Mabul

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Mabul is an island off the south-eastern coast of Sabah in Malaysia. It first became popular due to its proximity to Sipadan island.

Few years back, it has gained its recognition as one of the best "muck diving" sites in the world. Mabul island is a small oval shaped island surrounded by sandy beaches and perched on the northwest corner of a larger 2 square kilometre reef.

It is more correctly recognised now that the reason for the quality of the MUCK Diving is simply a result of overfishing uses of cyanide and dynamite by the local people of this area. See

The reef is on the edge of the continental shelf and the seabed surrounding the reef slopes out to 25 to 30 m deep. There are several dive resorts operating on Mabul island.

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[edit] Diving Mabul

Mabul is arguably one of the riches single destinations for exotic small marine life anywhere in the world. Flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, mimic octopus and bobtail squids are just a few of the numerous types of cephalopods to be found on Mabul's reef. The sight of harlequin shrimp feeding on sea stars and boxer crabs waving their tiny anemone pompoms are just a small example of the endless species of crustaceans.

Many types of gobies can be found including the spike-fin goby, black sail-fin goby and metallic shrimp goby. Frogfish are everywhere -giant, painted and clown frogfish are regularly seen along with the almost the whole scorpion fish family. It would be quicker to list the species not found at Mabul - crazy critters are in abundance at this magical macro site!

Sustainability of the island as a dive site and fish habitat is questionable See *Decline in Fish Stocks & *Pollution Study.

The local business philosophy is very hazardous to the eco system of the area. The trash on the island is routinely dumped on the North Side of the island were it becomes someone else’s problem down currant. The island population of tourists and transitory Bajau (sea gypsies) has a detrimental effect to the islands water table. The level of fecal contamination, lead paint and used motor oil creates an unhealthy environment to dive and live around See *Lead Poisoning Symptoms. Skin rashes and diarrhea are common post dive ailments See *Fecal Contamination Study.

The easily accessible coral and fish stocks are in great danger around the island due to the use of cyanide for collection of aquarium and food fish and the use of dynamite for the collection of food fishes, which the use of destroys areas of coral that become desert like for decades See *cyanide & *Preliminary Species Check List Pula Banggi Sabah This illegal dynamiting and cyanide is done openly under the ever watchful eye of the police and military.

The military and police of Sabah seem more concerned with preventing attack by unseen military Indonesian forces than in preventing the destruction of their own national treasures such as the seas surrounding Sabah. See *Police Corruption in Malaysia

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[edit] Dive & resort operators

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