Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
  • HOME
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Our Journey
    • Events >
      • Past events
    • Meet Our Crew
    • Visit us
    • Our Work >
      • Animal Welfare
      • Ecotourism
      • Rehabilitation
      • Conservation actions
      • Research
      • Education >
        • Virtual Field Trip For Schools >
          • (MALAY) Lawatan Maya Beruang Madu Untuk Pelajar
          • (ENGLISH) Virtual Field Trip for Schools
      • Partners and Supporters
  • Sun Bears
    • Sun bear facts
    • Meet our bears
  • Resources
    • Sun Bear Wallpapers - Free For You
    • Learning Materials
    • Newsletter
    • Annual Report
    • Press
  • Bear Talk Blog
  • Adopt
    • My Bear Adoption
    • Share Bear Adoption
    • Gifts With Meaning
  • Donate
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer programme
    • Volunteer Stories
  • SHOP
  • 首頁
  • 關於我們
    • 總覽
    • 中心的歷程
    • 我們的使命 >
      • 動物福利
      • 復育計劃
      • 馬來熊與生態教育
      • 馬來熊研究
      • 生態旅遊
    • 團隊介紹
    • 支持與合作機構/團體
    • 探訪本中心 >
      • 活動
      • 過往活動
  • 馬來熊
    • 馬來熊常識
    • 中心裡的馬來熊
  • 資源
    • 馬來熊電腦桌面背景壁紙(免費下載)
    • 教學資料
    • 時事通訊
    • 年度報告
    • 新聞/媒體
  • 助養馬來熊
    • 馬來熊「熊之友」助養計劃
    • 馬來熊「共同助養計劃」
    • 送馬來熊禮物
  • 捐款
  • 志工活動
    • 參與志工活動
    • 志工的故事
  • 購物
  • 聯絡我們
  • 首页
  • 关于我们
    • 总览
    • 中心的历程
    • 我们的使命 >
      • 动物福利
      • 复育计划
      • 马来熊与生态教育
      • 马来熊研究
      • 生态旅游
    • 团队介绍
    • 支持与合作机构/团体
    • 探访本中心 >
      • 活动
      • 过往活动
  • 马来熊
    • 马来熊常识
    • 中心里的马来熊
  • 资源
    • 马来熊电脑桌面背景壁纸(免费下载)
    • 教学资料
    • 时事通讯
    • 年度报告
    • 新闻/媒体
  • 助养马来熊
    • 马来熊“熊之友”助养计划
    • 马来熊“共同助养计划”
    • 送马来熊礼物
  • 捐款
  • 志工活动
    • 参与志工活动
    • 志工的故事
  • 购物
  • 联络我们
  • ホーム
  • BSBCCについて
    • 概要
    • 私たちの歩み
    • 活動内容 >
      • 動物福祉
      • エコツーリズム
      • 教育
      • 保全活動
      • 研究
      • リハビリテーション
      • パートナー & 支援者
    • スタッフ紹介
    • イベント
    • 訪れる
  • マレーグマ
    • マレーグマ知識
    • マレーグマ紹介
  • 情報
    • デスクトップ用壁紙(無料)
    • 学習教材
    • ニュースレター「マレーグマの声」
    • 年間報告書
    • 報道
  • 里親プログラム
    • 里親になる
    • みんなで里親になろう
    • マレーグマへの贈り物
  • 寄付
  • ボランティア
    • ボランティア
    • ボランティア体験談
Picture

HELP US, SUPPORT US​

Sun bears are listed as Vulnerable in IUCN Redlist​
ADOPT OUR SUN BEARS
DONATE NOW

From bird watching to sun bear conservation….A twenty years of journey in wildlife conservation

