CHUAN Ah Kau is a familiar face at the Taman Rimba Kiara, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
The 74-year-old resident of Damansara Jaya drives to the park almost every evening to take photos of birds and and other wildlife. It is also where he meets friends “of a feather” with the same interests, and makes new ones.
His love for nature was born from the time spent in the tin-mining area of Kamunting, Perak, where he was born and raised. His childhood was well spent swimming, catching fish in the river, flying kites and playing football. He and his friends also regularly hiked up Maxwell Hill (Bukit Larut) in Taiping, where they would bypass the “normal” routes in search of more challenging tracks.
His addiction to challenges continued when he moved to Petaling Jaya to work at a tyre plant. The young Chuan spent 25 days at the Outward Bound School in Lumut, Perak, for outdoor and survival training. The love for adventure remains until today – and at the age of ‘retirement’, Chuan continues to lead an active lifestyle and pursues his fondness for nature.
In June 2016, City Hall (DBKL) approved the development of a 29-storey block of an affordable housing flat, and eight blocks of high-end apartments on a 4.86ha land, cutting through the leafy Taman Rimba Kiara, which is designated as public open space under the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020.
A study conducted by the International Islamic University Malaysia’s Department of Architecture and Environmental Design comparing green areas to built-up areas in KL showed that the percentage of green areas in KL fell from 76.62% to 23.33% in two decades. - August 2, 2017.
Chuan Ah Kau waits for birds to appear in his camera viewfinder at the Taman Rimba Kiara in Kuala Lumpur. Chuan is a passionate bird photographer. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2017.Watchers and photographers of birds find plenty to capture their interests without having to stray far from the urban setting. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2017.Almost every day, the 74-year-old Chuan Ah Kau drives 5km from his house in Damansara Jaya to the park, where he spends hours photographing birds and other fauna. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2017.The 4.6ha Taman Rimba Kiara is one of the last green lungs in Kuala Lumpur, and the habitat of diverse flora and fauna. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2017.A baya weaver (Ploceus phillipinus) perches on tree branch in Taman Rimba Kiara. MY Garden Birdwatch – a project of the Malaysian Nature Society's Bird Conservation Council – says at least 42 species of birds live and roam in the park. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2017.A bird’s nest is captured on camera by Chuan Ah Kau, who knows Taman Rimba Kiara like the back of the hand. He knows where the birds have built their nests, and can name the species, too. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2017.Chuan Ah Kau records with his trusty camera other park activities and posts the pictures and videos on social media to encourage more to visit the park. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2017.
Children from the nearby longhouse fly kites at the park. Their carefree play reminds Chuan Ah Kau of his childhood, which was spent flying kites, swimming and fishing in the tin-mining area of Kamunting in Perak. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2017.Chuan Ah Kau watch the kids football – a game he loves and at which he excelled. He was on the team that won the Perak Cup in 1962. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2017.A hibiscus tree that Chuan Ah Kau planted at Taman Rimba Kiara on July 18. He plans to plant more along the drains at the park. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2107.Chuan Ah Kau scouts for the best spot to photograph the birds in Taman Rimba Kiara. He could lose his 'playground' if a proposed mammoth development project is allowed to proceed. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 2, 2017.
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