixteen nautical mile journey to Pulau Redang, Pulau Perhentian’s neighboring Marine Park. Redang is one of the most visited Marine Parks in the State of Terengganu. Three day/two night package deals entice visitors from all over SE Asia to experience the tropical wonders of this 127.50 hectare protected area.

Blown away by the popularity of this island group, Lexi and I needed a few moments to absorb the scene before we could gather the courage to set foot on the jetty. Hundreds of lifejacket-clad snorkellers covered the reef and beach. We observed many of these visitors feeding fish with loaves of day-old bread. Park staff informed us that this interaction is rewarding for both park guests and the fish; snorkellers are offered an up close encounter with residents of the reef and in return the animals are kept well fed. My bewildered eyes took a good look at the size of the damselfish. To this day, I am still not sure if the water’s physical properties magnified the size of the fish by 25%, or if they truly are larger than their relatives back on the Perhentians!

The beach and reef that stretches before the Redang Marine Park building is one that Marine Park staff are extremely proud of. For the past decade, thousands of snorkellers have taken a look at this very reef- sixty thousand visitors per year to be exact.

Greeted by Yusri, one of the Marine Park’s Senior Fisheries Officers, Lexi and I were given an elaborate tour of the park’s attractions and in a few informative hours were given a rundown of every aspect of it’s operation. We are told that snorkeling of the reef is well managed. True to their word, we witness the water clear in a matter of moments, by the simple hoist of a black flag at the end of the jetty. The flag is raised whenever it is low tide. The flag, in addition to the mandatory donning of lifejackets, prohibition of fins, and the installation of a raft, ensure that none of the guests rest on the fragile coral.

Visitors can also experience the underwater world by taking a tour through the park’s visitor center. On display are dozens of shells from the shiny Cowrie family, to the Crown of Thorn preying Triton trumpet shell. Many of these shells have been confiscated from poachers. The Triton has a market value of 200RM per kilo, an astounding figure compared to the average Malaysian middle class income of 1500RM per month. *

Our tour culminated with a mid-afternoon stroll past the island’s latest developments. Crystal clear swimming pools, perfectly manicured golf courses, and freshly painted condominium style hotels stretched out before us. The newest addition to the areas’ multitude of high-class resorts is a one billion RM multi-level complex, complete with 250 air conditioned rooms, hardwood terraces, expansive gardens and luxury chalets.

I was jostled back to reality when our guides whispered in Malay if we should head back to the Perhentians. On our journey back to our expedition base we stopped and chatted briefly with a couple of traditional Malay fishermen. While part of the country speeds into the new millennium, there is still a hint of the ways of yesterday. The contrast is amazing.

*one pound sterling = approx. 6.5 RM, one Canadian dollar = approx. 2.75 RM

June 4, 2003: "In the Eyes of a Child"

Friday afternoons from four to five pm are Kids Day at the Marine Park Lecture Hall. Each week we gather all the kids that live in the southern part of Pulau Perhentian Besar and conduct environmental awareness workshops that have not previously been offered on the island.

As part of the community education portion of the Malaysian Reef and Islands Conservation Project, the CCC marine science staff and volunteers have come up with creative ways of engaging the local kids in learning about the incredible reef and rainforest environments in their backyards. And let me tell you, the programme is a big hit!

“Billy! Tom! Do you want to look for butterflies?” Emma, one of the local dive instructors, called out. Before she could even finish her sentence, like a bolt of lighting, the boys, always ready for action, joined us at the Marine Park building.

This week’s theme was ‘The rainforest’ and included activities on healthy habitats and human impacts. The afternoon was then wrapped up with a butterfly netting session.

You can only imagine how Billy and Tom’s eyes widened with excitement when we handed them butterfly nets bigger than themselves. They were ecstatic!

Unsure of how the afternoon would unfold with ten Malay speaking kids, aged two to twelve, attempting to catch unsuspecting butterflies around and about the Marine Park building, we set off. Would things run smoothly?

After catching the first butterfly, interest quickly turned to the i.d. book, the preschoolers thumbed through the pages like well-read biologists, determined to make the connection between the photos and the insect they had in their net. I was so impressed! Once identified the butterflies were released to return to their local environment.

While the attention span of a five year old may be short, their memories aren’t. Now that their curiosity has been sparked, the quick footsteps of the local kids now find their way up the Marine Park building stairs on a regular basis. The tall white building on their stretch of the beach is now associated with learning and fun.

