Sungai Raan Firefly Watching After AGM 2011/2012

The Malayis Nature Society Miri branch Annual General Meeting session 2011/2012 was held at Beraya Laut Resort, about 30 kilometers south west of Miri. We decided to have a firefly of Raan River, and at the same time collecting data for the firefly display trees. Sungai Raan is 2 kilometers Sout East of Miri. Sungai Raan Share same Estuary with Bakam river.



We are to meet at bakam Jetty just at the side of the road where the food stall and The Bakam bridge is. We have rented 3 boats for this occassion. The three boat drivers have waited for us. The boats belong to Pak Jugi who is the fisherman.

Nazeri is helping to push the boat with a long stick.

Before going into the boats, Nazeri gave the participants Boat Safety briefing. The most important is not to sit at the boat side and not to put your hand on the boat side. There are crocodidile in the river and they dont post any danger, if we stay in the boat.

As I have been told by pak Jugi the tide that night is very low. ”It would be difficult for us to pass through at the second bridge” he said. The moon is at it late last quater.

The boatman is pointing where a crocodile is.

When all the boats are loaded wit people, went out to the Bakam River mouth. This is where the Raan river river mouth is. We went into river Raan and the first Display tree was still the same one previously mapped to the left of our track before the bridge. The bridge is for the local to cross the river, where the Muslim cemetry located. The Cristain cemmetry is alocated not far from the muslim cemetery. All along the river we saw Firefly display Trees.

Boat landing Huts.

When we passed the area where the boat landing and jetty for the local, there are no nmore display trees seen. We went through many patches of shallow water where it was difficult for the boat to monevour.

Boatman pushing the boat at river with crocodile infested Raan

We did pass throuh the hawai beach bridge. But as we went out about 100meters further we got stuck at the sand bottom of the river. Our boat man jump into the river trying to get the boat pass the shallow area, but failed. He suggested we should wait for the water to rise. The tide should be coming in at 10pm. We decided we just turn back.

It was difficult for the boat man to turn the boat . Finally we manange to turn the boat and going back is a little easier because the water is also still going down.

As we make our move slowly along the river one of the local residence asking out boat driver “Tengok Buaya kah?”. “Looking at crocodile” the man at the side of rier asked. Our boat driver answer “Mana ada buaya lagi, lu orang dah tembak”. It is well known amoung the local there that the wild crocodile in the river are either nettet or shot to be send to Miri Restaurant.

Nazeri is to move to the bridge to control the situation

It was dark at some area where the firefly display trees are. But this will soon be gone. The light fron the street light and car head lamp do passed through the thin three curtain along the river. We finished our trip at 10 pm.

MNS Miri Branch New Committee for 2011-2012

MNS Miri concluded their Branch AGM held at Baraya Laut Resort, Kpg Baraya, Miri, Sarawak 30th July 2011 with the election of fresh faces for branch Committee. The AGM went smoothly with twenty-two stalwart members attending the event.

The new committee,

Chairperson : Peter Pillai

Vice-Chairperson : Musa Musbah

Secretary : Joyce Sivalingam

Treasurer : Amer Matridi Mansor

Committee : Miriam Chacko, Marlene Lim (Co-opted)

Immediate-past Chairperson : Anura Dason

Those in attendance were later treated to an early dinner consisting of kelupis and satay ordered specially for the occasion. Dinner was then followed by a short firefly cruise along Sg Raan for members and their family.

Special mention goes to Committee members from 2010-2011 who made this event all possible.

Here's to another productive year for MNS Miri!

MNS Miri

Let's go checkout Sg Raan Fireflies 30th July 2011

CFZ Northern Sarawak Survey team member taking samples at Sg Raan on our last survey of the river. Photo by @ Sara Wong.

In conjunction with MNS Miri Branch AGM, members are invited to go checkout firefly displays at Sg Raan with members of our CFZ Northern Sarawak Survey team evening of 30th July 2011 right at the conclusion of our Branch AGM.

