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Vol 10 No 4 The Nature Cove Reforestation and Reach Out Bird Ringing in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in 2004 The Amazing Chase: a creative environmental statement Practical Work Attachment Kubah National Park		Kubah National Park Andrew Tan visitor services officer Hi, my name is Andrew and I guess most you will find me familiar because I am a “gatekeeper” at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Being a nature lover, I have travelled quite a fair bit to several other national parks and nature areas such as Grampians National Park in Australia, Grand Canyon National Park in US and the most recent one, Kubah National Park in Malaysia. Kubah National Park is very interesting and rather close to Singapore. The climate is almost the same as what we have here. In terms of accommodation and meals, I must say it is also ‘budget-friendly’ and with the existence of budget flights around this region, you can travel cheaply as well. For those of us who have not the slightest idea where Kubah National Park is, it is situated in Sarawak, East Malaysia, about 20km west of Kuching, the capital of Sarawak. For those who love nature and have not been to Sarawak, there are about ten national parks there. It is a good place to visit because each National Park has its own uniqueness and you can see a vast variety of flora and fauna at each place. Mixed dipterocarp forests predominate with patches of scrub and kerangas adding variety. It is rich in palms and orchids that include species of Licuala, rattans, Pantu, Pinanga, Appendicula, Dipodium and Eria are in abundance. The cool forest, the nearby mangrove and the dissected terrain are home to a considerably large wildlife population. This includes the mouse deer, squirrels and the bearded pig. The loud calls of the black hornbills (kenyalang), could be distinctly heard when I were there. This venerable bird features prominently in many Iban religious ceremonies. Other notable inhabitants of the park are varieties of amphibians and reptiles. I believe that if one is a nature lover and can afford to travel, East Malaysia is worth visiting and the best to enjoy is nature because not many of these places have been developed for high rise buildings. Visiting other National Parks has broadened my understanding and increased my appreciation for Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, our own natural heritage. The beauty of nature in those parks beckons me for a longer stay, and if chance may have it, someday, I would like to return to experience and enjoy all that beauty again.
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