DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAY AND EVERY WEEKEND WE (MNS Malaysian Nature Society) ORGANISE ACTIVITIES FOR THE CHILDREN TO GIVE THEM EARLY EXPOSURE IN SCIENCE AND BIODIVERSITY. HIGH ORDER THINKING SKILL (HOTS) AND SCIENTIFIC THINKING IS NURTURED FROM THE EARLY AGE.

I AM VERY SURE UPM WILL GO HIGHER. THIS WILL BE A GREAT CHALLENGE TO THE ACADEMICIAN ESPECIALLY. 2018 WILL BE MORE WORK. START STRATEGISE FROM NOW AND DRAW YOUR KPI.

SEVEN YEARS A GO i TRY TO SAVE KUALA LANGAT PEAT SWAMP FOREST FROM CONVERTING TO THE OIL PALM PLANTATION. WE NEED MORE PUBLIC PRESSURE, i THINK THE POLITICIAN AND THE BUSINESS PEOPLE WILL WIN. POOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Ministry of natural resources and Environment and Wildlife Department in particular must have a positive thinking and actions towards research and NOT just talking on the table. They must support research and review their procedures in term of permission for research and officers incharge. At the moment I can see Malaysia still not very active and clear directions in term of research on wild life conservation.

Penyelidikan nampaknya menjadi alternatif terbaik dan kaedah terakhir bagi memastikan spesies kita tidak pupus. Ini yang cuba dilakukan di Sabah bagi menyelamatkan badak Sumatera di negeri itu. Beberapa penyelidikan pernah dijalankan di habitat liar yang melibatkan agensi kerajaan dan institusi pengajian tinggi termasuklah Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) dan Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). Antara pertubuhan yang pernah terlibat ialah Dana Sedunia Alam Semula Jadi (WWF) Malaysia, SOS Rhino dan terakhir, Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora).

Menurut Pengerusi Lembaga Pengarah Bora, Prof. Madya Dr. Abdul Hamid Ahmad, Jabatan Hidupan Liar Sabah dan agensi berkaitan juga menggunakan kaedah pembiakbakaan termasuk pengklonan iaitu kaedah alternatif menggunakan tisu daripada haiwan berkenaan.

Beliau turut berkongsi sokongan Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar yang menyalurkan geran bagi membina makmal teknologi pembiakan berbantu (Assisted Reproductive Technology atau ART) berjumlah RM11.9 juta pada tahun lalu sebagai sebahagian usaha menyelamatkan spesies terancam. Sokongan daripada kementerian berkenaan juga merangkumi semua spesies hidupan liar yang terancam di Sabah sebagai langkah proaktif untuk menyelamatkan sebanyak yang mungkin spesies daripada kepupusan.

“Makmal tersebut dibina di Fakulti Pertanian Lestari UMS kampus Sandakan,” ujarnya sambil memberitahu bahawa geran tersebut adalah untuk tempoh lima tahun dan makmal ini dijangka siap tahun depan.

Usaha-usaha pemuliharaan terhadap spesies lain juga sudah mula digerakkan dengan menggunakan kaedah teknologi reproduktif berbantu (ART) termasuklah antaranya melibatkan beruang dan harimau dahan.

Dengan siapnya makmal itu nanti, Bora kata Dr. Abdul Hamid akan menggunakan kepakaran dalam negara dan langkah awal yang dilakukan adalah mengumpul dan menyimpan tisu haiwan berkenaan.

Dalam pada itu pensyarah Jabatan Biologi Fakulti Sains UPM, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Ismail mempersoal sejauh mana kerajaan bertanggungjawab mengambil tindakan bersepadu dalam mengelakkan haiwan liar daripada pupus.

Kata beliau, kajian perlu dijalankan segera apabila mendapati populasi berkurangan dan diancam kepupusan.

Menurutnya, banyak haiwan yang mengalami kepupusan, dan pelbagai alasan diberi apabila badak Sumatera (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) dan burung merak (Pavo muticus) sudah pupus.

Katanya lagi, sejauh mana tapir (Tapirus indicus) yang terancam akibat daripada pemencilan hutan yang menjadi habitat mereka diberi perhatian, kes kemalangan jalan raya akibat jalan raya merentasi habitat mereka dan kadar populasi yang makin menurun.