Date : 30th July

Time : 1800 hrs

Venue : Meet at Gua Resort, venue of our AGM/Sg Bakam Jetty

This trip is open to all paid up members of MNS Miri Branch. Places are limited (maximum 20 people only), priority to branch members attending this year's AGM.

To sign-up please leave your contact details in the comments post below.

CFZ Sungai Suai Lower

CFZ Sungai Suai 02nd April 2011 - Suai Bridge to Kuala Suai.

Field work: Suai Down river 2 April 2011

Participants:

Joyce, Sara, Musa, Anura & Nazeri (Boatman Azman and Nazeri of Kuala Suai)

Date: 2 Apr 2011

START Time: 18:50

Start Location : N3 45 20.9 E113 32 09.0

Field work FINISH Time: 20:24

End Location : N3 47 37.1 E113 29 39.3

PHYSICAL CONDITION:

a. MoonPhase : New moon

100% High thin cloud sky, dark starry night.

b. Weather: Calm no wind, Slightly windy toward the end of survey.

A digital thermometer reading every minutes and giving an average

readings of the whole trip.

Minimum Relative Humidity: 76%

Minimum Air temperature 28.1 ° C

Minimum water temperature 27.3 ° C

Maximum relative Humidity: 88%

Maximum Air temperature 28.7 ° C

Maximum water temperature 28.7 ° C

Water pH : 6 at starting position , end was 5

Specific gravity: is 1.000 at start and End Location.

c. River Condition Current: slowly moving down, Clear sediment water.

Outboard engine used: Yamaha 15 hp

Survey Average Speed 8.0 Km/hr.

Survey length 12.6 km

Survey period 1 hr 38 minutes.

No haze

Fauna seen:

10 Crocodiles sighted

29 Display trees

2 Black Asian hornbill (duribg daytime assessment of the same river)

No mosquito

The last time we visited Kpg Kuala Suai was June 2009, Musa and Daniel were here sometime in January 2011 during the SWS (Sarawak Waterbirds Survey). The journey downriver to the kampong is's just like a trip going home.

We met our boatman Azman and his younger cousin Nazeri by the Suai Bridge apprixmately 1700hrs, we waited till sunset before commencing our survey.

We immediately started the survey at 1850 hrs, a few minutes after sundown. The journey downriver was approximately 1.5 hrs navigating a winding river in the dark. We spotted a total of 29 display trees with occasional rovers flitting about on the tree tops. There were also several crocodiles spotted playing hide-n-seek under the nipah palm as we made our way further downstream. We came across several boats engaged in fishing activities, mostly aiming for prawns.

A good number of samples were also collected that night that should give us an identification of fireflies common in the area.

On the way back the next morning, we took the opportunity to capture images of the display trees we encountered the evening before.

Our CFZ team at the start of our traverse just past Suai Bridge along the Miri-Bintulu Coastal Highway.


Checking out the fireflies. Image by Sara Wong.


One of the largish rover firefly we stumbled upon post-survey. Image by Sara Wong.

Post-survey chat over hot coffee at our host's at Kpg Kuala Suai. Image by Sara Wong.

