The Star, Malaysia : Heads up in Batu Pahat

Friday, May 31, 2002

Heads up in Batu Pahat
By LAM LI

BATU PAHAT: A rare and endangered species of coastal bird, commonly known as burung botak (literally bald bird), has found its way inland and is nesting behind a housing estate right in the heart of this bustling town.

So called by the locals for its featherless head, the graceful movement of the giant bird which can be as tall as a man, has attracted many curious residents and nature lovers to Taman Parit Labis in the evenings for bird-watching sessions.

The housing estate, which is sandwiched between a rapidly developing town and the fringe of a secondary forest, has now become the best viewing spot for the bird which has a nationwide population of just around 300.

Resident Hassan Ahmad said he first noticed the birds about three months ago when they started to build nests on top of trees in the woods behind his house.

“The birds are active around noon. They would fly to a pond nearby and play or go out in search of food.

“In the evenings, they would stay on the tips of treetops deep in the woods but we can still watch them from a distance,” he said, adding that many visitors come on weekends to watch the birds.

News of the big bird with the white abdomen and hairless head residing in the middle of town had also attracted officials from the state government to do field studies.

State Environment and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said experts would be sent to the ground to monitor and study if the area has been chosen by the bird as a permanent home.

The bird is officially known as the Lesser Adjutant and its scientific name is Leptotilus Javanicus.

“We will study if it is necessary to gazette the place as a protected zone. We will step up enforcement to ensure the safety of the bird, which is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act,” Chua said, adding that residents here had reported the remains of the bird found near a restaurant.

State Wildlife Protection Department deputy director Ismail Mamat said the bird was normally found near coastal areas such as Parit Jawa in Muar and Tanjung Piai in Pontian.

It would normally move inland to breed and it takes the birds about two weeks to build nests on tree tops in preparation for laying eggs.

ENGROSSED ... avid bird watchers zooming in on the rare find in their own backyard. Among them is Johor Tourism and Environment committee chairman Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek (third from left).
“The eggs would take about a month to hatch and the young birds would need about two months to learn to fly and feed themselves.

“By then, the birds would move back to their natural habitat in coastal areas, nearer to their feeding source where there’s freshwater and an abundance of fish,” he said, adding that the once-a-year breeding season normally sets in around March.

Perhaps, that explains the presence of some burung botak settling near the housing estate.

Ismail said the bird had come under serious threat from development when more land is cleared, fresh water sources are polluted and swamps are destroyed.

“Its population has decreased by half in the last two decades.

“There is a need to come up with a systematic and scientific data collection of the bird for effective preservation.

“The public should also be educated to appreciate its existence,” he added.

The Malaysian Nature Society (Johor branch) is attempting to raise public awareness about the endangered bird by organising bird-watching trips.

Its committee member, Shermain Tan, said the society has also proposed to set up signboards to provide information on the Lesser Adjutant and other rare birds found in the state.