Nerdy Science Blog

From UNIMAS (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak) Website

Theme : Zoonoses, Environment and Wildlife Ecological Dynamics
Date : 21st-22nd January 2008
Vanue :Centre for Academic Information Services (CAIS) Auditorium, UNIMAS
IMPORTANT NOTES:
+ Abstract of no more than 250 words by 20th November 2007 and Extended Abstracts by 20th December 2007
Organised by : Faculty of Resource Sciences and Technology
Contact Person / Email : abdullahmt@gmail.com , yeelingchong@gmail.com , khgandy@gmail.com , hratnawati@frst.unimas.my
Brochure : Brochure Zoonosis Symposium UNIMAS

Introduction:

The recent emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic diseases (e.g. Japanese encephalitis and Nipah viral infections, knowlesi malaria) in Malaysia emphasises the urgent need to identify infective agents in wildlife, study their transmission to humans and understand the complex epidemiological and ecological mechanisms that directly impact on the health of wildlife and humans. The Regional Zoonoses and Emerging Infectious Diseases Symposium will be held at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak Centre for Academic Information Services (CAIS) Auditorium from 21st – 22nd January 2008 with the theme “Zoonoses, Environment and Wildlife Ecological Dynamics”. The main objectives of the Symposium are:

• To assemble, understand, document and disseminate previous and current state of knowledge from various researchers dealing with animal-related pathogens that are zoonotic and potentially zoonotic.
• To understand the gaps in our knowledge of the human-animal interface in the promotion of good human and wildlife health
• To initiate greater collaboration among Malaysian and international scientists in the promotion of good environmental management for the control of zoonotic diseases.

The fees are RM 350 (USD 100) for the Researchers and RM 250 (~USD 75)  for the students.
(pdf)

Received an email from PK Tan, editor in chief for Malaysia Travel Guide, hoping more people are aware of the wildlife conservation.

• 14% of Malaysia’s mammals are listed by The World Conservation Union (IUCN) as endangered
  30 species of turtle ever discovered, only 7 are left.
• Less than 1,500 Borneo Pygmy elephants are found in the world.
• It is estimated that there are less than 20 Sumatran rhinoceros left in Borneo.
• The Bornean species of orangutan is highly endangered, and the Sumatran species is critically endangered, according to the IUCN Red List of mammals, and both are listed on Appendix I of CITES.

How can you help?

• On the 1st Jan 2008: Blog / Write a post that relates to the Malaysia wildlife conservation. It can be to do with your usual topic or totally just about a Malaysia wildlife conservation issue.
• Inform other people about this campaign and explaining it in terms they understand.
• Support the campaign: Add our banner to your site and spread the word.

I will be writing one post on both my personal blog and this blog to support this campaign. Hope you all can participate in this campaign as well. We can’t re-educate people, but we can make people aware of this issue through mouth spreading.

Visit: Malaysia Wildlife Conservation Awareness Campaign