WPTTime Coordinate Fauna / Nos / Side / Photo Number / Comment

142 19:50 N3 46 35.0 E113 30 35.1 Suia Coastal Bridge side, start location

125 19:10 N3 46 06.4 E113 32 14.7 Firefly 10 Left 5411

126 19:17 N3 46 24.0 E113 32 22.9 Firefly 100 Right 5397 syncronised

127 19:17 N3 46 26.7 E113 32 22.7 Firefly 100 Left 5385/86,87,88 syncronised

128 19:18 N3 46 29.3 E113 32 22.6 Firefly 100 Left 5381

129 19:19 N3 46 35.5 E113 32 22.3 Firefly 1 Left Rover

130 19:20 N3 46 39.6 E113 32 19.4 Firefly 50 Right 5379/80

131 19:22 N3 46 32.8 E113 32 12.0 Firefly 10 Right 5376/77

132 19:23 N3 46 30.6 E113 32 11.0 Firefly 20 Right 5374/75

133 19:32 N3 46 15.7 E113 31 36.0 Crocodile 1 Right

134 19:37 N3 46 11.6 E113 31 12.8 Firefly 100 Left 5363 young small berebang

135 19:44 N3 46 24.8 E113 30 48.0 Firefly 50 Right 5356/174anura

136 19:44 N3 46 26.2 E113 30 48.8 Firefly 200 Left 5355 Bakau tree

137 19:46 N3 46 32.1 E113 30 51.2 Crocodile 1 Right

138 19:48 N3 46 37.7 E113 30 45.6 Crocodile 1 Left

139 19:48 N3 46 37.2 E113 30 41.8 Firefly 100 Left 5353

140 19:49 N3 46 36.9 E113 30 40.7 Firefly 200 Left 5351/52 syncronised

141 19:49 N3 46 36.7 E113 30 40.1 Firefly 200 Left 5350

142 19:50 N3 46 35.0 E113 30 35.1 Firefly 100 Left 5347/48 161 anura

143 19:51 N3 46 34.7 E113 30 31.6 Crocodile 1 Right

144 19:52 N3 46 34.3 E113 30 23.6 Firefly 200 Left 5342

145 19:54 N3 46 38.1 E113 30 16.4 Crocodile 2 Left

146 19:55 N3 46 41.2 E113 30 14.8 Firefly 50 Left 5338/39 anura 159

147 19:56 N3 46 45.1 E113 30 13.0 Crocodile 1 Right

148 19:56 N3 46 47.1 E113 30 13.1 Firefly 50 Left 5333, 157 anura

149 19:56 N3 46 48.3 E113 30 13.3 Firefly 100 Left 5332

150 19:57 N3 46 49.8 E113 30 13.9 Firefly 100 Left 5331 bakau

151 19:57 N3 46 53.3 E113 30 15.1 Firefly 50 Left 5328 sample, nipah tree

152 20:06 N3 47 06.3 E113 30 22.5 Crocodile 2 Left 5322/23/25 2 Tree close together

153 20:06 N3 47 07.6 E113 30 23.6 Firefly 200 Left 5321

154 20:07 N3 47 11.5 E113 30 26.0 Firefly 200 Left 5316

155 20:09 N3 47 18.2 E113 30 28.1 Firefly 200 Left 5311

156 20:09 N3 47 19.4 E113 30 28.1 Firefly 100 Left 5310

157 20:12 N3 47 31.8 E113 30 23.8 Crocodile 1 Right

158 20:12 N3 47 32.7 E113 30 22.3 Firefly 100 Left 5307

159 20:16 N3 47 28.3 E113 30 09.1 Firefly 20 Left 5304

160 20:17 N3 47 25.7 E113 30 06.1 Firefly 200 Left 5303

161 20:24 N3 47 37.1 E113 29 39.3 End Location

162 10:27 N3 46 12.6 E113 30 58.0 Hornbill 1

163 10:43 N3 46 23.1 E113 32 22.6 Hornbill 1 5401

A typical "bakau" tree that harbored most number of fireflies from image "5397". A major part of the river is covered by Nipah palm. Most of the surrounding area along the river has been earmarked for oil palm plantation except for small packets of forest here and there.

Other than a small isolated patches of forest, the surrounding of Sg Suai is almost entirely dominated by oil palm plantation, some right up to the riverbank.

Data by Musa Musbah/MNS Miri

Images and words by Nazeri Abghani unless specified.

CFZ Sg Similajau

Complete track of both sides of Sg Similajau with display trees marked.

Neighbours surrounding Similajau National Park, markers are location of "Sime Darby Plantation" signboards along the coastal highway.

