FWD: Lifting the burden on a fragile island

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This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)

URL:

http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/6/29/features/8286879 & sec=f\

eatures

 

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Tuesday June 29, 2004

Lifting the burden on a fragile island

 

 

It is a matter of time before Sipadan loses its lustre. The island cannot take

too much human pressure because it really is tiny – a mere 16.4ha of

tree-covered sandy isle which one can circumvent on foot in less than half an

hour.

 

“It is clear that there must be a threshold for use of the area, beyond which

the environment is bound to suffer. Whether or not this point has been reached

is difficult to determine, but there are signs of damage and change,” says

marine biologist Dr Elizabeth Wood.

 

The island is definitely water-stressed, says Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

geologist Dr Ibrahim Komoo, who studied the island’s geological stability two

years ago. “The groundwater has been pumped out faster than it can be

replenished by rains, causing salt water to seep in.” His findings echo that of

Dr Mazlin Mokhtar (also of UKM) who had detected saline intrusion in a 1993

study.

 

Ibrahim says seepage of saltwater can impact the island’s limited vegetation

and in turn, terrestrial wildlife which depends on the foliage for food and

habitat. Sipadan is just as rich in terrestrial life as it is in marine. The 65

wildlife species found there include protected ones such as the monitor lizard,

Tabon scrubfowl, Nicobar pigeon, grey imperial pigeon, black-naped fruit dove

and the reef egret.

 

Gazetted a bird sanctuary in 1933, the island is also an important site for

migratory birds such as the greater sand plover, wood sandpipe and common

sandpiper.

 

 

 

Based on satellite images, Ibrahim estimates that the island has lost 20% of

its original vegetation. “For an island that is only 0.5km long and 200m wide,

this amounts to a substantial loss of tree-cover. Sipadan has a very delicate

environment. It’s too small to be used permanently.”

 

Sewage has also fouled groundwater. Tests by UKM in the early 1990s showed

E-coli contamination in well water. Sabah Parks obtained similar results in

tests done in 2002, according to deputy director Paul Basintal. Pollution was

also detected at sea for apart from sewage, grey water (discharges from

bathrooms and kitchens) is not properly treated. Some resorts rely on

desalination systems for water supply but this brings other problems; heavy

discharges of waste salt water can affect marine water quality too.

 

But what of Sipadan’s most valuable asset – its coral reefs and marine

life? Well, the sea is still alive with a rich array of tropical fish and

turtles. Huge schools of jacks and barracudas still circle over the reef. Divers

say the marine life are “friendlier” as they appear to tolerate the presence of

divers.

 

Wood says nesting green and hawksbill turtles – both totally protected species

in Sabah – have been disturbed. “About half the shoreline has buildings and

lights that deter the turtles.” But whether the number of turtle landings and

nestings has declined is unknown because the Wildlife Department refuses to

provide such data. One dive operator asserts, however, that turtles still land

every night. “Even if the numbers have dwindled, it should not be blamed on us

because it is the result of egg collection 10 or 20 years ago,” he adds.

 

As for the coral reef, it is generally still healthy but not exactly

pristine, says Wood who has kept a constant watch since 1992. “There are many

reefs with better corals. There has certainly been localised coral damage from

diver and snorkelling activity.”

 

Wood finds that while most of the coral gardens remains intact, there is much

damage at the northern reef near the drop-off, where the reef plunges to depths

of over 900m. Predictably, this site sees the most boat and diver traffic. These

activities stirr up and move beach sediments onto the reef top. The living

polyps of corals can no longer feed if choked with sand. Structures such as

jetties and platforms have also interfered with the movement of beach sand,

causing corals to be smothered. Coral bleaching due to warm waters in 1998 and

the tropical storm Greg in 1996 have also not spared Sipadan reefs either. The

result: a once lively coral garden now reduced to rubble.

 

Basintal laments that a lack of long-term monitoring data made it difficult to

declare that there have been environmental changes. Indeed, hard data on the

health of Sipadan’s marine environment is scanty, despite the island’s fame.

Numerous scientists have converged there but they did mostly taxonomy work, such

as recording species and screening them for useful properties. Few study

environmental changes in the reef. Wood is the only scientist to have regularly

assessed Sipadan reefs but even her work is limited.

 

“Monitoring requires time and funds. Over the past years we have

re-surveyed the sites on a voluntary basis and have not had the resources to

expand to include other parts of the reef, except for general appraisals.”

 

Wood says the reef needs constant appraisal because it is always changing, and

this makes it difficult to assess reef health. These changes are not negative

impacts but are natural events (competition, predation, normal death and growth

cycles). To protect the island’s rich marine biodiversity, she says the Sabah

Parks or the Management Authority for Sipadan should have a budget for a

comprehensive monitoring programme. – By Tan Cheng Li

 

 

<b>Related Story:</b>

 

<a

href= " http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/6/29/features/2004062\

8160307 & sec=features " >Order to leave Sipadan</a>

 

 

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