In the eyes of a child, the world is full of discovery. And who knows, our Friday kids may very well become the next generation of Jacque Cousteau’s or Edward Wilson’s!

Writing from the beautiful Perhentian Islands…Mandy Hengeveld, Project Scientist.

P.S. Another Friday has passed since the writing of this edition of Field Notes, the kids are now so excited about the program that two of them showed up a day early for it!

May 13, 2003: “On Patrol”

The constant hum of the Marine Park patrol boat engines limited conversation, forcing Lexi (CCC Terrestrial Project Scientist) and I to resort to the use of hand signals and exaggerated facial expressions to communicate our anticipation for the day ahead. We were on patrol!

Thirty-one rangers work in the State of Terrenganu’s Marine Parks, with duties ranging from enforcing marine park rules, collecting park entry fees, educating the public and conducting monitoring and research projects. Resources are stretched thin as staff make a concerted effort to enforce the prohibited activities of water and jet skiing, collection of aquatic life, fishing, anchoring of boats over coral reef areas and the discharge of pollution and rubbish. With the latest addition of the Perhentian Island group to the State of Terrenganu’s popular marine parks, staff are spread even further in their efforts to sustainably manage the area. It’s a big job for a small team, and the two of us, the CCC Project Scientists, were out for the morning to see how it is all done!

Most fishermen in this part of the country are quick to recognize the distinct red and blue stripes of the Marine Park vessels. I became quite concerned when I heard a rumour that the rangers had no means of determining exactly where the two nautical mile marine park boundary is. Considering the fleet of sleek 280 HP boats that the rangers patrol in, this idea seemed preposterous.

During the patrol, it was proved to us that this is well and truly not the case, allowing my respect for marine park staff to remain unfaltering. The rangers are armed with both marine charts and GPS and confidently navigate the waters of the South China Sea with moves as smooth as the seasoned fishermen and a level of professionalism outdone by few!

Sitting like royalty on the padded seats of the ‘Boston Whaler’, Lexi and I were unsure of how to act when the first fishing boat of the day was stopped by the boys in blue. Would the fishermen mind if we took a few photos of their brightly colored traditional Malay fishing boats or despite our blonde and red haired colourings should we try to remain as inconspicuous as possible? We chose the latter, and simply soaked up the scene.

After a few quick words in Malay, and a final check of the GPS to confirm their location, the rangers were passed a bucket of the boats freshly caught squid catch, thanked the fishermen for their cooperation and gave each other a nod goodbye.

Before I could think anymore about being disappointed that there wasn’t any more action and at the same time about being relieved that the fishermen and gun-wielding pirates spend most of their time cruising the deeper offshore waters, we were on our way.

Since the Marine Park surrounding the Perhentians is still relatively new, a gradual approach to law enforcement is being taken. To give the locals the opportunity to get used to the idea of no-take zones, warnings and education are given first priority, and fines and arrests second. And trust me, everyone is given their chances, but eventually luck does run out, as was demonstrated through the arrest of staff from the Perhentian Island’s very own Department of Irrigation. Bail is set at a whopping low RM 500 (approx. £90 sterling or $200 Cdn. Dollars).

Timing is everything; large purse seiners use lights to attract their catch and therefore prefer no moon, the opposite being true for the full moon loving trawlers. Evening patrols need to be planned accordingly. Who will they catch next?

As the night sets in, and the ‘flying lemurs’ continue their flights from papaya to palm tree, the next shift of rangers prepare to go on patrol. With them we send our blessings and hopes that their work will help protect the marine resources for generations to come! While they are out on the water, Lexi and I graciously collect our ZZZ’s. It’s a tough job going on patrol!

Until the next adventure! Mandy Hengeveld from the beautiful Perhentian Islands, Malaysia

May 6, 2003: “Fear for the Reef”

Another week has flown by and in that time my awareness of the threats to the local coral reefs has increased substantially. One can easily visit the Perhentians for a short period of time and see only the positive sides of the sun, sand and coral reef environment. I would love to be able to slip into that frame of mind and live guilt-free about the impacts I may be having on this beautiful place.

This week’s Field Notes were inspired by my morning dive at the northern part of Pulau Perhentian Besar (the island I call home). Unfortunately, our divers have been coming back from that survey sector complaining of suspected sewage pollution in the water. The Medical Officer and I went up there to check the scene out. Midway through the dive we spotted a green turtle resting beneath a rocky overhang. We enjoyed its company for several moments and I couldn’t help but wonder about its future. Will the turtles always have a peaceful place to hide? In Malaysia turtle eggs are a delicacy, and interviews with local people led me to discover that turtle eggs are still collected illegally within the marine park.