Observers in Boat 1 (Right side of river):

Nyareng, Julaihi, Tham, Yeoh, Musa, Anne, Dr. Mahadi, Boatman of Kampong Jelakat

Observers in Boat 2 (Left side of River):

Sonny, Vincent, Clift, Jocelyn, Elan, Boatman

As part of the practical field segment of the 2nd MNS CFZ Survey and Monitoring Workshop, participants were split into 3 groups to conduct practical work. Group 1 and 2 took the task to survey Sg Similajau by boat. Group 3 conducted recce around the Similajau NP's mangrove boardwalk and Education Trail to try locate and collect firefly larva in the area.

Group 1 and 2 left the park approxumately 1700hrs to travel to boat landing at Kpg Jelakat which is located approximately 45mins away by car at the northern border of the park. This allowed the team to conduct daytime assessment of the surroundings. The journey itself traversed eastern side of the traversing oil palm plantations and settlements.

The northern end itself is the location of Samalaju, a new township of potentially 50,000 inhabitants engaged in high-technology industry within the Northern sector of SCORE, Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy. Several energy intensive industries have been slotted to take up space as the northern neighbours of the park.

Group 3 started on it's route 1800hrs making a loop trek along prescribed traverse within park grounds. Though several female (confirmed the next day) were seen hovering above the ground most likely laying eggs, no larva was located within the slotted time. The last larva collected from this iste was Jan 2011.

The results of each of the practical sessions form important collection of baseline data for Similajau National Park complementing other forms of wildlife data collected over the years. Fireflies is an important component as an indicator for a healthy river. With current changes in the landscape surrounding the park, it is important that we keep an eye on the state of these flashing little creatures going forward into the next few years.

SCORE: a variety of heavy industries is moving into an area gazetted for energy intensive industries within SCORE. Among them, SALCO's aluminium smelter, Asian Mineral Limited's mangan smelter and Tokuyama's polycrystalline (solar panels) factory. The northern border to Similajau will change forever. A new port will also be built to service the needs of these industries. Work in Samalaju already started early 2009.

Field work

Date 26 Mar 2011

START Time: 18:51

Field work FINISH Time: 20:19

PHYSICAL CONDITION:

a. MoonPhase : Last wanning

100% High cloud covered. Dark night sky with many stars

b. Weather: Slightly windy.

A digital thermometer reading every minutes and giving an average

readings of the whole trip.

Minimum Relative Humidity: 69%

Minimum Air temperature 26.3 ° C

Minimum water temperature 28.0 ° C

Maximum relative Humidity: 89%

Maximum Air temperature 28.0 ° C

Maximum water temperature 30.2 ° C

Water pH : 6

Specific gravity: is 1.000

c. River Condition Current: Low tide, slowly moving down, Clear sediment water.

Outboard engine used: Yamaha 40 hp

Survey Average Speed 7.0 Km/hr.

Survey length 10.2 km

Survey period 1 hr 20 minutes.

No haze

Fauna seen:

8 Crocodiles sighted

54 Display trees

1 Black-crowned Night Heron.

No mosquito

Team 1 cruising the right side of Sg Similajau.

Lush vegetation on either side of the river over sections of Sg Similajau.

The estuary of Sg Similajau.

The typical vegetation along the riverside.

