RESEARCH AND CITIZEN SCIENCE
Current Projects
CORAL SPAWNING MONITORING
Here in Perhentian, we have recently begun monitoring coral spawning to better understand the timing and patterns of reproductive events across different species. By recording these spawning windows, we can understand the drivers and create a database of when corals release their gametes. Through this database, we can understand how these events vary across seasons and environmental conditions.
This is a crucial step toward developing a localised spawning database, which can be shared with the wider scientific and conservation community in Malaysia to support more coordinated reef management and restoration efforts.
Beyond documentation, we are also exploring low-cost, in situ approaches to improve fertilisation success and larval settlement on the reef, with the aim of enhancing natural recovery processes. Together, this work helps bridge research and practical conservation, contributing to more resilient reef ecosystems over time.
HABITAT MAPPING & CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT
Coral reef ecosystems provide homes for much of the coastal marine life around the Perhentians. Knowing exactly where these reefs are, their composition, and the type of marine life they host can help us to understand them better and continually monitor their health. ​We use iNaturalist, utilizing the observations of stakeholders around the islands to build a biodiversity database.
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We are initiating a long-term effort to track coral health and detect early signs of bleaching across the Perhentian reefs using citizen science, CoralWatch. This comes at a critical time, as 2026 is projected to coincide with an El Niño phase, which is often linked to elevated sea surface temperatures and increased thermal stress.
In recent years, rising ocean temperatures have driven more frequent and severe bleaching events globally and within Malaysia, with over 50% of corals reported to have bleached during the 2024 bleaching event alone. By establishing a consistent CoralWatch database, we aim to generate comparable, site-specific data that can reveal trends in coral condition over time, identify vulnerable areas, and support management responses. This dataset will also contribute to broader monitoring efforts, helping to strengthen our understanding of how local reefs respond to ongoing climate-driven stress.
Past Projects
SEAGRASS MONITORING PROJECT
Seagrass provides a living habitat and a coastal food source for marine animals. Beds of these aquatic plants are scattered around Perhentians’ waters, and sea turtles have been frequently observed to graze on them.
Our seagrass surveys aim to map the presence and locations of these seagrass beds, as well as their sizes, density, and seagrass species diversity. There is sparse scientific information on seagrasses in Perhentian, and our research will hopefully identify seagrass beds most vital to supporting the islands’ marine ecosystem.
DISTRIBUTION OF ANEMONE & ANEMONEFISH
Closely related to corals and jellyfish, sea anemones are venomous animals known to form mutualistic relationships with anemonefish and other sea creatures which are immune to its sting. They receive nutrients present in fish faeces, while providing protection from predators for anemonefish, including the beloved clownfish. Of the more than 1000 sea anemone species throughout the world, only 10 are known to host anemonefish, 7 of which are found in Perhentians’ waters.
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Previous studies by PMRS have uncovered anemone assemblages and population dynamics around the islands. Our current research expands by looking into the pairing patterns between certain species of host anemones with anemonefish, whether host preference is prevalent, and overall species distribution across the islands.
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Prolonged monitoring of anemones and anemonefish would increase knowledge capacity for reef management and conservation strategies.
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