KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27- The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) with support from Google Malaysia, has introduced Google’s Street View Trekker, a camera system to be fitted to a kayak, the first of its kind in the world, to document the current state of Peninsular Malaysia’s coastline.
This is in conjunction with Paddle For Nature, an event organised by MNS, which is a solo attempt by adventure enthusiast Hari Raju, 44, to paddle his 17-foot kayak along the Malaysian coastline of 2,300 km.
The Google Street Trekker which weighs 20 kg and is two and a half feet-high, will be placed at the back of the kayak where it will photograph the existing coastline of Peninsular Malaysia, throughout the two-and-a-half month journey starting this Sept 9.
MNS Marine Conservation manager, Faedzul Rahman said there was a need for this effort as marine conservation faced a unique set of challenges due to the lack of awareness on the importance of coastal areas and the threats they faced.
“It’s easy to see jungles being cleared and the terrestrial degradation, but it is more difficult to show people that coral reefs are dying, turtles are no longer laying eggs on our shores and mangrove forests are being destroyed all around the country,” he said at a press conference, here, today.
Through Paddle for Nature, MNS seeks to collate images and data on the country’s marine and estuarine areas, which may also be helpful to government agencies, other environmental organisations and interested parties in their efforts to protect Malaysia’s oceanic legacy.
Meanwhile, Faedzul was grateful for the support of Google in the use of its Street View Trekker camera system for the event as it would provide clearer images of the places along the coastline.This will allow more comprehensive coverage of the coastline and ecologically important sites Hari will be visiting, including turtle sanctuaries, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, marine parks and nature reserves,” he said.
Hari’s journey will start from near the Thai border at a coastal town in Kelantan and moving along the coastline of Peninsular Malaysia to Perlis and ending in Langkawi.will stop at 40 sites along the way to promote coastal conservation, while advocating kayaking as a healthy lifestyle activity.
For more information on Paddle for Nature or to keep track of Hari’s progress, the public can visit the MNS’ website at www.paddlefornature.weebly.com or Facebook page at Paddle for Nature.
– BERNAMA
