WILDLIFE HEALTH AND CONSERVATION

Pengenalan

Programme Leader : 1. Prof. Dato' Dr. Abdul Rani Bahaman Name of Co-Researchers: 2. Professor Dr. Abdul Wahid Haron - 3. Dr. Reuben Sunil Kumar Sharma - (Parasitology and Wildlife) 4. Assoc. Professor Dr. Hassan Mohd Daud - (Aquaculture) 5. Professor Dr. Md Zuki Abu Bakar - (Deputy Director of Institut Biosains) 6. Associate Professor Dr. Shaik Mohd. Amin Babjee - (Veterinary Parasitology, wildlife) 7. Associate Professor Dr. Jalila Abu - (Avian Medicine) 8. Dr. Tengku Rinalfi Tengku - (Wildlife Management) 9. Dr. Azlan Che Mat - (Wildlife Health) 10. Dr. Sumita Sugnaseelan - (Animal Behaviour) Synopsis: Malaysia has a very rich biodiversity which has not been fully exploited to create wealth and a healthy society. With deforestation, illegal hunting, and other detrimental activities, the wildlife population is dwindling to very low level and for some species, it is almost to extinction. There is an urgent need to protect and sustain the wildlife population. Other than creating parks and sanctuaries for wildlife, there is an urgent need for research on captive breeding with the intention of releasing surplus animals back to the wild. Wildlife has a lot of potentials for wealth creation, job opportunities, socio-economic development and most important, it can help promote the well being of the society. If properly organized it could create entrepreneurs and alleviate the socio-economic status of the rural areas. Research will focus on the biology of wildlife which encompasses 5 fundamental areas (behavior, nutrition, genetics, breeding and health) and captive breeding which is the way forward for conservation of wildlife. Being in the veterinary school and the Centre for Wildlife Research and Conservation, this programme will attract researchers from within the country and internationally to conduct their research in UPM. The Centre has strong linkages with wildlife departments, zoos and sanctuaries that could easily facilitate collaborative and multidisciplinary research projects. Keywords: Wildlife, research, conservation Research Highlights: The research group has obtained grants for 3 projects amounting to RM2,500,000.00. Has established very strong networking with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Wildlife Department, Zoos and Sanctuaries in Malaysia and overseas. This has facilitated linkages for collaboration, co-operation in research, training, and exchange of manpower. Has signed two MOUs, one with the Wildlife Department (Perhilitan) and the other with the World Wide Fund (Malaysia). Has planned developmental projects for UPM (UPM as a Wildlife Sanctuary, Urban Wildlife Sanctuary Model, Wildlife Corridors, Wildlife Breeding Centre) as well as fundamental research on wildlife (behavior, nutrition, genetics, breeding, health). It has evolved to be a leading research platform attracting researchers to conduct their research in UPM. Current Projects: Biology, captive breeding and conservation of the Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus). MOSTI. RM 1,531,000.00. Genetic characterization and advance reproductive biotechnology of Malaysian Barking Deer (Kijang) in developing it as an alternative food source, a model for ruminant health research and agro-tourism. MOSTI. RM 646,000.00. Establishing the identity of the Malaysian Red Jungle fowl (Gallus gallus spadiceus) through molecular, morphological and ecological character states. MOSTI. RM 460,000.00. Recent Publications: Peacock, L., Ferris, V., Sharma, R.S.K, Sunter, J., Bailey, M., Carrington, M. and Gibson, W. (2011). Identification of the meiotic life cycle stage of Trypanosoma brucei in the tsetse fly. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). 108(9):3671-3676. (Impact factor 9.771). Sharma, R.S.K., Gluenz, E., Peacock, L., Gibson, W., Gull, K. And Carrington, M. (2009). The heart of darkness: Growth and form of Trypanosoma brucei in the tsetse fly. Trends in Parasitology. 25(11):517-524. (Impact factor 4.690) Jones, N.G., Nietlispach, D., Sharma, R.S.K, Burke, D., Eyres, I., Mues, M., Mott, H.R. and Carrington, M. (2008). Structure of a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored domain from a trypanosome variant surface glycoprotein. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 283(6): 3584-3593. (Impact factor 5.581) El-Sayed, N.M. and Sharma, R.S.K. (2005). The genome sequence of Trypanosoma cruzi, etiologic agent of Chagas disease. Science. 309(5733):409-415. (Impact factor 30.927) Nazeri, M., Jusoff, K., Madani, N., Mahmud, A.R., Bahaman, A.R. and Kumar, L. (2012): Predictive modellling and mapping of Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) distribution using maximum entropy. PLOS ONE 7: 1-9. (Impact factor 3.78).