RIP Dr Ivan Polunin 12th Dec 1920-21st Dec 2010

Photograph by Dr Ivan Polunin, Bruce Coleman, Picturequest
Sourced online from : http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/tellus/0205/tellus4.html

Dr Ivan Polunin, one of the very few leading SE Asian firefly researchers, passed away 21st December 2010 after a short heart related illness. He is suvived by wife Madam Fam Siew Yin and daughters Nadya and Olga Polunin.

May his path henceforth shine bright and luminous.

MNS CFZ Workshop at Kelab Rekreasi Petroleum, Lutong 11-12th December 2010

Dr Mahadimenakbar Dawood, ITBC, University Malaysia Sabah expounding on the Firefly Survey and Monitoring Manual developed by his colleagues Wan Faridah Ahmad Jusoh and Nor Rashidah Hashim, University Putra Malaysia at the MNS Miri Congregating Firefly Zone Workshop organised by MNS Miri Branch at Kelab Rekreasi Petroleum Lutong, Miri Sarawak.

Flickering fireflies from our favorite haunt at Kpg Kuala Sibuti. Ten participants from the workshop piled into two 4WDs that trudged through the coastal highway to witness and photograph the spectacle along kampong road.

The 2nd part of the workshop today will cover observations made at Kpg Kuala Sibuti, SWOT analysis of past observations made in Miri as well as key items to look for in identifying fireflies in the field.

The rest of the afternoon will be spent on discussing key deliverables for Congregating Firefly Zone Northern Sarawak Survey 2010 by MNS Miri CFZ team as well deliberations on the way forward for CFZNSS2010 and future firefly work in Malaysia in general.

Examples of different species of Pteroptyx fireflies of Sabah from Dr Mahadimenakbar Dawood, ITBC, University Malaysia Sabah.

Dr Mahadi and MNS Miri Branch CFZ Team going over the firefly data collected over 2010.

Nazeri Abghani/MNS Miri

MNS CFZ Workshop at Kelab Rekreasi Petroleum Lutong this weekend.

Dear Participants,

Greetings from the Malaysian Nature Society Miri Branch (MNS Miri).

We are pleased to inform you that our MNS CFZ Workshop will take place this weekend 11-12th December at Kelab Rekreasi Petroleum, Lutong. Workshop registration will start at 1300hrs at Meeting Room No. 2. Please be prompt.

MNS Miri Branch under the funding of the Congregating Firefly Zone Survey Northern Sarawak 2010 by MNS Merdeka Fund, is currently compiling baseline data on congregating firefly zones (CFZ) of the mangrove lined rivers in Northern Sarawak. The work started in August 2010 at the branch level and will continue until April 2010. The project aims to create a CFZ directory for Northern Sarawak which hopefully will eventually culminate in a number of candidate locations suitable as targets for conservation or rural eco-tourism development.This particular workshop organised in Miri hopes to share the experiences and enthusiasm to date on the firefly survey and monitoring work in a 1.5 dayclassroom sessions and one evening fieldwork session.

Participants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation expenses for the duration of their stay in Miri, they will be provided relevant materials and group meals. Transport to and from fieldsites will be provided by the organisers or carpool.

We hope at the conclusion of the workshop participants will have had good exposure about firefly conservation in Malaysia and several concrete ideas and steps to further improve the collective work in CFZ in Malaysia in general. It is also our fervent hope that the sharing of experiences on methodology and practical learnings during the event will spur further activities in firefly survey and monitoring in Sabah and Sarawak.


Further details:

Congregating Firefly Zone Survey and Monitoring Workshop
Venue: Kelab Rekreasi Petroleum, 98100 Lutong, Sarawak
Date: 11-12th December 2010

With the objective of learning the basics about fireflies, methodologies and techniques for firefly survey and monitoring, the workshop hopes to share the collective experiences and enthusiasm to date on firefly work in Malaysia and abroad in a two day classroom sessions and an evening of fieldwork gathering firefly data at a selected local site.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will have had good exposure to firefly conservation initiatives in Malaysia and overseas, understanding of key firefly survey and monitoring techniques as well as opportunities to explore concrete ideas and steps to further improve the collective work in CFZ. This will hopefully lead to ways to advocate for their conservation.

It is our fervent hope that the the event will spur further activities in firefly survey and monitoring in Sabah and Sarawak in general.

