6 research outputs found
Abundance of primates in Ayer Hitam Forest, Puchong, Selangor
No full textA study on the abundance and distribution of primates was conducted in Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, Puchong, Selangor (AHFR). The main objective of this study was to examine the species composition and density of primates in the area. A total of nine transect lines were established and each line was walked four times during the study period. The total length of transect walked was 34,080 meters. The density was calculated using DISTANCE program V 2.2. The result showed that only five species of primates from a total of ten species present in Peninsular Malaysia were recorded. The species recorded were Presbytis melalophos (Banded-leaf Monkey), P. obscura (Duskyleaf Monkey), Hylobates lar (White-handed Gibbon), Macaca nemestrina (Pig-tailed Macaque) and M. fascicularis (Long-tailed Macaque) with the densities of 0.21, 0.09, 0.08, 0.07 and 0.04 individuals per hectare, respectively. The largest group size was demonstrated by P. melalophos (4.0 individuals/group) followed by M. fascicularis (2.6 individuals/group), P. obscura (2.5 individuals/group), H. lar (2.3 individuals/group) and M. nemestrina (1.6 individuals/group). The group density of all primates was 0.19 groups/ha. The density and group size of primates in AHFR are relatively lower compared to other areas in Peninsular Malaysia. Illegal hunting and over hunting activities by the Orang Asli and the shrinking forest size may contribute to the low density of primates in AHFR
First Captive Born Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica Demarest, 1822) in Malaysia
No full textSunda pangolin (Manis javanica Desmarest, 1822), also known as Malayan or
Javan pangolin, is one of four species of pangolin available in Asia that includes
Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata E. Geoffroy, 1803), Chinese pangolin
(Manis pentadactyla Linnaeus, 1758), and Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis
de Elera, 1915). The remaining four species are from the African lineage, which
are the white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis Rafinesque, 1821), African
black-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla Linnaeus, 1766), Giant pangolin
(Smutsia gigantean Illiger, 1815), and Temminck's pangolin (Smutsia temminckii
Smuts, 1832). Figure 1 shows the species ranges of the pangolin species on the
African and Asian continents
EFFECTS OF PREFERENCE AND NUTRITIONAL VALUES OF LOCAL BAMBOO TOWARDS GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF CAPTIVE GIANT PANDAS (AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA) IN ZOO NEGARA, MALAYSIA
No full textTwo captive giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) were observed for nutritional preferences over a period of seven months from 21st May until 31st December 2014 at the Zoo Negara Malaysia. Nutritional analyses were conducted on six local bamboo species which were fed to both pandas. It is evident in the present study that they prefer the culms of Dendrocalamus asper followed by culms of Bambusa vulgaris and bamboo leaves from Dendrocalamus asper, Bambusa vulgaris f. waminii and Thyrsostachys seamensis. Their preferences towards these local bamboo species correspond to the different nutrient values which contained high fibre in the culms and high protein and fat in the leaves. The overall feeding behaviour were well established and the growth performances were satisfactory suggesting that they have successfully adapted to the feeding regime. The pandas were observed to be in good health, active and alert with these bamboo diets throughout the study period
Mycological isolation from animal enclosures and environments in National Wildlife Rescue Centre and National Zoo, Malaysia
No full textIt is important to provide a baseline of fungal composition in the captive wildlife environment to better understand their role in overall wildlife health. The objectives were to identify species of fungi existing within wildlife animal enclosures and their environment at the National Wildlife Rescue Centre (NWRC) and the National Zoo, Malaysia and to describe their medical and veterinary importance. Samples of air, wall or floor swab, enrichment swab and soil were taken from the animal enclosures, exercise yard and enrichments at NWRC and National Zoo respectively. All samples including those pre-treated samples were plated onto Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar (SDA). Numerous fungi were grown on all sampling SDA plates regardless by either single or multiple growth. Samples of air in both NWRC and National Zoo had the highest growth of Penicillium spp. with a prevalence of 31.2% and 83.7% respectively. Samples of swab from the wall, floor and enrichments were predominantly by Candida spp. (42.6%) in NWRC and Penicillium spp. (41.6%) in the National Zoo. Prevalence of multiple fungi isolated from the soil samples in NWRC were 57.9% and yeast species was the most common in National Zoo with a prevalence of 88.9%. Overall, 29 and 8 isolates were found in both samples from the NWRC and National Zoo with a predominant species of potential zoonotic fungi have been identified in both premises. The expected fungus Aspergillus spp. was not isolated in all samples in NWRC. Prevalent fungal species found in this study are known to cause disease in animals and humans as primary pathogen and also as opportunistic pathogens that may also cause infection. Thus, health safety precautions should be considered particularly in dealing with conservation of endangered wildlife species, along with personnel and public involvements
Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats
No full textIn an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security