WPT Time Co-ordinate Fauna Estimated amount Remarks

53 18:57:14 N3 30 52.2 E113 18 21.1 Firefly 10 Nipah tree

54 19:01:35 N3 30 51.1 E113 18 22.9 Crocodile 1 Small crocodile

55 19:02:05 N3 30 50.4 E113 18 24.0 Firefly 50 Nipah tree

56 19:03:02 N3 30 49.9 E113 18 24.7 Firefly 50 in few nipah trees

57 19:04:12 N3 30 49.2 E113 18 27.2 Firefly 1 Rover

58 19:04:21 N3 30 49.2 E113 18 27.5 Firefly 100 in few nipah trees

59 19:04:37 N3 30 49.1 E113 18 28.0 Firefly 100 in few nipah trees

60 19:06:16 N3 30 49.3 E113 18 33.5 Firefly 200 in few nipah trees

61 19:06:47 N3 30 49.4 E113 18 35.9 Firefly 50 Nipah tree

62 19:07:42 N3 30 49.5 E113 18 40.2 Firefly 50 Bakau

63 19:08:07 N3 30 49.3 E113 18 42.2 Firefly 50 Nipah tree

64 19:08:22 N3 30 48.9 E113 18 43.3 Firefly 200 Bakau

65 19:09:41 N3 30 45.8 E113 18 49.1 Firefly 1 Nipah tree

66 19:09:51 N3 30 45.4 E113 18 49.9 Firefly 200 Bakau

67 19:09:58 N3 30 45.2 E113 18 50.4 Firefly 200 Nipah tree

68 19:10:58 N3 30 43.5 E113 18 54.8 Firefly 50 Nipah tree

69 19:11:50 N3 30 41.7 E113 18 58.5 Firefly 200 Nipah tree

70 19:11:56 N3 30 41.5 E113 18 59.0 Firefly 200 Nipah tree

71 19:12:40 N3 30 41.2 E113 19 02.3 Firefly 200 Nipah tree

72 19:12:53 N3 30 41.8 E113 19 03.2 Firefly 200 in few nipah trees

73 19:13:01 N3 30 42.3 E113 19 03.6 Firefly 200 in few nipah trees

74 19:13:32 N3 30 44.8 E113 19 04.2 Firefly 200 Nipah tree

75 19:14:50 N3 30 51.1 E113 19 03.6 Firefly 50 Nipah tree

76 19:17:14 N3 31 01.5 E113 19 06.1 Firefly 50 Nipah tree

77 19:18:43 N3 31 06.3 E113 19 11.8 Crocodile 1

78 19:18:54 N3 31 06.9 E113 19 12.6 Crocodile 1

79 19:23:52 N3 31 23.1 E113 19 31.0 Firefly Kampog artifical light

80 19:24:52 N3 31 26.2 E113 19 35.0 Firefly Clearing

81 19:25:40 N3 31 29.1 E113 19 37.9 Crocodile 1

82 19:27:09 N3 31 30.2 E113 19 44.6 Crocodile 1

83 19:28:35 N3 31 23.6 E113 19 45.9 Crocodile 1 Right side of track

84 19:29:15 N3 31 21.9 E113 19 43.3 Firefly 200 Nipah tree

85 19:31:06 N3 31 18.3 E113 19 37.4 Firefly 200 Nipah tree

86 19:32:37 N3 31 11.3 E113 19 40.1 Firefly 200 Nipah tree

87 19:33:26 N3 31 08.4 E113 19 43.0 Firefly 200 Nipah tree

88 19:41:14 N3 31 03.1 E113 19 50.5 Firefly 500 Nipah tree

89 19:43:10 N3 30 58.0 E113 19 56.5 Firefly 500 Nipah tree

90 19:44:26 N3 30 54.4 E113 20 00.1 Firefly 50 Bakau

91 19:44:43 N3 30 53.0 E113 20 00.0 Firefly 200 Bakau

92 19:46:07 N3 30 46.3 E113 19 57.0 Firefly 50 Bakau

93 19:46:34 N3 30 45.4 E113 19 54.8 Firefly 50 Bakau

94 19:46:45 N3 30 45.2 E113 19 53.9 Firefly 50 Bakau

95 19:47:02 N3 30 45.2 E113 19 52.4 Firefly 50 Bakau

96 19:47:19 N3 30 44.9 E113 19 50.8 Firefly 200 Bakau

97 19:47:44 N3 30 44.1 E113 19 48.8 Firefly 200 Nipah tree

