BY: Zaki Salleh
TAIPING – The Taiping Municipal Council (MPT), in collaboration with the Natural Ecosystem Conservation Organization (NEST), has successfully organized the Taiping Bird Week (TBW), a week-long event aimed at spotlighting Taiping as a hub for bird enthusiasts.
Since its inception in 2017, the program has been dedicated to studying, recording, and establishing a comprehensive database of the avian species found in Taiping.
Addressing the audience, the Chairman of the Taiping Municipal Council, Khairul Amir Mohamad Zubir, highlighted the event’s dual purpose of promoting both Eco-Tourism and Avi Tourism.
He elucidated that TBW has effectively opened the eyes of the general public, particularly bird enthusiasts, to the plethora of opportunities in this field through activities such as bird watching and bird photography.
“Following its inauguration, TBW progressed to its second edition in 2021, and subsequently its third in 2022. Now, as we enter the fourth edition in 2023, TBW offers activities including bird species photo exhibitions, agency exhibitions and sales, ‘Bird Talk’ sessions, and a photography competition.
“Also included is the Taiping Bird Race competition, open to both the general public and school students,” he added.
This year, TBW 2023 garnered participation from 146 enthusiasts hailing from Perak, Pulau Pinang, Selangor, Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur, and Perlis, and seven participants from Singapore.
According to Khairul Amir, based on the recorded observations from the open category of the Taiping Bird Race, a total of 86 bird species were identified.
“In the school category, 32 bird species were recorded, indicating that Taiping is indeed a region teeming with diverse avian species,” he affirmed.
The closing ceremony of TBW 2023 was graced by the presence of Raja Di Hilir Perak, Raja Iskandar Dzulkarnain Sultan Idris Shah.
Also in attendance were the District Officer of Larut, Matang & Selama, Dato’ Haji Wan Mohd Isa Dato’ Haji Wan Razali, and the Chairman of the State of Perak’s Committee for Science, Environment, and Green Technology, Teh Kok Lim.