Despite local efforts to protect these animals, the expanding tourism industry is not helping the turtle’s plight. In 1989 there were only two chalets on the islands and a small village of 600 people. Since the early 1990’s Tourism Malaysia campaign that number has grown to an impressive fifty chalets and a village of 1300. Where there were once seagrass beds, pristine reefs and undisturbed turtle nesting grounds there are now corals damaged by careless snorkellers, divers with poor buoyancy control and resident turtles that have to compete with power boats and curious tourists for a small stretch of the shore.

Freshwater outflow from rivers on the mainland, such as the Sungei Besut river, may also be influencing the coral reef environment around the Perhentian Islands. Agriculture and urban development usually cause increased soil erosion and sedimentation. As the mounting pressures of Malaysia’s 2020 Plan* increase on the peninsular there is a risk of increased sedimentation in the coastal zone if large scale development is not adequately managed. Conversations with local dive operators revealed that they know as well as I do that corals need clean, clear water to survive and grow. They are concerned. What will happen to the reefs in ten years time?

Marine Park staff have been pro-active in reducing the impacts that users have on the reefs in the Perhentians. The Malaysian Labour day long weekend brought in many holidays sun seekers to the islands. One group of good time go-getters thought jet skiing in the marine park perimeter was a fantastic idea. The park rangers were quick to stop the action.

As for me, it is my hope that the green turtle will always have a peaceful sanctuary, and that the corals can continue to thrive. The pressures are great. Can we make it happen?

*The Malaysian government is working towards achieving developed country status by the year 2020.

April 29th, 2003: “Earth Day”

"The Perhentian Islands are extremely close to my heart. They are one of the most valuable coral reef spots in Peninsular Malaysia.” And with those words, Ab. Rahim Gor Yaman, the Head of Marine Parks for the State of Terengganu, kicked off the 11th annual Perhentian Island Earth Day festivities.

Due to the tourist nature of the Perhentians, the local people truly care about the health of their islands. They realize that tourists are enticed by the beautiful diving, white sand beaches, and tropical forests that this area offers. If any of that goes, so do their livelihoods.

Earth Day is a multi-activity event. Marine Park staff and local dive operators conduct Crown Of Thorns seastar removals (a voracious coral predator), coral transplantation projects and underwater clean-ups. This year, CCC added another dimension to the event, beach based clean-ups, one of which resulted in a widespread clean-up of one of Kecil’s busiest beaches, which involved CCC volunteers, marine park staff and even backpackers! What a good feeling when everyone gets involved!

The most touching part of the day was the response from the local residents. They were so happy to see the dozens of people pitching in to help keep the Perhentians beautiful. And I know for a fact that it truly touched one of the local’s hearts.

During an interview with a freelance reporter that was here throughout parts of the last month, one of the locals became teary eyed about the volumes of trash that have piled up on the island’s beaches. He even confessed to praying that CCC would help.

It just so happened that the Earth Day celebrations were planned for the days following this interview. Needless to say, he was ecstatic! And as for me, I must say that it is the presence of people like him that makes volunteering on these projects so worthwhile.

Three cheers for the locals!

April 28th, 2003: “Home of the Leaf Monkeys”

Lexie, CCC’s Terrestrial Project Scientist arrived this week, and with her she brought a keen sense of adventure for the jungle world. The terrestrial portion of the Malaysian Reef and Islands Conservation project begins in mid-May, and with high expectations. Rumour has it that there may be fifteen new species hiding in the Perhentian Besar jungle!

Both Becky, the Medical Officer, and I have been anxiously awaiting her arrival so that we could check out the mysterious rainforest with her as she makes notes on topography, checks out existing trails, networks with locals and finalizes the survey plans for the start of the terrestrial project.

Last Friday, being our no-diving day I donned my trousers, a long-sleeve t-shirt, extra-strength mozzie repellant, and for the first time in six weeks my trainers. I was ready for action, and for those of you familiar with my ‘Grouse Grind’* obsession, you can imagine that hiking up the big island’s steep, rocky terrain made me feel right at home.

