Langkawi's Jungle Walla
Posted on: Sunday, 19 November 2006, 21:00 CST
By Sharanjit Singh
WHILE most of us work at desks in air-conditioned environs, Irshad Mobarak has an `office' amidst trees and wildlife, writes SHARANJIT SINGH.
He is like a 19th Century Jungle Jim, constantly seeking to learn more about Nature's wonders. Irshad Mobarak, aka jungle walla, is a storehouse of information with an in-depth knowledge of the forest and wildlife of Pulau Langkawi.
The adventurer-cum-environmentalist who prefers to be called a "junglee", is not only known to the islanders but is also the one human figure that Langkawi's wild animals are familiar with.
After all, he has spent the last 17 years walking through the forests and mangroves, learning more and more about the trees, plants, wildlife and birds there.
Irshad, 48, who has appeared in several documentaries including National Geographic and Discovery Channel, is a walking encyclopaedia about wildlife on the island.
"This is my `office'... I love the trees, plants, wildlife and the birds, especially the hornbills. I can't think of anything else that I would rather be doing," he says.
His love for and interest in nature was instilled in him when he was a young boy.
"Once, my friends challenged me to spend the night in a cemetery near a jungle. I remember asking my father what I should do and he told me I should be more afraid of humans than animals or ghosts. I can now vouch that what he said is absolutely true."
Irshad's father is a Punjabi Muslim whose family migrated here from the Punjab while his mother is of Portuguese-Irish heritage. Born in Negri Sembilan, he moved from Seremban to Kuala Lumpur after school and worked in a bank.
However, after five years, he realised that the lifestyle did not suit him and so he quit.
He had gone to Pulau Tioman for a holiday and there he found his true calling. "It was the turning point as I realised that I needed to be close to nature to be really happy. So I quit my job, travelled and did nothing for some years before I ended up in Langkawi. I decided that this was where I would make my new home."
Irshad found himself a job as recreation manager at The Datai before going on to be a guide for jungle walks. His walk-about tours became so popular that the hotel created a new position for him, that of a naturalist.
Waking up at 4.30am every day, Irshad conducts nature walks in the morning and at dusk. The most popular are his bird-watching walks which enables his group to not only see but also to learn about the various species on the island.
Irshad can identify different species and talk about their characteristics with just a cursory glance. He also provides interpretive and entertaining information about the birds to his group.
"Tourists enjoy the nature walks very much as it adds value to their stay. I get guests from all over who join the activity and they really appreciate the diversity of flora and fauna in the forests and mangroves," he says. In fact, there are those who enjoy it so much that they sign up for more nature walks.
Irshad's mission is to promote and do as much conservation work as he can by educating the public on the need to conserve the forest and the wildlife.
He hopes to win the hearts of people and instil in them a love for nature and wildlife so that they will make positive adjustments and learn to care for the environment.
One of his main concerns these days is the fragmentation of habitat on the island. The rate of development is so fast that animals were being isolated due to forest clearing. This will, ultimately, cause certain species to become extinct as they are unable to move around and breed.
"We can overcome this by creating corridors that will connect areas of forests," he suggests.
He has been actively persuading officials to place greater value on Langkawi's environment and he says it is fortunate that the officials are beginning to listen to concerns raised by environmentalists. Efforts are already underway to ensure that the natural habitat of the island is preserved.
Another thing that keeps him awake is the daily eagle-feeding sessions conducted as a tourist attraction along Sungai Kilim. Although it is breathtaking to see dozens of sea eagles and brahminy kites circling in the sky and diving into the water for food, Irshad feels it's a tragedy for the raptors.
"The birds are being fed farmed chickens that contain antibiotics and hormones. This could kill all the birds," he says.
Such a tragedy, he says, can only be avoided if the feeding of the birds is stopped.
Irshad has been in Langkawi for almost two decades but he continues to learn and discover new things about the island. His mission is to actively work with students and to impart to them his knowledge and love for Nature.
* Irshad Mobarak was a nominee for the DiGi's Amazing Malaysians award in 2006. If you know someone outstanding in the fields of natural, cultural, art, social or built heritage, please nominate the person as a DiGi's Amazing Malaysian for 2007, by submitting an electronic form available at www.digi.com.my before December 10, 2006.
(c) 2006 New Straits Times. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: New Straits Times
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