Datuk Joniston Bangkuai discussing with Sabah Birdwatchers Association president Ron Pudin on the need to identify potential bird hiding places in the state.
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Birdwatchers Association (SBWA) has expressed willingness to play a leading role in making Sabah a premier birding destination.
Its role would entail identifying prospective bird hiding places throughout the state.
State Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said it is crucial to tap into birdwatching’s potential, which could have significant economic benefits for rural communities.
“Such an initiative is necessary to follow up on Sabah’s recent participation in the Rutland Global Birdfair,” Joniston said, describing the Rutland Birdfair as an eye-opener.
“It gave us valuable insights into how we can further develop birdwatching activities to benefit rural folks,” he said during a meeting with SBWA president Ron Pudin on Tuesday.
The meeting, also attended by Sabah Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive Officer Julinus Jimit, discussed initiatives to encourage rural communities to adopt niche birding activities.
Joniston, who is also chairman of the Sabah Tourism Board, mentioned his meeting with Quentin Philipps (an author of Borneo bird guidebook) in Rutland, who highlighted Sabah’s substantial potential.
“Philipps told me that Sabah only has five known bird hides when it should have hundreds,” he added.
As the assemblyman for Kiulu, Joniston noted that certain areas within his constituency have significant potential for birdwatching activities based on feedback.
“I have asked the Kiulu Tourism Association to collaborate with the Sabah Birdwatchers Association to discuss ways to build on the engagements from the Global Birdfair and transfer basic knowledge to the local communities.”
Meanwhile, Pudin said birdwatching can be a lucrative source of income and that rural communities can be empowered by providing them with training to understand its economic potential.
“By educating the local community about the benefits of birdwatching, we can help them recognise the opportunities it brings.
“This will not only foster a deeper appreciation for bird conservation but also provide a sustainable livelihood,” he said, stressing the association’s readiness to provide basic bird guiding course.
Borneo is home to 688 bird species, 66 of which are endemic to the island and six of which can only be found in Sabah.
Pudin also said studies indicated that over 90 percent of the bird species endemic to Borneo can be found in Sabah.