Our jungle trek took us through dense rainforest to our first stop, Flora Bay. There a white, windswept beach and a turquoise blue bay teeming with corals welcomed us. A closer look revealed two runway like channels in the reef that allowed boats to shore on Flora Bay’s world-class beach. These were a bit suspicious to us, as we understood that dynamite has never been used within the boundaries of the Perhentian Island Marine Park. Did they then dredge the channels? No one will tell!

Our next route was a trail that bisects the island from north to south. Lexie wanted to check out its feasibility for running terrestrial transects. Lucky us! This part of the island is home to several families of leaf monkeys!

Leaf monkeys truly are the cutest of the islands furry residents. White rings surround these primates’ eyes, giving them an innocent look, even though their playful and mischievous behaviour suggests otherwise!

We were entertained by their jovial antics for quite some time, as they leapt from tree to tree and screeched at the top of their lungs, letting everyone know that this was their territory (at least that was Lexie’s theory for the calamity!). For a few moments they would simply stare at us from a safe crag in the trees giving us the “What are you staring at?” look, and then they would hurl themselves onto swinging vines and play their own version of Tarzan of the Jungle! Show offs!

It has all in all been a fantastic week, Earth Day, monkeys, surveys…yahoo!

Until next week! I am off for a survey dive!

*The Grouse Grind is a 2.4km vertical hike in North Vancouver, Canada. Many Vancouver residents flock to it in the summer months for a serious cardio workout.

April 23rd, 2003: "Water"

“What is that swimming in the shallows”? Dan, one of the volunteers exclaimed. A swimming monitor lizard! How exciting!

There are several monitor lizards that hang around the Marine Park building, ranging from the lanky 2 meter ones, to the enormous 4 meter one we witnessed scurrying away the other day. But I must confess, I never knew that these reptiles swam! I guess it is not only humans that are enticed by the gorgeous turquoise blue waters that surround the Perhentian Islands!

The waters here are truly incredible. They are an inviting 29 degrees Celsius and extremely clear. From both the boats and the shore, one can make out the outlines of the fringing reefs, and watch groups of damselfish dart around in the shallows. These damselfish are part of the seemingly endless assortment of fish, corals, algae and invertebrates that together form a close knit community consisting of tens of thousands of individual organisms.

This brings me back to a dive that Natalie, the project’s Science Officer, and I did together when we first arrived in the Perhentians. The two of us rested on the bottom for ages enthralled by the interaction between the sand dwelling gobies and their blind shrimp partners. While the goby stands guard at the mouth of it’s burrow, ready to alert the blind shrimp of any oncoming danger, the shrimp diligently digs out the subsurface home for both animals. Just one example of the many complex symbiotic relationships found between different types of organisms on coral reefs

On my slate, I scratched in my best underwater handwriting, I could stay down here all day! Nat grinned, which flooded her mask slightly. If it wasn’t for strict dive tables and the lack of spare time, we probably would spend the day underwater! And now that surveying has started, that feeling of complete awe is as strong as ever!

Each dive holds an element of surprise. Not one of the four surveyors, that make up a CCC survey team, can entirely predict what they will witness during their data collection efforts. A passing school of barracuda? A cryptic conch? A towering colony of dazzling blue coral? Coral reefs are like a massive box full of surprises! To the keen eye, each and every underwater visit holds a very special treat!

Unlike other coral reef sites I have visited in South East Asia, the reefs here appear to be relatively healthy. An interview with the Head of Marine Parks here in the state of Terangganu revealed to me that the three biggest threats to reefs in this area are land based pollution, fishing, and intensive use of the reef ecosystem – but not the extremely destructive dynamite or cyanide fishing practises. What a pleasant surprise!

Limited baseline data has been collected in this area, thus stressing the importance of CCC’s ability to provide both the national and local government with the information required to develop integrated management plans for the Perhentians.

In the meantime, we as divers will follow reef etiquette and practice correct buoyancy control in order to keep accidental impacts to the reef environment at a minimum. Similarly the survey boats all use mooring buoys instead of anchoring. Let’s all protect these reefs!

April 14th, 2003: "Mami, Ani and the Wooden Boat"

Lunch!

This morning, glimpses of the passing wet season showered upon us, and surprisingly it was welcomed by all. The falling rain provides the people of Pulau Perhentian Besar with a sense of coolness, and entices the local children to splash in the resulting puddles.

The rains never last long. They may be fierce but always short and sweet. And the best part of today’s rain was the shimmering hot weather it brought along with a delightful evening encounter with Mami and Ani, our expedition cooks. Local cooks are hired on every CCC expedition, and the Malaysian Reef and Islands Conservation Project is no exception.

