Veteran environmentalist Maketab Mohamed described the industry as an “annual million-ringgit business”.

“Birding is important because it can bring in hard foreign cash into our country,” he told FMT.

“If Costa Rica or Spain can attract birders, why not us since we have a number of exotic bird species.”

According to a recent article on the Lonely Planet website, Malaysia has more than 750 species of birds, making it a perfect destination for international birders.

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) President Henry Goh told FMT Tasik Kenyir should be promoted as an ecotourism destination.

“This can be done with more public information on wildlife and ecosystems and the training of more nature guides,” he said.

He stressed the importance of preserving the forests surrounding Lake Kenyir, which are logged from time to time.

“Habitat protection is important,” he said. “Proposals have been put forward for Terengganu to consider making Tasik Kenyir a state park.”

Goh praised the Terengganu government for its efforts to promote Tasik Kenyir, pointing out that it has sponsored MNS’s Kenyir Bird and Nature Quest event for the past four years.

“This two-day event serves to promote Tasik Kenyir as an ecotourism destination by sharing with the public and tourism industry players the breadth and depth of flora and fauna through talks, workshops and guided outings to unique locations in Kenyir with experts in wildlife.”

Another environmentalist, Andrew Sebastian, said that the key to sustaining ecotourism in Tasik Kenyir was vigilant protection of its forests.

“Forest reserves must be permanently protected and state and national parks better monitored, maintained and promoted,” he said.

Maketab agreed with Sebastian, saying that exotic birds such hornbills were sensitive to the state of the environment.

“Sensitive birds will go away if you don’t take care of the forest,” he said. “If you lose the forest, you will lose the birds.”