MAIN RESOURCE
Sonny Wong Senior Conservation Officer, MNS Conservation Division
Dr Mahadimenakbar Mohamed Dawood Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Conservation, University Malaysia Sabah
Musa Musbah Project Executor, CFZ Survey Northern Sarawak 2010, MNS Miri Branch


PROGRAM
Saturday 11th December 2010
1300-1400 hrs Registration at Meeting Room No. 2 KRP
1400-1415 hrs Introduction to MNS
1415-1500 hrs Introduction to Fireflies and bioluminescent organisms
1530-1600 hrs MNS Firefly and Habitat Conservation Initiatives
1600-1700 hrs CFZ Survey and Monitoring Techniques I
1700-2000 hrs CFZ Site Assessment and Survey Sg Adong
2100 hrs Group Dinner (venue to be confirmed)

Sunday 12th December 2010
0800-0900 hrs Group discussion on findings from Sg Adong/Sg Maloi
0900-1000 hrs CFZ Survey and Monitoring II
1000-1200 hrs Identifying fireflies in the field MMD,MM
1200-1400 hrs Group Lunch at Kelab Rekreasi Petroleum Lutong
1400-1415 hrs Introduction to CFZ Survey Northern Sarawak 2010
1415-1500 hrs Progress CFZ Northern Sarawak 2010
1500-1600 hrs Compiling and Interpreting CFZ Data
1600-1700 hrs General discussion of the way forward with CFZ
1700 hrs Closing and end of Workshop

Note*:
In the event of rain or foul weather, the fieldsurvey of fireflies of Sg Adong will be conducted on the 2nd day of the course.

Participants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation expenses for the duration of the course and relevant group meals. Transport to and from fieldsites will be provided by the organisers.

Partcipants to please revert with the following details to facilitate your access to KRP :
a) Full name, IC and HP no.
b) Car registration no.
c) whether you are able to furnish life-jackets for the planned boat-trip on Saturday.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to revert to this email. If you require direction to KRP, please indicate in your reply email.

Thank you.

Yours Sincerely,
Nazeri Abghani
Project Lead, CFZ Survey Northern Sarawak 2010
MNS Miri Branch
nabghani@yahoo.com/016-8542212

Finally our precious find : firefly larvae

We finally found our precious firefly larvae!!!

Sparkling diamonds in the sky and beremban of Kpg Kuala Sibuti

The skyline just after sunset.

Right after the first community outreach program for the Congregating Firefly Zone Survey Northern Sarawak 2010 at Pustaka Miri, a few of us (Musa, Nazeri, Clare, Sim, Iqbal, Sue, Ali and Aisya) decided to extend the euphoria of the day just that bit further by making a trip to Kpg Kuala Sibuti via Kpg Pejuang Kelulit to stake out fireflies.

The drive was a few minutes shy of an hour from Miri City along the Coastal Road pass Bekenu junction, along Kpg Pejuang Kelulit along decent single lane road leading to Kpg Kuala Sibuti. Wheb we reached the area, the tide was just rising and the sun was just setting.

We waited for the little Coleopteras to reveal themselves. As the lights diminished, the twinkling sparkles started. And what a show it was, from one beremban tree to the next, it was awesome. The fact that the site was by the roadside made it even more exciting, easily accessible.

The children were thrilled to bits as more fireflies revealed themselves. Some started to fly here and there, some decided to take the adventurous route crossing the road to where we were.

The clear skies revealed more sparkling diamonds, this time the stars in the very sky above our heads, being away from bright city lights, the Milky Way made a magnificent show.

Amongst the base of mangroves, on the waterline, 4 pairs of eyes were constantly watching us all the while. There were three juvvy crocs nearby and perhaps a mama croc if not an adolescent watching us from slightly further away. They were all probably wondering what these two legged creatures were fussing about in the neighbourhood. Sparkling diamonds in the skies and amongst the beremban trees are probably commonplace for them.

We left the spot just before 9pm on a high note ... not often on a landas nite in Sarawak.


Mangrove lined waterways, seemed ideal habitat for crocodiles and fireflies.


As the nite enveloped the mangroves, the beremban started to flicker.


Sparkling diamonds in the beremban trees by the roadside.


More fireflies dancing the mating dance on their last few days on earth, what a way to go.


Fireflies, spectacular show as the nite gets darker and darker.


Sparkling diamonds in the sky.

Write-up and pictures by Nazeri Abghani/MNS Miri/CFZ Project/Nov 2010.