Skip Navigation

Climate Change & Energy

Follow SciDev.Net on Twitter

Find us on Facebook

News

  • Print
  • Comment
  • | Share

Scientists urge Malaysia to protect 'pristine' islands

Source: Environmental News Network

21 June 2004 | EN

Scientists in Malaysia are calling for five remote and uninhabited islands in the Straits of Malacca to be protected from human activities. Visiting the islands for the first time in 50 years, the University of Malaya team led by Phang Siew Moi found them to be 'pristine' and rich in biodiversity. But the islands — in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes — are threatened by pollution, fishing and diving.

The researchers found some of the largest corals ever seen in South-east Asia, as well as species of fungi that have a potential role in the development of new drugs. One island, described by a British expedition in the 1950s as a "barren outcrop", has developed a complex ecosystem including plants, insects, fish, birds and turtles.

But 50,000 vessels travel the straits between peninsular Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra every year. And the scientists say that without protection, the island ecosystems risk being damaged by oil spills or by waste discharged from passing ships.

Link to full Environmental News Network news story

Add your comment

This is your network: share your views on any of our articles by adding your comments.

You need to be signed in to post a comment or to email a consenting comment author. Please sign in or sign up.

All comments are subject to approval and we reserve the right to edit comments containing inappropriate/unsuitable language. SciDev.Net holds copyright for all material posted on the website. Please see terms of use for further details.

All SciDev.Net material is free to reproduce providing that the source and author are appropriately credited. For further details see Creative Commons.

Back to News
To the top

Science at Rio+20 by iStock/RapidEye

Latest on Rio+20

We track the news on science, technology and the Rio+20 Earth Summit
Woman harvesting rice, Nepal - Flickr/Global Crop Diversity Trust

Goals for Rio+20

Colombian official Paula Caballero Gómez on why we need Sustainable Development Goals

From GM crops to forestry

Learn more about the challenges of feeding our growing population versus caring for our planet
African scientist studying bean disease - Flickr/CIAT International Center for Tropical Agriculture

Hard to agree

Latest from Rio+20 talks: The text is still too long and now it lacks science
Liberian president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - Flickr/aktivioslo

MDG future

The leaders of Indonesia, Liberia and the United Kingdom will co-chair a UN panel on post-MDG development
WHO/TDR/Crump

Mini cures

Our latest Spotlight looks at whether nanotech can improve healthcare in developing countries
Cooling towers by Flickr/PaulO

Weighing up nuclear energy

Our Spotlight examines lessons emerging from Fukushima for developing countries in pursuit of nuclear power

Solar spotlight

A collection of articles that asks how solar power can improve access to electricity for the rural poor

Forests for climate

Will proposals to compensate countries for reducing forest emissions work?