MY friend grins and waves from his table after realising my presence at Cassia, Parkroyal Langkawi Resort's all-day dining restaurant. Currently working on a conservation project, the breakfast meetup is aimed at highlighting current conservation efforts, including mangrove replanting and reforestation initiatives.
Reinforcing the hour-long conversation with useful data, including those from studies conducted by the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation and Research Efforts, he expresses hope for the global tourism island as environmental awareness and care for nature are fast gaining traction.
CHAMPIONING SUSTAINABLE EFFORTS
While indulging in the multisensory breakfast feast which boasts local and international selections, he highlights various concerted efforts that are starting to bear fruit and helping to reverse decades-long natural heritage losses due to agriculture, urbanisation and transport infrastructure developments.
Everything falls into place when he singles out Parkroyal Langkawi Resort for championing various sustainable efforts.
Despite being the newest hotel along the popular Pantai Cenang tourist strip and all of Langkawi, the hotel leads the way by minimising food waste through effective segregation, comprehensive recycling as well as dispensing with single use plastic.
At that moment, the wisdom of choosing this meetup venue becomes apparent.
After finishing the last bit of his 'sambal petai', my friend gestures towards the fresh food section and commends the extensive use of local products and support for local farmers to ensure optimal freshness and also minimise logistics to reduce pollution through greenhouse gas emissions.
SUCCESSFUL PENGUIN HUSBANDRY
The amazing breakfast is quickly followed by a visit to the nearby Underwater World Langkawi, where the must-visit tourist attraction has been making waves globally in terms of penguin husbandry. Spearheading this conservation endeavour is aquarium manager Ariati Sari Ibrahim.
According to Ariati, Underwater World Langkawi's penguin success story should actually be told together with a tale of overcoming many seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Turning back the clock to 2005, when the waddle of 18 first arrived from a zoo in the United States, she admits there were already challenges abound.
"We learnt the hard way that cleanliness was paramount as the flightless birds were easily susceptible to fungal infections," she says, adding that the keepers put in a lot of efforts to help their charges adapt to an entirely new environment where even the type of fish consumed was not the same.
Over time, however, small victories gave the team reason enough to blow away clouds of pessimism and prevail through sheer determination.
Ensuring that the two keepers never come in close proximity to each other, other biosecurity measures like foot baths, special uniforms, weekly disinfectants and monthly air filter changes brought disease to a bare minimum and allowed the penguins to start breeding.
Today, after much blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices, Underwater World Langkawi has emerged triumphant.
Its Rockhopper and African penguin populations are not only thriving but have also increased in terms of number. Always eager to share, Underwater World Langkawi has made known its technical knowhow globally and even donated its penguins to regional aquariums and zoos, including those in Hanoi, Vietnam and Dalian, China.
LUCKY TURTLE
Underscoring its concept that gears towards knowledge sharing, education enhancement and fun-filled entertainment, Underwater World Langkawi raises awareness on aquatic life form conservation by highlighting the inseparable bond between man and nature.
This endeavour cannot be better exemplified than the dramatic rescue of a badly injured and heavily bleeding Olive Ridley turtle in 2015. The trauma inflicted by the fishing net it was entangled in was so bad that the front left flipper had to be amputated in order to save the endangered reptile.
Benefiting from tender loving care at the Underwater World Langkawi, it miraculously survived. Considering the reptile to be extremely lucky, the team aptly named it Tuah.
Today, visitors can meet Tuah as he swims happily among his aquatic friends in the 15-metre long tunnel tank.
Pantai Cenang's renowned sunset is just about to start its colourful show, when I rejoin my friend for a tantalising BBQ buffet experience at Sizzle by the Shore. While savouring the tantalising flavours set against a truly idyllic location, we marvel at the wide selection of seafood available and express confidence that ongoing conservation and preservation efforts here in Langkawi will ensure a sustained supply to meet local needs for many years to come.
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