Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary

The Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary is located at the northern tip of Matang Forest Reserve in Perak. The sanctuary was established in 1970 by the Wildlife and National Parks to safeguard migratory and resident species of birds. The Sanctuary has won the “Best Tourist Attraction (Natural Attraction)” category during the Malaysia Tourism Awards.

The mudflat area of the park is used by the migratory birds to feed and rest during their migratory route from the northern to the southern hemisphere. Yearly, Kuala Gula is visited by 50 species from eight families of birds from September to April. The species include the Milky Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Whimbrel, Lesser Golden Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Terek Sandpiper, Great Egret, Little Egret and Intermediate Egret. The numbers of birds amount to 200,000 each year. The birds come several places like Siberia Kazakhstan, Japan, China and Mongolia.

The mangrove swamp forest and mudflat of Kuala Gula are not only essential for migratory birds but also for the 600 families of fishermen who rely solely on the forests and marine ecosystem for their livelihood. Fishermen here make a living by either being involved in cockle farming, aquaculture, crabs, shrimp and fishing.

Other wildlife in the area include otters, Silvered Leaf Monkeys, Long-tailed Macaques, Bottle-nosed and Ridge-backed Dolphins, Wild Pig, bats and civets. Reptilian delights present are Malayan Water Monitor, Clouded Monitor, pythons and mangrove snakes.

Image by: Tourism Malaysia FB

Operating Hours

PERHILITAN Information Centre: 9.00 a.m – 5.00 p.m

Admission

There is no entrance fee for the park. However, if one wants to take the boat tour, there will be a charge by the boat operators.

Location

Waterbird Conservation Centre
c/o Jabatan PERHILITAN
34350 Kuala Gula.

View map.

Hear From Others

This Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary is one of the very ideal place for bird watchers to see the roosting site of the waterbirds and also the nesting ground for resident birds.

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In any case, the best time to see the birds are in the mornings, thus it would be good to plan for an overnite trip to maximize the chance of seeing lots of birds. Morning is also the best time for photography.

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The flagship species of Kuala Gula is the globally threatened Milky Stork. Kuala Gula is currently the only known resident area for this vulnerable species in Malaysia.

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Nearby Attractions

Perak Museum

The Perak Museum is a public museum located in Taiping, Perak. It is the first and the oldest museum in Malaysia and highlights the history of Perak.

All Saints’ Taiping Heritage Church

All Saints’ Taiping Heritage Church is the first English Church in the Federated Malay States. It was built in 1887 and belongs to the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia. After more than a hundred years, the church still retains its original form and was awarded a National Heritage Site by the Malaysian Government.

Spritzer EcoPark

Spritzer EcoPark is a recreational park located along Jalan Air Kuning, Taiping. It was opened in 2015. The park is a community project by local water bottling giant Spritzer Bhd. with the idea of preserving the nation’s heritage in mind.