Growing Marine Awareness Among Redang Students

We continued our marine education efforts with students from SK Pulau Redang through three engaging activities.

Briefing during the mangrove exploration

1. Coral Reef Awareness and Reef Fish ID
60 upper primary students participated in a session on the importance of reef fish, coral identification and healthy reefs. A two-hour session with 69 upper primary students introduced coral identification and reef awareness, followed by the “My Perfect Reef” group activity, where students shared their ideas of a healthy reef through drawings and presentations. 

2. Kem Jelajah Bakau
21 students and three teachers joined RCM for a mangrove exploration at Teluk Dalam. Students learned about local mangrove species, their adaptations and ecological importance, while gaining hands-on experience in the mangrove ecosystem.

3. Coral Reef Camp
For the second consecutive year, 27 Year 6 students and four teachers took part in a two-day Coral Reef Camp at the Redang Marine Park Centre. Through activities including Tidal Bingo, an intertidal walk and group presentations, students explored the importance of coral reef and intertidal ecosystems with guidance from RCM staff and RMCG members.

A group activity during the Coral Reef Camp

Protecting Redang’s Reefs

RCM’s Cintai Redang team joined an engagement session and site visit with the Terengganu State EXCO for Tourism, Culture, Environment and Climate Change, including stakeholder discussions and visits to waste management facilities and reef conservation sites. During the visit, RCM shared its conservation work and proposed the temporary closure of four diving and snorkelling sites to allow the reefs to recover, based on long-term monitoring data. We appreciate the continued support of local islanders and tourism operators in raising awareness and working together to protect Redang’s marine environment, and look forward to the next steps following this engagement.

Over in Redang Island, RCM and RMCG installed 10 mooring lines across five snorkeling sites in Teluk Kerma, Ekor Tebu, Pulau Kerengga Besar, Batu Sauh and Pasir Akar. This helps to reduce anchor damage and support safer snorkelling. The sites and the Pasir Akar coral rehabilitation area were also inspected with representatives from ALAM.

In another effort, RCM and RMCG teams continued COTs removal across Redang and Bidong, culling 172 COTs from several Redang sites and 26 COTs from two Bidong sites. The COTs were culled using vinegar injection to help protect coral reefs from outbreaks.

Strengthening Coral Reef Rehabilitation

Together with our community partners, our rehabilitation efforts continue through regular maintenance, monitoring and the deployment of new rehabilitation frames.

1. Pasir Akar
Teams from RCM and RMCG carried out regular maintenance and monitoring at Pasir Akar, cleaning rehabilitation structures and planting 21 new coral fragments supported through the “Adopt SeKarang” programme. A total of 59 new frames were also deployed, bringing the total closer to the target of 100 frames for future coral planting.

2. Yayasan Hijau Reef Rehabilitation Site
RCM staff, RMCG members and volunteers conducted a maintenance and monitoring session, cleaning the rehabilitation frames and surrounding area. A damaged frame, possibly caused by a boat anchor, was also identified and subsequently repaired, with coral fragments re-secured to the structure.

Rehabilitation frames placed in a damaged reef site