Klias Peninsula
Location:
5°12'-5°30'N, 115°22'-115°42'E; on the coast of southwestern Sabah, forming the northeastern shore of Brunei Bay and southwestern shore of Kimanis Bay, and bounded on the inland side by the Crocker Range and on the western side by a ridge on higher ground, Sabah.
Area:
90,000 ha.
Altitude:
0- 10m.
Biogeographical Province:
4.25.12.
Wetland type:
02, 06, 07, 11, 13, 18 & 21.
Description of site:
A continuous flat area of peat swamp (60,700 ha), freshwater alluvium (14,500 ha) and coastal transitional swamp (28,500 ha) including 8,700 ha of largely undisturbed mangrove. The vegetation includes both undisturbed and exploited forest, scrub, herbaceous plants and mixed cultivation. The site includes Padas Damit, a freshwater swamp of great importance to waterbirds and crocodiles. Situated on the southern half of the Klias Peninsula, the Padas Damit River runs from areas of mixed cultivation through peat swamp forest and extensive nipa swamp before reaching coastal mangroves at its mouth. Padang Teratak is about 100 ha of open grassy marsh with scattered clumps of low bushes, bordered on one side by agricultural land and a small settlement and on the other by peat swamp forest. There is a large egret roost in nipa fringing the Padas Damit River. Peat and freshwater swamp areas are affected by variations in rainfall and run-off. Water levels are highest during the wet season (November-February); the mangrove areas are tidal. Salinities vary from saline at the coast to brackish in nipa swamps and fresh in peat swamps. The water in the peat swamps is acidic. Water is more or less permanent in the peat swamps, but as the swamps develop, the surface water level may fall. The tidal range is 1 -2m.
Climatic conditions:
Humid tropical climate; one of the wettest localities in Sabah, with an average annual rainfall of about 3,680 mm. The rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, with a low in February and a high in November. Mean temperatures at Labuan vary from 31°C to 25°C.
Principal vegetation:
There are four major natural vegetation types: coastal mangrove forest, nipa swamp, freshwater swamp forest and peat swamp forest. There are large areas of grassland, scrub and other secondary growth throughout the Peninsula. Klias Peninsula consists of 2 major sectors: the Klias sector and the Marintaman-Mengalong sector. The Klias sector includes 36,000 ha of mangrove swamps, nipa swamps, scrub and padang vegetation. The Marintaman-Mengalong sector is an area of peat swamp forest (with species of Gonystylus, I Dillenja, Dryobalanops and Dyera), kerangas or heath forest (with species of Baekia and Eugenia plus myrmecophytes such as Dischidia, Myrmecodia and Hydnophytum), and swamp forest (with Casuarina spp, conifers and screw palms). There is tall gallery forest of dipterocarps along the Sebuboh River, forest with species of Tristania. Eugenia and Vaccinium on rocky ridges, and mangroves near the mouth of the Sebuboh river. The vegetation includes a variety of types which are peculiar to the infertile soils of the area. The principal vegetation in adjacent areas is secondary scrub.
Land tenure:
Some 31,053 ha are state owned in five Forest Reserves; the remainder of the region is State Land or privately owned.
Conservation measures taken:
Five Forest Reserves have been established: Sungai Binsuluk Forest Reserve (12,106 ha, mainly peat swamp forest); Klias Forest Reserve (3,630 ha, mainly peat swamp forest); Padas Damit Forest Reserve (9,027 ha, mixed swamp forest and nipa); Kampung Hindian Forest Reserve (580 ha, mostly mangrove); and Menumbak Forest Reserve (5,710 ha, mangrove). In 1978, 30,900 ha of the coastal parts of Klias Peninsula were gazetted as a National Park, but the Park was de-gazetted in 1980. Although this de-gazettement resulted in some international Criticism, it is doubtful that National Park status was truly appropriate for Klias as twelve settlements existed within the Park boundary before it was gazetted.
Conservation measures proposed:
It has been recommended that Padas Damit, a large freshwater swamp at 5°21'N, 1 15°30'E, be protected both as a crocodile breeding area and for waterfowl. Padang Teratak has been proposed as a Wildlife Sanctuary under the proposed new amendments to the Fauna Conservation Ordinance. Sungei Padas Damit and at least some of the surrounding area should be surveyed from the air in order to assess breeding colonies of egrets (Lansdown, 1987a).
Land use:
Small-scale logging, agriculture in some of the cleared areas, and grazing by domestic livestock in some open marshes. The Padas River is heavily fished by day and by night, and there is extensive fishing in the Klias delta mangroves. The principal activities in surrounding areas are subsistence farming and production of cash crops. There is some camping and tourism at Pasir Panjang beach in the Marintaman sector.
Possible Changes in Land use:
Various development projects involving wetland drainage for agriculture have been proposed by the State Government. A pipe supplying fresh water to the island of Labuan is to be constructed from the middle reaches of the Padas River across the southern portion of the site.
Disturbances and threats:
Logging is only a minor threat. Fishing activities on the Padas River cause some disturbance to crocodiles, but it is unlikely that hunting or fishing are as yet excessive in this region.
Economic and social values:
The marine fisheries of western Sabah and Brunei are dependent to a significant extent on the important breeding areas for fishes and prawns in the Klias mangrove swamps. Prawn landings in Brunei Bay in 1973 were valued at over M53 million. The peat swamp forest contains commercially valuable timber, notably Gonystylus bancanus, Dactylocladus stenostachya and Dryobalanops rappu.
Fauna:
Padang Teratak in the Padas Damit area supports the highest known concentrations of migratory ducks in Borneo. Between 2,000 and 5,000 ducks (mainly Anas querquedula) winter at the site. Egrets are common; over 500 were recorded in 1985, and a roost of 927 birds was located at Padas Damit in September 1986. This included 75 Egretta alba, 658 E. intermedia/garzetta and 194 Bubulcus ibis. Large numbers of shorebirds utilize the coastal mudflats during the migration seasons. Other waterfowl known to occur in the area include Anhinga melanogaster and Ardea sumatrana.
Mammals include Nasalis larvatus, Presbytis cristata, Macaca fascicularis, Muntiacus muntjak and Cervus unicolor. The monitor lizard Varanus salvator is quite common. Three Estuarine Crocodiles Crocodylus porosus were recorded along 105 km of the Klias, Padas and Bukau Rivers in 1983. There is suitable habitat for the crocodiles throughout the swamp area, and the freshwater swamp associated with the Padas Damit is probably the only place on the entire west coast of Sabah where the species could survive if afforded adequate protection.
The mangroves are important breeding and nursery grounds for a wide variety of fishes, shrimps, prawns and crabs.
Special floral values:
None known.
Research and facilities:
Wells et al. conducted a preliminary faunal and floral survey of the area in 1975, Whitaker carried out a crocodile survey in 1983, and Interwader surveyed waterfowl populations in 1985 and 1986.
References:
Beadle & Whittaker (1985); Chua & Matthias (1978); IUCN (in prep); Karpowicz (1985); Lansdown (1987a); Parish & Wells (1985); Payne (1986); Wells et al. (1975); Whitaker (1984).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1b, 1e, 2a, 2b, 2c, 3b.
Source:
Sabah National Parks, Duncan Parish, J. Payne, A. Phillipps, WWF Malaysia and Asian Wetland Bureau.