IRDA’s project on migratory birds

Johor is one of the stopovers for  migratory birds which fly thousands of kilometres from China, Russia, Australia, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and other countries to avoid the coming winter.

The green mangrove swamps and forests which is vast in Johor offers a rich supply of food such as eels, snakes, earthworms, crabs and shellfish and makes this places an ideal stopover for this birds.

The presence of the migratory birds, has attracted bird enthusiasts, transforming small villages such as Kampung Sungai Melayu around the Iskandar Region into a  tourist destination

Realising the need to create awareness and the potential for eco-tourism industry Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), Johor Branch organised introductory workshop on migratory birds.

The purpose of this workshop is to educate and create awareness on migratory birds and to explore Kampung Sungai Melayu’s potential as an eco-tourism spot.

Participants included those from the Singapore National Parks, Johor National Parks Corporation, Malaysian Nature Society, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia, Department of Environment and from the general public too.

The Head of IRDA Planning and Compliance Division, Maimunah Jaffar said that  IRDA wants to tap into  the tourism, which is based on attractions involving birding activities, in line with its plan for sustainable development in the growth corridor.