Within a few days of the start-up of the project we were introduced to Mami and Ani, two sisters that have spent their entire lives in the Perhentian Islands. They are incredible ladies, and entertain us daily with charismatic stories and lively facial expressions.

Ani is the quieter one of the two, and Mami is often the one that is conducting jovial antics in the kitchen.
This evening, at the end of all their cooking, they paddled off into the sunset. Now envision this: two ladies dressed in batik skirts; several cardboard boxes of goods; and the tiniest traditional Malay wooden boat you could ever imagine.

Being the leader of the dynamic duo, Mami took charge and hustled her sister, Ani, into a cross-legged position in the front of the boat. As the gunnels danced near the water’s surface, I questioned whether or not the boat could handle the weight of second person. Well, Mami quickly proved that ‘yes’ it could. In one fell swoop, she hopped in, strategically balanced the boat amidst the crashing waves, and paddled away. All without getting one inch of her beautiful clothing wet! Us onlookers were blown away! Could us ‘masalis’ perform this same act? Not with the same skill and grace that’s for sure!

While moments like these make expedition life complete! Time rolls on, and Science Week is now wrapping up. The volunteers are getting closer and closer to being fully trained for the start of CCC baseline surveys. Hooray! Let the surveys begin!

The past two weeks have turned the volunteers into super keen divers. Buddy pairs are now returning from their underwater adventures bursting with excitement over the first cowrie they spotted, the hawksbill turtle they swam by, and the beautiful colonies of coral they can now proudly identify. As a member of Science Staff, I must admit, in a ‘geeky’ sort of way, that this is extremely rewarding. This is the time when our hours of lecturing, and show and telling begin to pay off!

The next few days will see the final wave of coral, fish and algae/invertebrate validations completed. Come back next week, as volunteers perfect the art of juggling ten metre lines, slates, surface marker buoys and sample bottles, while conducting underwater surveys! See you then!

The soft hues of a gorgeous Perhentian Island sunset calmed everyone. The CCC Skills Development Programme (SDP) has begun, and the Volunteers have discovered what it is like to be back at school.

CCC’s coral reef survey method is a peer-reviewed technique based on ordinal methods adopted by English Nature, a UK government body. It allows the use of trained Volunteers to collect precise and consistent baseline habitat data. In order to ensure that the Volunteers are positively identifying all 150 target species, they need to go through a mentally challenging two weeks of training, that involves three lectures per day, dives and snorkels and HEAPS of personal study time. After all, it is an expedition and NOT a holiday!

Despite the nodding heads that are desperately trying to remain alert in the 30 degree heat, the CCC Science team are pushing through, determined to have 21 new surveyors by the end of next week. Those who persevere will be rewarded! Today’s rewards were unbelievable science training dives. One site alone boasted a school of bumphead parrotfish* and the largest colonies of table coral** that I have ever seen! Incredible!

The biggest adrenaline rush came from spotting a Titan Triggerfish. During breeding season, these animals become very aggressive and defend their inverted cone shaped territory that radiates from their nests on the seafloor all the way to the water’s surface Vivid memories of a diver in Australia having his earlobe bitten off by one of these fish flashed through my head. But then I remembered – breeding season is over, we are safe!

As I write this, night sets in, and the lively shadow of a flying squirrel zipping from palm to palm reminds me that everyday provides new opportunities for discovery. I will be back next week, as Science Week wraps up, and the Volunteers begin surveying!

* Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) are part of the parrotfish (Scaridae) family, and reach up to 46kg, 130cm in size! They are recognized by their teeth fused into beak like plates that are used to scrape algae off corals.

** Table coral is a lifeform formed by corals from the Acroporidae family. This tabular form allows the coral to maximize its ability to capture sunlight. Millions of coral polyps grow together to form tabular colonies that can be hundreds of years old!

April 1, 2003: "Off to a Flying Start!"

We have begun! 3-2-1 and the Coral Cay Conservation (CCC) Malaysia Reefs and Islands Conservation Project is off to a flying start!

Over the course of the next twelve weeks CCC staff and groups of international Volunteers will be conducting baseline surveys around the group of islands that form the Perhentians.

Working closely with the Marine Parks Division of the Department of Fisheries, CCC will be able to provide the Malaysian government with the baseline information required to produce effective long term coastal management plans for the region. The pilot phase of this project will determine the future of CCC’s work in Malaysia.

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