25/6/2009

0 Comments

 
Picture
It all begins at the fall of 1989 when I first came to Taiwan from Malaysia to continue by college education. I recalled it was the second day of my college life in National Pingtung Agriculture College when I saw the poster of Bird Watching Club (BWC), posted at the notice board of the 1st Restaurant, announcing its first meeting of the semester and recruitment for new members. The poster caught my attention because of the word “Bird”. At that time, I never knew there was an activity call “bird watching”. What I did know about birds was keeping cage birds for amusing or bird singing, the hobby that I have been doing for few years at that time-keeping and breeding birds. The first impression after seeing that poster was “what a COOL student club!” As always, the first feeling toward something is always the right of choice: I am going to join them!
Picture
Sure enough, Bird Watching Club at National Pingtung Agriculture College, which later upgrade to National Pingtung Polytechnic Institute, and finally Nation Pingtung University of Science and Technology, has become an important part of my two years college’s life in Taiwan. I saw and recognized my first brown shrike during a morning bird watching activity here in the campus; I did the first bird interpretation for visitors, raptor count and New Year Bird Count at Kenting National Park in southern tip of Taiwan; and get to know Prof. Kurtis Pei who was the advisor of the BWC, and of course, fallen in love with Sun Chia-Chien, my wife, all under the activities and name of BWC.
Picture
Picture
We called ourselves “Bird People” or “birders”. We carry a pair of binoculars and spotting scope wherever we were going and trying to identify every single feathered creature we saw. Through my binoculars, I saw, learned, and appreciated the beauty of nature and our feathered friends, and what the Creator has given to this world to make it more colorful and joyful. However, also through the same pair of binoculars, I saw the unlawful activities of mist netting and poaching of birds. That was the first time I was introduced to the word “conservation” and later on, “endangered species”, and then “wildlife research”.
Picture
Picture
My interest on these three topics multiplied during the two years I worked as research assistant for Prof. Pei, involving various research projects including wildlife surveys, radio-telemetry study of barking deer at Little Ghost Lake area, camera trapping, and also taking care of orangutans and other endangered species at the newly established Pingtung Rescue Center for Endangered Species.
Picture
In 1994, I quitted Pei’s lab and further continue my education majoring in Wildlife Biology at University of Montana, USA. It was considered as a “difficult task” for many people from ordinary Asian family. The same year, I met my then future academic advisor, Dr. Christopher Servheen, who was looking for a Malaysian student to conduct an ecological study on sun bears. I took the challenge and later became a mission. In 1998, I stated the field work for my M.Sc. project, studying the ecology of Malayan sun bears in Danum Valley, a lowland rainforest of Borneo. For the first time, the study revealed the mysterious life history of this little known bear and many ecological aspects of Bornean rainforest. The study did answered what I plan to answer at the first place. However, it also generated a series of desperate questions and urgent needs to do more conservation and research works for sun bears in Southeast Asia: sun bears remain the least known bears and one of least studied large mammal in Southeast Asia. Their habitat, the lowland tropical forest, is disappearing at alarming rate due to illegal and unsustainable logging, human development, and large-scale conversion to agriculture land, especially into oil-palm plantation in Malaysia and Indonesia. ​
Picture
In 2002, I started my doctorate program at the same university. In view of there were so much unknown about sun bears and issue with logging, I decided to study the effects of logging on sun bears and bearded pigs at Danum Valley, the same study area where I did my MSc study in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo. The three years of field started in 2005 and ended in 2008. Like most studies on large mammals, the fieldwork has face tremendous challenges and difficulties. We sweated, bled, cried, and even lost our life working in one of the harshest place on the planet.
Picture
Picture
Although the focus of my studies was on wild sun bears, I never forgot about the unfortunate condition for captive sun bears that I came across over the years. These captive sun bears were all in desperate needs of help from us. These bears were kept as pets because of their cuteness when small and relatively small size. They were all kept in small cages, unhygienic environment, and in some places were completely disgusting! Some were cubs, some were full grown adults, and some were old individuals. All of them suffered from serious stereotypic behavior, pacing all day long if there were any room in their tiny cage for them to pace. Seeing these bears in these captive conditions were completely heartbroken. However, I choose to find them, see more of them, and learn more about the stories behind them. This is how the idea of Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, BSBCC, first came in to my mind. BSBCC is the conservation project that I am working now in Sabah. The centre aim to conserve, to research, to introduce and to educate the public about sun bears and their plights. In short, BSBCC is one of the very first project in the world to help sun bear and to raise awareness to conserve this forgotten bear species.
Picture
Sun bear like most wildlife is forest dependent species. They simply cannot survive outside the forest. My experience working in Southeast Asia shows desperate situation for the continuation and survival of both wildlife and local forests. Much more work is needed to ensure the long-term survival of the native wildlife and forests. In many parts of Southeast Asia, the tropical forests are disappearing rapidly to a point where too late to do anything. In contrast, due to the economy and political stability, Malaysia still has a chance for conservationists to save the last stronghold of Southeast Asian rainforests and wildlife. We need distinguished biologists to train local students as conservationists and biologists, to educate public and government on the importance of conservation, and to study the flora and fauna in order to understand better its functions. I am and I was, trained as an “animal expert” or wildlife biologist for all these years. I hope to use these knowledge and training to do a great job in my career to conserve wildlife and forests.
Picture
The conservation history of Taiwan has come from a long way from a country where the word “conservation” and “animal welfare” never seem to exist about 20 years ago when I first came to Taiwan, to a conservation model country in Asia. Like my own experience in conservation, it all begin from bird watching and the efforts of “bird people” growing big and strong. I am honored and proud to be a family member of Bird Watching Club, which celebrates her 30th anniversary last year. Today, bird watching no longer simply a “watching birds” activity. In stead, it has become an important starting point to promote conservation, improve environmental quality, and conserve wildlife and wildlife habitat. So next time when we do bird watching with a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope, make sure that we see more than just the birds in the scope. We should see what lies beyond the pretty birds; we should see the wildlife habitats, the environment, and future of their kind and our own kind and how can we do to bring a better future for ALL of us! Lastly, we all should take actions accordingly. We have only one planet, one life, and one time to make things right.
​
Please join me. Together, we can make a difference!
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008

