Flight risk: Rare birds in Tanjung Aru are already vulnerable due to ongoing coastal development, and kite-flying could further endanger them, warn conservationists.
KOTA KINABALU: Something unsettling has been happening at Tanjung Aru Beach, with birdwatchers and beachgoers repeatedly coming across bird carcasses caught high in the trees, tangled in kite strings left drifting in the sea breeze.
The sightings have become frequent enough to alarm nature lovers and conservationists, who are now urging authorities to either ban kite-flying at the beach or strictly regulate it.
The latest victim: a resident blue-naped parrot, a species already struggling to survive in the area.
Local conservation group 1StopBorneo Wildlife confirmed that this is not a one-off tragedy, with its founder Shavez Cheema saying the newly discovered carcass was spotted by birdwatchers Premala and Adrian Gehri, who documented the incident during a routine outing.
“This has happened once before and now again, especially with more people flying kites and more hawkers selling them. We have photographic evidence,” he said.
Shavez added that conservationist Chun Xing Wong had also previously documented a dead parrot at the same beach.
“My concern now is how many more birds have died without anyone noticing,” he said.
He emphasised that kite-flying should no longer be allowed at Tanjung Aru Beach, and as an alternative, suggested shifting the activity to the nearby open field at the rugby grounds.
Tanjung Aru Beach is a critical habitat for blue-naped parrots, the only known site for the species in this part of Sabah and one of the few in Malaysia.
But the birds are already vulnerable due to ongoing coastal development.
The beach is also among Sabah’s most important bird-watching hotspots, attracting species such as woodpeckers, pied hornbills and migratory visitors like the rainbow bee-eater, which has just arrived from Australia.
Shavez warned that kite-flying now presents an added risk to their survival.
“Millions of ringgit are spent each year by Sabah Tourism and the Tourism Ministry to promote Sabah as a premier birdwatching destination.
“It’s deeply concerning that wildlife is being harmed in plain sight within the capital.”
He questioned whether kite sellers operating along the beach have valid permits, urging authorities to investigate.
Sabah Bird Watchers Association president Ron Pudin echoed the call for a kite ban and added that single-use plastics should also be prohibited at Tanjung Aru for environmental reasons.
“We have always emphasised Tanjung Aru as a key birding area in Sabah, and its location near Kota Kinabalu International Airport is valuable to tourism, especially birdwatching,” he said.
Both Shavez and Pudin are calling on Tanjung Aru Eco Development and City Hall to take swift action to protect the blue-naped parrots and the many other species that call Tanjung Aru Beach home.