“Sekiranya kajian awal dijalankan mungkin kes yang menyebabkan pengurangan populasi ini dapat dielakkan.

“Kajian tentang ekologi, genetik dan pembiakan tapir ini perlu disegerakan.

“Kejayaan Perhilitan (Jabatan Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara) dan Zoo Negara membiak tapir perlu diberikan perhatian dan dikembangkan bagi menjamin kelestarian mereka.

“Selain kajian ke atas tapir secara khusus, kajian tentang kualiti habitat mereka juga perlu dikaji segera sebelum terlambat,” ujarnya.

Begitu juga dengan burung upeh (Mycteria cinerea) yang populasinya sangat terancam.

Pembangunan berterusan dan konflik manusia dan aktiviti pemuliharaan menyebabkan populasi burung tidak ada lagi. Pembangunan kawasan berkenaan untuk aktiviti pertanian dan akuakultur serta kehadiran pekerja asing yang tidak faham tentang polisi pemuliharaan di Malaysia mengundang ancaman baharu.

Peluang untuk memburu juga mungkin menyebabkan burung ini pupus.

Katanya, masalah utama kepupusan hidupan liar telah dikenal pasti iaitu kemusnahan habitat dan perburuan haram.

“Bagaimana kita dapat menangani isu ini sekiranya kita tidak mempunyai maklumat yang lengkap tentang haiwan liar berkaitan?” soalnya.

Isu perlindungan habitat dan pemuliharaan melibatkan kawasan hutan yang cukup luas untuk pemuliharaan haiwan liar dan pengambilan tanah untuk menghubungkan hutan-hutan yang ada bagi tujuan haiwan bergerak seperti Central Forest Spine (CFS) yang dicadangkan oleh kerajaan perlu dilihat.

Isu tersebut kata Dr. Ahmad mestilah mendapat persetujuan kerajaan negeri kerana tanah dan hutan adalah bawah pentadbiran kerajaan negeri.

Isu perburuan haram pula melibatkan kesedaran awam tentang pemuliharaan dan penguatkuasaan hidupan liar. Tanpa data dan kajian agak sukar bagi pihak berkaitan membuat keputusan dan mendorong mereka berfikir secara tradisional dengan kaedah lama tentang pemuliharaan.

Selepas sedar banyak spesies kita sudah pupus, ramai berpendapat usaha perlu dilakukan untuk memastikan perkara tersebut tidak berulang.

Justeru beberapa pihak berpendapat penyelidikan boleh membantu ke arah pengekalan dan pemuliharaan spesies yang kini terancam. Ikuti laporan khas mini Siri 2 mengenai kepupusan spesies flora dan fauna oleh LAUPA JUNUS

Artikel Penuh: http://www.utusan.com.my/sains-teknologi/sains/penyelidikan-selamatkan-khazanah-kita-1.579179#ixzz52LzLiqBB 

© Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd 

Standard of living becoming more challenging in the coming years. We are facing a global competition for job, space and opportunities. Food is important. May be urban agriculture, planting food in pots are one way to save money and eating healthy food.

Be ready for 2018 with more challenge. Professor have to clean the toilet and sweep the floors because they have more salary than others. At the same time the professors have to teach, supervise the students, write a proposal for research grants, publish the papers and do the community work that others cannot do. About time true professors should lead the university.

How far we follow what we say. We need to change from now if we want to be in front. No Action Talking Only (NATO) may be over. Bahasa Melayu should be leading now including in Science and Technology if those in the structure are truly walking. Many are just talking and makan gaji only. We have to be on the move and following the world trend. Those langage activists do not blame others if you are in the structure are not strong enough and fail to plan strategically. You must be strong and enough quality if you want people to follow you. World is moving fast and we cannot wait. Other wise we are left behind.

Active and healthy life is an important thing that the young generation need to look for. With current technologies and life style encourage more unhealthy life. Technology should support our life for better health. Hospitals bills, insurance, and related services are becoming expensive. Many are forgotten about this because in many cases supported by the government. Business people always interfere in between for their business interest. Therefore our plan for better and healthy life should be plan from young age.

may be this event can be another opportunity to develop new networking and helping younger generations to collaborate with top scientist in the world. This event working together with world water experts.

