Branch Talk: Small Mammals
MNS Selangor Branch Talk: Small Mammals
Speakers: Dr Jayaraj Vijaya Kumaran and Dr Chong Ju Lian
Date: Friday, 12th April
Venue: MNS HQ Auditorium
Time: 8pm
MNS Selangor Branch has invited Dr Jayaraj Vijaya Kumaran from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan and Dr Chong Ju Lian from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu to talk about small mammals. All MNS members are welcomed.
Dr Raj will speak about "Studying small mammal in the canopy strata of Malaysian rainforests; current direction, technologies and public participation" while Dr Chong will share her "Reflections on Pangolins – Where do we stand?"
Dr Raj is a small mammal biologist who started his career studying bats in the deepest jungles of Borneo. In the past few years, he has ventured in to studying other small mammals particularly on non–volant small mammals that are found in the understorey. However this has led him to revisit his interest in studying flying mammals in the canopy, strata in the forest least studied. As an aspiring taxonomist, his interest has always been about taxonomy of small mammals particularly in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. He uses a variety of methods to study these ecologically important organisms and has ventured into new cutting edge technologies in recent years. In his talk he will be sharing his research direction on canopy mammals, the important role of technology in this adventure and how the public can participate and support research on these mammals.
Dr Chong Ju Lian graduated with Doctor of Philosophy (Genetics) from the National University of Malaysia (UKM) in 2007 and with Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours In Zoology) in 2001 from the same university. Currently, she is holding the post of Senior Lecturer (DS52) in Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, specialising in Zoology and Genetics with keen interest in Wildlife Management and Conservation Biology. She is currently based at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia as a lecturer and researcher. Her research interests are various and include the critically endangered Sunda or Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica). The Sunda or Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica Desmarest) is one of the eight pangolin species found in Asia and Africa, and is the only pangolin species found in Malaysia. Currently, it is classified as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List due to poaching, overharvesting and habitat loss. As ‘the most trafficked animal in the world’ evidenced by massive seizures of pangolin scales, dead and live pangolins worldwide in recent years, its unfortunate plight received massive attention around the world but yet this animal remains. In this talk, she reflects on the past, present, and future of this elusive yet enigmatic animal.