Bio-logging Science in Malaysia for Milky Stork Conservation

First bio-logging science activity on birds in Malaysia was started by Prof Dr. Ahmad Ismail from UPM in collaboration with The University of Tokyo and National Polar Research Institute, Japan. The first project was done at Zoo Negara using milky and painted stork. The bio-logging science is a tool and techniques to understand behaviour and ecology of individual animal which very important in understanding ecology, behaviour and physiology for conservation purposes. Bio-logging a recent aspect of conservation science allows researchers to acquire animal-based information i.e. animal behavior and its surrounding habitat, which otherwise is difficult to obtain. Bio-loggers are miniaturized electronic devices (micro data loggers) which are attached to free-living animals for a specific period of time and permit to gather multiple and precious data by recovery of the logger which gets detached after the specified time. Bio-logging study has been conducted primarily on animals like Swim Bladder Fish, Sunfish, Penguins, Waterfowl and Free-ranging sea birds. These bio-loggers were developed at University of Tokyo and were attached on the animals to monitor their movement. Our next study will be on milky stork in cage and later in the wild at Kuala Gula Perak.