98 19:48:41 N3 30 39.5 E113 19 48.1 Firefly 200 Bakau

99 19:50:04 N3 30 34.1 E113 19 52.1 Firefly 50 Bakau

100 19:52:07 N3 30 28.4 E113 19 59.9 Firefly 50 Bakau

101 19:53:37 N3 30 24.6 E113 19 55.5 Crocodile 1

102 19:56:12 N3 30 19.6 E113 19 49.0 Firefly 50 C. Hisbiscus

103 19:59:02 N3 30 07.4 E113 19 55.5 Firefly 200 C. Hisbiscus

104 20:05:09 N3 29 46.5 E113 20 09.2 Firefly 200 C. Hisbiscus

105 20:05:23 N3 29 45.7 E113 20 09.6 Firefly 200 Big tree

106 20:06:02 N3 29 44.2 E113 20 12.0 Firefly 200 Right side Big tree

107 20:06:10 N3 29 44.0 E113 20 12.5 Firefly 200 Right side Big tree

108 20:06:38 N3 29 43.2 E113 20 14.6 Firefly 200 Right side Big tree

109 20:07:08 N3 29 42.7 E113 20 16.6 Firefly 200 Right side Big tree

110 20:07:57 N3 29 41.3 E113 20 19.8 Firefly 200 Right side Big tree

111 20:09:18 N3 29 37.1 E113 20 23.1 Firefly 50 Big tree

112 20:10:47 N3 29 31.4 E113 20 25.2 Firefly 50 Big tree

113 20:12:04 N3 29 26.4 E113 20 26.8 Crocodile 1 Right side

114 20:12:12 N3 29 26.0 E113 20 27.1 Firefly 200 Big tree

115 20:14:05 N3 29 20.5 E113 20 31.7 Firefly 200 Right side

Markers from 2nd boat (not final):

WPT Time Co-ordinate

757 non synch uba tree 7, bakau 1

758 non synch below bakau 30

759 non synch below nipah 30

760 19:12:50 N3 30 48.4 E113 18 40.6 non synch nipah 5

761 19:14:11 N3 30 48.2 E113 18 42.0 non synch below nipah 15

762 19:15:58 N3 30 46.2 E113 18 46.6 non synch Nipah 30

763 19:20:46 N3 30 47.1 E113 19 05.1 non synch bakau 40

764 19:22:53 N3 30 55.4 E113 19 03.5 non synch bakau 40

765 19:24:56 N3 31 02.5 E113 19 09.1 non synch bakau 15

766 19:28:10 N3 31 13.5 E113 19 22.8 non synch nipah 40

767 19:29:20 N3 31 17.9 E113 19 26.6 non synch Nipah, Alan Tree 40

768 19:29:44 N3 31 18.9 E113 19 27.5 synch upper Nipah 50

769 19:32:09 N3 31 26.4 E113 19 36.3 synch upper Alan tree 50

770 19:36:40 N3 31 17.9 E113 19 37.3 synch (tree at the other bank)

771 19:42:29 N3 30 57.4 E113 19 56.8 synch big tree 50

772 19:55:34 N3 30 17.2 E113 19 50.2 synch alan tree 50

773 19:59:56 N3 29 59.6 E113 19 58.7 synch Alan tree 70

774 20:05:03 N3 29 54.8 E113 19 59.3 Simpang sungai

775 20:05:44 N3 29 53.6 E113 20 01.9 synch Medang 70

776 20:08:25 N3 29 44.2 E113 20 12.3 synch Nyireh 70

777 20:09:27 N3 29 42.7 E113 20 16.2 synch big tree 70

778 20:12:24 N3 29 31.7 E113 20 25.3 synch big tree 70

779 20:14:48 N3 29 20.7 E113 20 31.5 synch big tree 70

780 20:16:50 N3 29 19.7 E113 20 32.6 synch big tree 70

781 20:44:31 N3 31 31.0 E113 19 42.5 end

The team carried out a CFZ SWOT ANALYSIS for Sg Similajau the next day.

Images and CFZ data by Musa Musbah/MNS Miri

Words by Nazeri Abghani/MNS Miri