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Site description (2003 baseline):
Site location and context
Pondok Tanjung Forest Reserve is probably the largest remaining swamp forest in northern Peninsular Malaysia. The area consists of three main habitat types namely peat swamp, seasonally-flooded freshwater swamp and hill dipterocarp forests. The highest point is Bukit Palong Tinggi at 373 m asl. Four rivers drain the swamp forest, with the longest Sungai Jelutong joining Sungai Merah to feed Tasik Bukit Merah on the western side of the forest reserve. This lake is the source of irrigation water for the nearby Kerian rice-bowl district and also supplies water for domestic use. The forest reserve is bordered by vast oil palm plantations on the northern and eastern parts and rubber plantation down south (DWNP, 1987; Mashhor Mansor
et al., 1998).
Pondok Tanjong with its peat swamp forest is an important IBA candidate for its habitat types, which provide sanctuary for habitat specialists such as White-bellied Woodpecker, White-chested Babbler and Grey-headed Fish-Eagle and other Biome-Restricted species.
Non-bird biodiversity: Pondok Tanjung is home to several endemic fauna and flora. The blackwaters of the swamp forest is known to harbour about 60 species of fish, including the highly-endangered Asian Arowana Schlerophages formosus. The endemic aquatic yam, Cryptocoryne ellipitica, occurs in high densities in the swampy and shaded parts of the forest reserve (Mashhor Mansor and Baharuddin Sulaiman, 1997; Mashhor Mansor and Masnadi, 1994).Pondok Tanjung also supports at least 11 species of mammals, five reptiles, 13 amphibians and two freshwater crabs (Mohamed Hifni Mohd Baharuddin and Shahrul Anuar Mohd Sah, 1999; Moh'd A. Ektella et al., 1999; Shahrul Anuar et al., 2002).(I) Globally threatened mammals (IUCN, 2002): ENDANGERED: Malayan Tapir Tapirus indicus; VULNERABLE: Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca nemestrina; NEAR THREATENED: Long-tailed Macaque M. fascicularis, Ridley's Bat Myotis ridleyi(II) Globally threatened reptiles (IUCN, 2002): Malayan Box Terrapin????(III) Globally threatened plants (IUCN, 2002): CRITICAL: Dipterocarpus chartaceus, D. coriaceus, D. cornutus, Hopea nervosa, H. sublanceolata, Shorea kunstleri; ENDANGERED: Anisoptera costata, Shorea balanocarpoides, S. pauciflora, Diplodiscus hookerianus; VULNERABLE: Eugenia pallidula, Chisocheton pauciflorus, Madhuca rufa, Gonystylus bancanus, Pentace perakensis; LOWER RISK/ conservation dependent: Koompassia excelsa
The freshwater and peat swamp forest have 110 (58 families, 84 genera) and 138 (44 families, 99 genera) plant species respectively. More than half of the species surveyed in both habitats were commercial timber trees (family Dipterocarpaceae). Both habitats also contained shrubs, herbs and epiphytes in varying degree of coverage. The freshwater swamp was dominated by
Donax arundastratum (family Marantaceae) whilst
Cryptocoryne minima (family Araceae) was the dominant cover in the peat swamp forest (Baharuddin Sulaiman and Mashhor Mansor, 1999; Asyraf B. Mansor
et al., n.d.; Mashhor Mansor
et al., 1998).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The area surrounding the forest includes vast plantations of oil palm, orchards and about ten settlements with and estimated population of 10,000. Threats to the forest include resort development, logging, risk of peat fires and wildlife poaching especially the Asian Arowana. Endemic plants are also at risk from encroaching development.
Pondok Tanjung Forest Reserve is a Permanent Forest Reserve, gazetted in 1913 (Gazette No. 982), and is classified as a production forest. Logging activities began in 1939 and was last carried out in 1989.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Pondok Tanjung Forest Reserve (Malaysia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pondok-tanjung-forest-reserve-iba-malaysia on 22/11/2024.