Happy or stress when ranking went up. Better ranking should attract more international students and expected more money for better salary, more promotion, research grants, more post doc, etc. to make staff more happy and appreciates. anyway congratulation UPM.

getting together is very important to strengthen the team. to bring professionals together as one team is not that easy. BUT the most challenge is to continue the agreement that already established. We may forgotten.all the ideas and strategies especially the leading characters are no more in the team. New leaders must determine to continue the mission REBRANDING the Department.

The Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences (DBES) at Qatar University College of Arts and Sciences hosted the 11th Qatar University Life Sciences Symposium (QULSS 2017) on December 3-4. 2017. Water in Qatar is very limited. They need high technologies in water for high demand of water for industries, agriculture and daily life.

National Geographic Channel reptile expert Dr. Brady Barr is the first scientist ever to capture and study all 23 species of crocodilians in the wild. For more than 15 years and through 50 countries, his goal has been to get hands-on experience with crocs in their natural habitats in order to understand how best to preserve them in the wild. Approximately one-third of all croc species are endangered and Barr’s extraordinary achievement brings worldwide attention to their plight. His latest scientific expedition takes him to Indonesia, where he attempts to answer questions surrounding a cave-dwelling population of reticulated pythons

Dr. Brady Barr and me at Zoo Negara. I was the Vice President of Malaysian Zoological Society. Malaysian Zoological Society managing Zoo Negara at Hulu Kelang. National Geographic Reptile Expert Dr. Brady Barr visited Zoo Negara on 3rd and 4th August 2006 to highlight his passion on reptiles to school children in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. http://zoonegaramalaysia.my/diaryBrady.html

Thank you for all supporters. We need to share findings and citing the publication especially the young ones need to be more aggressive in reading, research, publications and citing.

The second series of Young Environmental Research Grant, (YERG 2017) is now open for applications. The Young Environmental Research Grant (YERG) is an initiative by the Malaysian Nature Society funded by HSBC to inoculate a sense of appreciation and conservation of Malaysia’s natural heritage through science and research. This is to encourage young scientists to do research on nature and conservation issues.

Networking is important for more collaboration in common interest.

Do not stop appreciating nature and search more secrets in nature.for health or poison. for human benefit or for the environment that haman live in.

One thing about British they respect and appreciate their scholars. They have an annual gathering to get together among chevening recipients.

Many of our professors studied overseas, Why they don't contribute this kind of ideas to our local universities. More green and relax environment.

The above pictures are from essex University taken three years a go.

How far we have the data on plastic bags, plastic containers and microplastics in our environment especially in the coastal environment. Microplastic in coastal environment is known to cause hazard to marine life such as fish, squid, turtle, sea birds, dolphin, whales and shore birds. Government should take serious actions in controlling plastic pollution in coastal environment.

Biology students must go the field especially those who are following the courses like animal diversity, wildlife ecology and tropical ecology.

Cooperative institutions now need more creative and innovative in order to survive with new mode of business, internet, service to your door and competitive systems. How science and software development can help? Managers of cooperative organisation must be brave enough to venture new things.

Elephant dung probably can tell us more about how to manage elephant in modern world. A lot of things we can explore to have better understanding about elephant in the tropical rain forest. Ladies involvement probably will encourage more research in wildlife. Do not worry about ladies involvement in wildlife studies in the jungle. With new technologies, innovation and creativity all can do better to fill the gaps in wildlife research.

What is our preparation for 4th Industrial Revolution.

Very lucky have a meeting with the High Commissioner of India Mr Tirumurti. Presenting to his team including the Ambassadors from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan on Ulu Muda.

Very fortunate to watch movie Kadvi Hawa at GSC Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, a simple movie to promote awareness on water and drought.

In the picture the director next to me and the main actor number 3 from left.

Thank you for those supporting me in organising Seminar Ekologi Malaysia 2017. This is the third in the series. Thank you Fellow Academy Science Prof Emeritus Dato Dr Latif Mnhamad, Prof Datuk Dr Tajudin Abdullah. Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd Nooe, Prof Dr Mashhor Mansor for their support. I hope I am doing right thins to promote young ecologist in Malaysia.