Branch Talk: 3 Lunar Years of Tiger Conservation (1998-2022)
Date: Saturday, 10th September 2022
Time: 9.30am—1.30pm
Speaker: Dr Kae Kawanishi
Venue: Auditorium, Rimba Ilmu, Universiti Malaya
Pre-register at: https://bit.ly/TigerTalk2022
Inquiries: branch@mnsselangorbranch.org
“I came to Malaysia in 1998 with a dream of tracking the ultimate wildness of the ancient rainforest - tigers in Taman Negara, and of helping Malaysia save the tiger from extinction. As a conservation biologist, I have studied the process of the Malayan tiger’s extinction. Has it crossed the threshold of no return?”
- Dr Kae Kawanishi
Join MNS Selangor Branch as it hosts Dr Kae Kawanishi’s 200th tiger talk on "3 Lunar Years of Tiger Conservation (1998-2022): MNS’s role in saving Malayan Tigers"
This closed-door presentation is only open to valid Malaysian Nature Society members and MYCAT invited guests only. Media requests will not be entertained.
Malaysian Nature Society’s relationship with Dr Kae, General Manager of Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT), goes back to 2003. She began her journey on tiger conservation in 1995 in Russian Far East when she was a MSc student, and 1998 in Malaysia as a PhD student from University of Florida. After the joint research with Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN) on tiger ecology in Taman Negara between 1998 and 2001, she joined PERHILITAN for three years as a contract officer. During that time in 2003, she instigated MYCAT to bring the government and NGOs together towards the common goal of saving the Malayan Tiger. In the early 2000s, after visiting many tiger projects and wildlife reserves in India, Nepal, Indonesia, and Thailand, she concluded that Malaysia has a good chance of recovering her tiger populations. Was she wrong?
In the second Lunar Year of the Tiger in 2010, out of desperation to fill the gap in “boots on the ground,” MYCAT began engaging members of the public to protect tigers and other large mammals from deadly snares and deforestation under the Citizen Action for Tigers (CAT) Walk. CAT Walk is an anti-poaching and anti-deforestation surveillance walk conducted by volunteers at a critical tiger habitat. CAT Walk successfully democratised tiger conservation, and tigers are recovering. More than 2,100 people from 38 countries came to protect tigers and the earliest CAT Walkers were nature guides and birders from MNS Selangor Branch.
Dr Kae rarely gives a public talk nowadays but to thank MNS members for their contribution towards saving tigers, she will report the impact of the past 12 years of CAT Walk at this closed-door presentation to pre-registered MNS members and guests by invitation only. Then she will have an honest conversation where the Malayan tiger is headed.
Limited seats. Last day to pre-register to secure your seat is 8th Sept. Disclaimer: some visuals will not be suitable for children.
Programme:
9.30 am Registration (pre-registered members please bring your MNS membership cards/MYCAT invited guests only)
10.00 am Welcome by MNS Selangor Branch
10.10am Talk by Dr Kae Kawanishi
11.00 am Q&A followed by Refreshments
1.00pm Cash refund of RM30/member/MYCAT invited guest
MNS Selangor Branch Bird Group, MNS on behalf of the Orang Asli women of Temenggor Forest Reserve and MYCAT will have merchandise on sale before and after the talk.