Current view: Text account
Site description (2003 baseline):
Site location and context
(I) Physical CharacteristicsPulau Layang-Layang (also known as Swallow Reef) is a reef atoll, which is in the Spratly Islands group, is situated in the South China Sea, about 350 km off the coast of Sabah. The island was created by the Malaysian Armed Forces in 1984 by dredging coral and sand out of the centre of the atoll and piling it onto a part of the existing reef. At present, it measures about 1 km long and 200 m wide. The island serves as a naval base for the Malaysian Navy and a small resort, which caters for diving enthusiast (Davison, 1999; Gibby, 1997; Poole, 1994; Noramly and Noramly, 1985).(II) Climatic ConditionsAnnual average rainfall of 1,640 mm. Heavy rains during the north-east monsoon, less wet during the south-west monsoon. Inter-monsoon period March-June, receives least precipitation.
The island is probably the most important refuge for breeding seabird colonies, situated on its western part, especially the Great Crested Tern
Sterna bergii, Black-naped Tern
Sterna sumatrana, Sooty Tern
Sterna fuscata, Brown Noddy
Anous stolidus and Brown Bobby
Sula leucogaster in Malaysia (Wells, 1991). About 10% of the Asian population of the Great Crested Tern are found on the island. From July to October, more than 10,000 wintering individuals of these species congregate on the tiny island to breed (Gibby, 1997; Haile, 1964; Poole, 1994; Noramly and Noramly, 1985; Mat Isa
et al., 1997; Pilcher
et al., 1999). Pulau Layang-Layang may be an important staging site for migrants other than seabirds (Davison, 1999).
Non-bird biodiversity: The surrounding waters off this man-made island have one of the best coral reefs in the world. (I) Globally threatened mammals (IUCN, 2002): None.(II) Globally threatened reptiles (IUCN, 2002): CRITICAL: Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata(III) Globally threatened plants (IUCN, 2002): None
Most of the vegetation on the island are introduced consisting mostly of trees and ornamental plants such as Bougainvillea, Ixora,
Terminalia catappa, Cocos nucifera and
Casuarina equisetifolia. Pioneer tree and grass species such as
Casuarina equisetifolia, Barringtonia sp. and
Ipomea pes-capre can be found colonizing the degraded and sandy soil patches.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The presence of breeding Great Crested Terns and to a lesser extent, Brown Noddy and Brown Bobby, has been documented as early as 1960s. Preceding visits by various authors has shown that the breeding populations may be dwindling. Sensitive species such as the Black-naped Tern has failed to breed successfully for several seasons (TRACC, no date). Several factors may be attributed to this problem (Poole, 1994; Noramly and Noramly, 1985; Pilcher
et al., 1999; TRACC, no date).Introduction of cats and rats onto the island by the Navy and people from the resort.Expanding development by the resort.Openness of the breeding grounds towards disturbances e.g. inquisitive visitors (tourists and Navy personnel) and flight operations.
Pulau Layang-Layang has no real protection status. However, the island is indirectly 'protected' by the presence of the Malaysian Navy.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Pulau Layang-Layang (Malaysia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pulau-layang-layang-iba-malaysia on 23/11/2024.
