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Garden Under The Sea
As
the largest island among the Redang Archipelago, Pulau Redang is not
only made famous by its white sandy beach but also the world lying
beneath this crystal clear water which, is not only paradise for marine
life but also for natural lovers. Snorkeling or diving in the sea around
Pulau Redang is a breathtaking experience where, the water surrounding Pulau
Redang is home to some 3,000 species of fish, 1.000 of species of
bivalves and 500 species of reef-building coral.
Coral reefs are found in the shallow as well as the deep water
around the islands.
They are formed by gradual accumulation and transformation of tiny
soft-bodied animals, closely related to sea anemones. One of the very
common coral found in the waters of Pulau Redang is Staghorn corals.
This reef-building corals are often found in shallow areas. They are
green, brown or yellowish in colour and they provide shelter for a
variety of small fishes and other sea animals.
In the deeper water there are sea fans, soft tree corals, cup coral
and several species of nudibranch. Some deeper rocks are covered with
leathery soft corals with some soft tree corals, cup corals, tunicates
and sponges. Large giant clams are often found here.
Then on the sand itself are larger soft corals and sea fans, whip
corals, table corals, mushroom corals, boulder corals, nudibranch, sea
stars, cushin stars and sea urchin.
Perhaps you will agree that the glory of this underwater garden
will eclipse if without the existence of fish. Fish chasing each other
in the coral or swimming in groups in the dark blue sea like a group of
patrolling soldiers, making this garden as fascinating and as colourful
as the colour palette of an artist.
Shoaling fish such as
jacks and snappers and rabbitfish, or
groupers silver barracudas, clownfish,
triggerfish,
parrotfish,
stingrays,
hammerheads and Green turtles etc. is always surprises the divers. There have been a few times when divers have spotted a whale shark
at Big Mount, one of the popular dive sites in Pulau Redang. And if you
are lucky, you might spot a cuttlefish, squid and/or Eagle ray while
snorkeling.
The best location for snorkeling on this island is found at the
southern coast around the Pulau Pinang and Pulau Ekor Tebu. Below sea
level, you will get to see some of the more beautiful sea creatures
including the batfish, angelfish, boxfish and butterfly fish. There are
also many multicolored creatures that eat off anemone, sponges and
bivalves. For diving enthusiasts, there are about 18 dive sites
around Pulau Redang, each has its own way to surprise the divers.
Conservation has been taken place by gazetted this island as one of the
marine park in Malaysia in order to protect the marine life in this
marine paradise.
Activities such as fishing,
collecting corals and marine life, and anchoring boats directly on the
reef are prohibited within two nautical miles of these islands.
Did
You Know?
Bioluminescent
Ostracods (also know as Firefleas/Sea firefly) Found at front beach of
Redang Reef Resort, The guide call as blue sand. Ostracods are
microscopic crustaceans, typically 0.2mm to 2mm long but are readily
fossilised and can occur in enormous numbers in some sediments.
Ostracods inhabit in aquatic environment use bioluminescence during
mating where the males will attract females to them. Males ostracods
flash in a sequence as they swim to attract females.
Bioluminescence is blue colour because all colors of light do not
transmit equally through ocean water, so if the purpose of
bioluminescence is to provide a signal that is detected by other
organisms, then it is important that the light be transmitted through
seawater. Blue light transmits best through seawater.
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