UMT, UKM collaborate on night safari programme
THE Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development (BIO-D TROPIKA) at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) hosted students from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) for a collaborative programme recently.
Held along the nature trail of UMT’s Kenyir Lake Natural Research Station in Hulu Terengganu, the programme — comprising field work as well as a night safari — saw the participation of 57 students taking health and community courses under the Social Anthropology Programme at UKM’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities together with their lecturer Dr Vivien Yew Wong Chin.
During the day, the students carried out field work activities at Kampung Basong, Kuala Berang. They interviewed villagers on health components such as dietary patterns and the use of traditional and modern medicine.
In the evening, the students followed the Night Safari Programme organised by BIO-D TROPIKA, with the aim to increase the students’ knowledge of the ecosystem. Fourteen UMT workers, a total of four staff and three graduates from BIO-D TROPIKA, and
seven final year students of the Biodiversity Science Programme at UMT’s School of Marine Science and Environment (PPSMS) helped coordinate the programme, supervised by BIO-D TROPIKA director Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah.
The UKM students were divided into five groups, making it easy to facilitate their movement throughout the night safari. The activity began at 8.00 pm at the Kenyir Lake Natural Research Station nature trail and ended at around 12 midnight.
During the programme BIO-D TROPIKA graduate student Hasrulzaman Hassan Basri gave a talk on Introduction to Chiroptera, which is basically a briefing on bats as well as related exhibits.
Meanwhile, BIO-D TROPIKA assistant registrar Muhammad Syahrunizan Abdul Rashid elaborated on the role of the institute.
The group from UKM came away with a greater awareness on nature’s ecosystem, biodiversity and the environment.
1.Programme participants looking at exhibits on display at Kenyir Lake Natural Research Station. 2. Listening to a briefing on safety before embarking on the night safari. 3. Hasrulzaman Hassan Basri giving his talk titled Introduction to Chiroptera. 4. The visitors from UKM listening intently to Muhammad Syahrunizan Abdul Rashid’s explanation on BIO-D TROPIKA. 5. A group picture comprising participants from UKM and the UMT hosts. 6. A UKM student taking a closer look at one of the specimens on exhibit.