wildlife

Wildlife in the Sungei Buloh
Wetlands Reserve

The mangroves of sungei buloh provide habitat for a wide range of animal life. The high productivity of the system provides a base for the various animal species, and the mangroves create a dynamic structure that provides varied habitat conditions. The reserve is especially known for its wide array of bird species.

Climate

Flora

Wildlife

Location

Ecological Functions

Geology

Hydrology

Human Interactions

About the Author

References

Birds

Over 180 bird species live on the reserve, though many of them are not permanent residents. Sungei Buloh has become renowned for its bird diversity, especially between september and march; this is the season when most migratory birds are present.

Shorebirds Most of the migratory birds mentioned are shorebirds. They follow migration patterns timed to the seasons. In the winter (for the northern hemisphere) these birds go south where it is warm and food is available, but not sufficient for reproduction. These birds generally reproduce in treeless nests in the north during summer. This migratory behavior is energy expensive, and this group generally has high bodyfat content to feul these long distance treks. Here are the most common shore species found in the reserve.
Curlew Sandpiper:	Whimbrel:	Common Sandpiper:	Greenshank:
Marsh Sandpiper:	Common Redshank:	Pacific Golden Plover:	Mongolian Plover:

Herons and Egrets Herons and Egrets are very effective hunters. They have long strong beaks on the end of a long neck. The neck rapidly uncoils to deliver a powerful strike. members of this group also have long legs. This gives them a good vantage point and a long stride. These birds have also developed a variety of hunting techniques. Herons have specialised feathers known as powder down. Powder down feathers are never moulted. Instead, they fray from the tip and grow continuously from the base. These seven species are common in Sungei Buloh:
Gray Heron:	Purple Heron:	Little Heron:	Great Egret:
	Black Crowned Night Heron:	Little Egret:	Intermediate Egret:

Kingfishers Kingfishers hunt by sitting and waiting for prey, scanning a wide area from a perch. They sometimes circle or hover if no perch is available. Kingfishers have large eyes imparting keen eyesight, and a strong, long bill to catch their prey. Many eat mostly insects and catch them in mid-flight. They also eat snakes, lizards and other small vertebrates, in addition to fish. Here are the most represented Kingfishers.
Common Kingfisher:	Stork-Billed Kingfisher:	Collared Kingfisher:
White-Throated Kingfisher:	Black-Capped Kingfisher:

Other Common Birds
Yellow Bittern:	Cinnamon Bittern:	Lesser Whistling Duck:	Common Moorhen:

Insects, Spiders, and Crustaceans (Invertebrates) Insects and crabs are the main eaters of detritus in the Sungei Buloh wetland preserve. These animals are the only ones able to break down the tough mangrove leaves (even after conditioning) and support detrital food chains in the estuary. The spiders are one group which lives off of these insect decomposers. This is extremely important to the functioning of the ecosystem. Since the mangrove trees dominate the majority of the site, these detrital feeders are the base of a vast majority of animals present. There are a wide variety of spiders in the wetland, which have many interesting webbing techniques and feed almost exclusively on insects. Here are a few common representatives of these vastly diverse and ecologicaly important groups.
Mangrove St. Andrew's Cross Spider:	Gold Orb Web Spider:	Tent Spiders:
Atlas Moth:	Cotton Strainer Bug:	Weaver Ants:	Dragon Fly:
Barnacles:	Mud Lobster:	Green Mussels:	Mangrove Crab:

Reptiles There are a diversity of reptiles in the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. The lizards mostly feed on the insects and sometimes small crustaceans. However, the monitor lizard is at the top of the food chain in this mangrove. It will eat almost anything large enough to be worth-while. The snakes enjoy eating the eggs of the myriad of bird species present. However, they will also eat small birds and squirrels.
Malayan Water Monitor:	Mangrove Skink:	Changeable Lizard:
Flying Tree Snake:	Dog-faced Water Snake:	Drago Flying Lizzard male:

Fishes The mangroves are a vital habitat for most fishes in the area. Their complex root structure provides hiding places for small fish and predators alike. The area is not good for spawning, since the tides would leave the eggs high and dry and hot, but it is an exellent nursery for jeuvenile fish. The roots also provide good areas for larger fish to hide and ambush the plethora of smaller species and individuals in the estuary. The archer fish is especially interesting. It will break the surface of the water and spit a stream of water into the mangrove branches to knock insects into the water where the fish will gobble them up.
Archer Fish:	Giant Mudskipper:	Grey Knight Gobie:
Mangrove Flathead Gudgeon:	Silver Moony:	Green Molly:

Mammals
Mammals have a hard time in mangroves. There are no good places to den and it is extremely hard to navigate through the tangle of vegetation. As a result, the only mammals found here are the smooth otter and the plantain squirrel. The otter lives in the water where it avoids the mangroves altogether and feeds off of the rich fish and mussel supply. The mangroves are actually very good habitat for squirrels, as they never have to touch their paws to the ground and can eat the seeds and fruit of the trees.

Smooth Otter:

Plantain Squirrel: