CFZ Firefly Survey Sg Sibuti, Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary 10-11th April

The sight of several thousand fireflies twinkling along a riverbank is a magical experience, one that draws in tourists, both local and foreign.

Malaysia is one of the few South-East Asian countries with fireflies that congregate on “display trees” along both sides of mangrove-lined rivers. The insects can even be found congregating up to 100m inland from the riverbank where they breed.

As Malaysia is at the centre of the firefly region that stretches from India to Papua New Guinea, we are fortunate to have a relatively high diversity of the insect. Of the over 20 species of fireflies, Malaysia hosts seven. Of these, the most familiar would be the Pteroptyx tener, also known as the congregating or synchronous firefly.

These fireflies typically congregate in groups along riverbanks and synchronise their flashes, thereby creating the light display that so many people gather to witness.

MNS Miri Branch is proposing to conduct a CFZ : Firefly survey along Sg Sibuti bordering Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary together with interested SWS staff and members overnite 10-11th April.

Our proposed program:
10th April
1600hrs Participants meet in designated area and travel to Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary
1700hrs Unpack and load up the boat
1800hrs Quick dinner
1830hrs Commence firefly survey from SWS park jetty to Sg Sibuti estuary mouth .
2230hrs Berth at Kpg Kuala Sibuti and overnite

11th April
0530hrs Wake up call
0830hrs Commence return trip to SWS and birdwatch along Sg Sibuti
1100hrs Arrival at SWS jetty, return to Miri

Encik Musa Musbah, Miri Branch CFZ focal point will be leading the survey and we hope to share the technique, methodologies with the participants in the effort to share firefly information with participants. This will also be the best opportunity to id some of the firefly species in the area. Musa has already recce'd most of the likely firefly sites around Miri and start leading full scale survey this year.

We hope to garner more support to conduct similar surveys in other big rivers within and outside the national park system for the remainder of 2010.

If you are intrested to be a part of MNS Miri CFZ work, please email us at mnsmiri at yahoo dot com.

Nazeri Abghani, MNS Miri, April 2010