Pulau Gazumbo
During the early hours at Pulau Gazumbo
Visiting this seagrass bed brings out the inner marine biologist in me again. It has been a great experience to finally step foot on the seagrass area of Gazumbo island which is still existing in Penang despite the rapid coastal development. Middle Bank is another area of seagrass bed which is slightly north of Gazumbo island - apparently the second largest intact seagrass area in the Peninsula Malaysia, after Sungai Pulai in Johor. During very low tide, the large sandbank that connects Middle Bank to Gazumbo Island will be exposed, revealing the ecosystem connectivity between these two areas. It is vital to preserve this sensitive habitat as they support a high marine biodiversity.
Seagrass beds are home to anemones, crustaceans, mollusks - aside from being important nursery ground for juvenile fishes. Seagrass beds are also significant carbon sequester and help mitigate the effects of climate change. Pulau Gazumbo and Middle Bank are undoubtedly among the very few left of Penang's marine natural heritage - which deserves our conservation priority and attention now before it is gone forever.