SUNSHINE STORIES

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia  - A new coral-inhabiting gall crab species has been discovered in the proposed Tun Mustapha Park, northern Sabah.  The new gall crab, named  Lithoscaptus semperi , was found inhabiting free-living corals of the species  Trachyphyllia geoffroyi  on sandy bottoms near coral reefs. The research done on this gall crab was published in the 500 th  issue of ZooKeys.   “When I started working on gall crabs, I had a hard time to find them because of their small size,” says Sancia Van der Meij, the scientist from Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands who discovered the new species. “But once I knew how to recognise their dwellings, I realised they are actually very common on coral reefs.”   Gall crabs are very small – less than 1 cm in size – and live in a ‘dwelling’ in stony corals. Gall crab larvae settle on a coral as a larvae and the coral then grows around the crab, creating a ‘dwelling’. These dwellings are named galls, which give th

Honorary Park Wardens will be the local eyes and ears in protecting the proposed Tun Mustapha Park writes Nadiah Rosli Study after study have attested to the rich biodiversity found along the shorelines of Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas District in the northern region of Sabah. With over 50 islands and islets, this area which spans close to one million hectares of coral reef, mangrove, seagrass and productive fishing grounds has been earmarked for the proposed Tun Mustapha Park (TMP). In 2003, TMP was proposed by the State Government of Sabah shortly after it was recognised as a globally significant priority marine conservation area. It will be the country’s largest multiple-use park and second largest in Southeast Asia. Once gazetted, TMP will be evidence of Malaysia’s commitment to the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security and contribution towards meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Target. However, TMP is more than a collection of impressive sci

Hooking science with native ecological knowledge and practices will help make the proposed Tun Mustapha Park a success writes Nadiah Rosli. Subtle changes in the winds and currents of the ocean have always guided Sakirun bin Abdul Rashid, a 49 year-old fisherman from Maliangin islands of Kudat, Sabah. By observing patches on the water and movement of the tides for instance, many seasoned fishermen like him can intuitively expect the type of fish swimming below or when to cast their nets.  When asked on how to distinguish the unpredictable nature of the ocean, Sakirun answers, “It’s just something that us fisherfolk know. We can tell when to haul our catch or when to return to safety.” Pulau Maliangin © WWF-Malaysia_Nadiah Rosli Banking on the traditional wisdom of marine communities, a growing number of scientists are now appraising these native knowledge and practices for its conservation value. Often times, traditional knowledge point to when and where to fish, wha

A survivor in our marine ecosystem. I remember how fairy tales used to amuse me. Every fairy tale has a hero who is in charge of the rescue in his elegant white horse and save the heroine from the evil intention of the villain. The villain will be defeated and a happy-ever-after ending. Frankly speaking, how is that possible in this cold metal castle built in the middle of the concrete forest? It is almost not possible to spot a cricket on the ground, what more a white horse. Yet, in this midst of impossibilities, I found the heroic moment. There were no white horse but the moment was real. It was the last dive of the expedition and the storm has only subsided the previous night. The storm has dampened most of our spirits as we had to abort some of our dives due to the weather difficulties. As the sun rose, the expedition braved into another day against the strong surge of currents in order to collect as much data as possible to assess aspects of marine biodiversity and ecolog

My heart beat unusually fast. The weight of the tank strapped over my shoulder felt heavier than I thought it should. The octopus regulator was neatly tucked into the right pocket of my Buoyancy Control Device (BCD). The depth gauge was strapped tight against my stomach from the left. The regulator dangled at my right, waiting to be reached. My weight was settled uncomfortably on the edge of the speedboat. Slowly, I reached for my fins and tightened the straps. My mask covered my eyes and nose, allowing me to breathe only through my mouth. Adjusting my weight again, I could hear my heart beat drumming against my ears.   “BCD inflated?” the boatman asked. I reached for the short and black hose-like device on my left and pressed the grey button at the side a couple of times. The hissing sound of the air filling my BCD could be heard, as it slowly tightened against my ribs with each press. My heart beat faster as I reached for the regulator on my right and my teeth clenched neatl