Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary, Perak, Malaysia: Status, challenges and future for migratory shorebirds population in the East-Asian Australian Flyway

Birds are an excellent bio-indicator of biodiversity changes. Migratory shorebirds in particular cover a large distances traversing different types of habitats, from the tundra region in the most northern part of the world, to tropical and temperate areas in the southern most area. Kuala Gula, a sanctuary for more than 200 bird species is part of an Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) along the East-Asian Australian Flyway. Despite its importance, the area including its coastline is continuously pressured by anthropogenic activity. As such, there is a need to critically review Kuala Gula's environmental status to highlight its potential, along with understanding the issues and threats particularly to the migratory shorebirds population in the long run. This is important not just to maintain Kuala Gula's relevance as part of the important IBA in the Southeast Asia, but also to ascertain its qualification to meet its recognition's goal. Throughout this review, we found that there are several issues that need to be addressed urgently, particularly ones related to pollution activity. Furthermore, the studies done so far are not coordinated well enough and lack continuity. As such, certain important information is still lacking making the protection and conservation of the area a big challenge. It is concluded that, the stability and sustainability of Kuala Gula's habitats and its coastline is at stake, and there is a hope that this review will help related stakeholders to understand the current issues, and work together effectively to conserve the area.