Kuala Selangor / Fireflies

The Kuala Selangor Nature Park (KSNP) The KNSP shelters a wide variety of habitats among which the secondary forest, mangrove forest, estuary of the Selangor River, mud flats and the brackish water take system are of importance. The above habitats shelter about 156 species of birds (resident and migratory), a variety of insects, spiders, molluscs, crabs, fish, reptiles and mammals, it is also the home of many special and interesting animals among which are the mud skippers, mud lobster, king crabs, smooth otter, leopard cat and the silvered leaf monkey. This makes the Park an ideal spot for Nature Related Activities. The new Visitors' Centre at Kuala Selangor Nature Park.

Fireflies - Kelip-kelip
Away from the Nature Park, branching off the Selangor River are a series of narrower tributaries lined with healthy stands of Beremban or Sonneratia Caseolaris. This tall mangrove species is characterised by simple symmetric leaves, and cone-like aerial roots. During the day this tree species might seem unremarkable, however as dusk falls beautiful flowers open up, each with an array of up to 100 reddish-white stamens. In these quiet, ulu backwaters survive Pteroptyx tener, the firefly species which makes S. Caseolaris their home.

At twilight, the kingfishers and bee-eaters give way to nightjars and owls, and the fireflies, or "kelip-kelip" as they are locally known, put on a dazzling light show. Thousands of these insects commence their fluorescent display, flashing on and off two or three times a second, some stationary, others circling around. In some trees a whole colony of fireflies will flash in absolute unison, hour after hour, in the manner of the lights on a Christmas tree. Male and female fireflies are both able to flash, but only the males flash in unison; the synchronised display serves to attract a mate, but how does the female choose her mate amongst the thousands of "switched-on" males !

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