Matang Mangrove , Kuala Sepetang

 

The 40,000-hectare Matang Mangrove Forest was gazetted as a Permanent Forest Reserve in 1906. Today, it is recognized as the best managed sustainable mangrove ecosystem in the world .

This mangrove reserve contains rich and diverse wildlife that provide nature lovers to visit and explore its wetlands and resources. Near to this reserve are silvicultural programmes of the Rhizophora, Lenggadai and Seaward berus forests carried out professionally by the Perak State Forestry Department .

This is also regarded as the breeding grounds for numerous species of marine crustaceans including crabs, shrimps, lobsters, horseshoe crabs and prawns as well as fishes and shellfishes. Like all mangrove swamps, the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve has been proven to act as a natural barrier against tsunamis .

it is an important site for coastal migratory water birds and a portion of migrant forest birds. As many as 43,000 to 85,000 birds may be seen using the forest during the migration. According to some ornithologists, there is a small population of rare and shy Great Argus Pheasant (Argusianus argus), known locally by the Malays as Kuang, that stays close to the ground and makes short flights to low hanging branches of the mangrove trees .

These large birds make a characteristic sound in the mangrove forests with two main calls – a repeated slow double note ku-wow ku-wow and a series of single hoots kwow kwow kwow kwow accelerating and rising in pitch. During courtship, the male clears a display ground of bare earth in the forest from where he calls to attract females to watch it spread its wings in a striking peacock-like show of magnificence and beauty .

Along the coastline and near to villages, tourists will be welcomed by the sight of Brahminy Kites , Stroll along the wooden boardwalk and observe forestry and fishing activities and denizens that thrive in the muddy mangrove floor. Visit the mangrove forest and charcoal kiln sites which are found more inland .