Report: Marine Walk at Raptor Watch 2024

Member's Report
By Wong Se-Wei

On Friday 8th March 2024, the Marine Group of MNS Selangor Branch conducted a late morning recce by Kent, Shamila, Maya, Richard and Se-Wei. Next to the ramp, Kent found the moult of a mangrove horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) classified as vulnerable. Clams could be seen in the sand, and we found two flatworms, one cowrie, and one olive whelk. Monkeys on the Rhizophoras came down to the tidal pool, perhaps to forage.

Next morning, MNS Secretariat provided us with a table for registration at Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve. Volunteers set up with some shells and the horseshoe crab moult we found yesterday.

There were three guided walks with an *estimate 52 participants including children from an international school. Participants were charged a fee based on donations. If the donation was above RM10, the walker was entitled to either a mangrove brochure or a MNS Selangor Branch notebook.

Walk 1 at 11am - Guides Shamila and Maya. Participants: 11

Report from participants: Clams gathered by harvester. A disassembled crab with its claw torn apart from the body but not consumed.

Walk 2 at 12:30pm - Guides Kent Leong, Yu Ling and Richard. Participants: 28 (about 25 pax from Sasana International School comprising 20 children and 5 adults)

Report by guides: Kent guided the kids, Yu Ling and Richard guided the adults. Not much to see, probably due to the harvesters.

Walk 3 at 2pm - Guides Richard and Se-Wei. Participants: 13 (10 Sasana International School children and adults)

Report by guides: Clams, oysters, zooanthids, nerites on ramp. Exit ramp, there are lots of creeper snails. Mangrove saplings (Rhizophora) has been planted near the ramp. Barnacles growing on saplings. Fiddlers crabs, soldier crabs, sand bubbler, moon crab. Mudskippers, mangrove apple, sea grapes.

* Editor's Note: As of publishing time, the marine group has not received the final tally of registered participants.