An unidentified vandal has more than 50 mangrove trees along Sungai Kerian which are natural habitats for the endangered fireflies. An eye witness said the vandal used a saw to cut down the trees. Police have yet to identify the vandal nor established the motive for it.

Fortunately, the destruction of these trees has not adversely impact the local ecology as the fireflies have not moved away to other areas. About 300 tourists visit this river to watch the fireflies each month. The trees that were destroyed are located downstream and those upstream are not affected by this.

Before that, Sungai Kerian was the place the professors from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia studied on the breeding environment of the fireflies. (Sin Chew Daily)