Best Of Kuatan: Lure Of Malaysia’s Virgin Jungle
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www.nst.com Teluk Chempedak, better known simply as TC to the locals, is synonymous with Kuantan, the capital of Pahang. Visitors to Kuantan make it a point to visit this famous beach and leave behind their footprints in the sand. But there is more to TC than just white sandy beach and the turquoise waters of the South-China Sea. Sandwiched between TC in the north and Tanjung Tembeling in the south is the Teluk Chempedak Virgin Jungle Reserve. At a little over 32 hectares in size, it occupies the bottom tip of the larger Beserah Forest Reserve. As its virgin status suggests, it is virtually untouched and is a fine example of a lowland dipterocarp forest that extends to the water edge. Its close proximity to Kuantan and renowned beaches like TC makes it highly accessible and earns it a special place among nature lovers. There are several trails leading to the jungle reserve. When I take the trail that starts from Taman Teruntum, I chance upon Yong and Lee, veteran members of the Malaysian Nature Society Pahang Branch, who eagerly take me on a guided tour. After a few minutes of warm-up exercises, we make our way into the jungle. As the Taman Teruntum Zoo fades from view and the concrete steps come to the end, we walk past low branches and try to avoid cobwebs. This trail is relatively easy as there are no steep slopes. Intense competition for sunlight causes the trees to grow tall and straight. Most notable of these is the Damar Laut (Shorea kuantanensis) which is endemic in TC and is among the tallest. There is hardly any grass on the ground due to the thick canopy and low light. The canopy also acts to keep the jungle air cool, which is a stark contrast to the heat of the late Sunday morning below. The trail takes us past boulders of varying sizes that act as a strong “fortress” and rock solid “pill boxes” to guard the jungle domain. Yong tells us that these indicate that this place was once a seabed millions of years ago. At this juncture, we notice a trail of disturbed earth on the ground. It is not footprints left by the fearsome big cats but rather wild boars in search of earthworms. For the novice and inexperienced, the jungle looks and feel the same after some time. But Lee begs to differ. He stretches his hands and signals us to be silent. We can hear the distant sound of crashing waves and the jungle inhabitants commuting with each other. The loud high-pitched noise of the cicada is easily heard. It takes a well-trained ear, sharp vision and a naturalist to be able to locate and identify the animals, birds and insects. As we make our way back to Taman Teruntum, we stumble across a dead tree. The signs of decay are clearly visible. This is nature’s way of self-regenerating and the survival of the fittest. At the foothills, we cool off by taking a leisurely walk around the mini zoo. When not resting, the Malayan Sun Bear is constantly pacing back and forth along the perimeter fence as if to check for any weakness that would allow it a quick escape. The large dome-shaped aviary houses some interesting specimens. The lone male peacock struts around proud as ever, showing off its beautiful feathers and seemingly oblivious to the Oriental Pied Hornbills circling above. The Teluk Chempedak Virgin Jungle Reserve is indeed a treasure trove of bio-diversity. It offers a quick lesson in nature that comes with good old-fashioned exercise - walking. We hope it remains as virgin as ever.
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World Islamic Tourism Mart / Malaysia
WITM 2012 InCoMTHU Conference will feature quality and world renown speakers not only from Malaysia but from around the globe. In its 6th Year, the WITM InCoMTHU Conference 2012 will have speakers fro (16/05/2012)
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