    Categories

    All
    Ace
    Ah Bui
    Ah Chong
    Ah Lun
    Along
    Amaco
    Animal Abuse
    APE Malaysia
    APE Volunteer
    Awareness
    Awareness Programme
    Batik
    BATs Group
    Bear Behavior
    Bear Cub
    Bear Farming
    Bear House
    Bear Keeper
    Bear Moving
    Bear Rescue
    Beartrek
    Behaviour
    Bermuda
    Betung
    Bintang
    BJ
    Boboi
    Bongkud
    Book
    Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
    Borneo
    BSBCC
    BSBCC In The News
    BSBC UK
    Camera-trap
    Captive-diet
    Captivity
    Centre Opening
    Cerah
    Chin
    Cnn Hero
    Community
    Conference
    Confiscated
    Conservation
    Conservation Action Plan
    Construction
    Damai
    Debbie
    Diana
    Dodop
    Donation
    Education
    Enrichment
    Environmental Education
    Exhibition
    Fence Training
    Filming
    Forest Enclosure
    Fulung
    Fundraising
    Gutuk
    Habitat Destruction
    Habitat Loss
    Habitat-loss
    Health Check
    Human Bear Conflict
    Integration
    Internship
    Itam
    Jelita
    Joe
    Judi Dench
    Julaini
    Kala
    Keningau
    Kina
    Kipaku
    Kitud
    Koko
    Kuamut
    Kudat
    Kukuton
    Lawa
    Leap
    Linggam
    Logan
    Logging
    Loki
    Luna
    Mamatai
    Manis
    Mary
    Montom
    Mou-signing
    Move Bear House
    Nano
    Natalie
    New Bear
    New-enclosure
    New-enclosure
    Noah
    Oakland-zoo
    Om
    Outreach
    Outreach Programme
    Panda
    Pangolin
    Performance
    Pet
    Pet Trade
    Phin
    Poaching
    Presentation
    Publication
    Quarantine
    Rainforest
    Rehabilitation
    Reintroduction
    Release
    Research
    Romolina
    Ronney
    Ronnie
    Ronnie Beruang 34
    Rungus
    Sabah
    Sabah Sun Bear Action Plan
    Sabah Tourism
    Sabah Wildlife Department
    Sanctuary
    Save Sun Bear
    Sbct-uk
    Sbct-uk
    School
    School Visit
    Sigalung
    Sika
    Simone
    Soo
    Staff
    Sun Bear
    Sun Bear In A Wild
    Sun Bear In The News
    Sun Bear In The Wild
    Sun Bear Library
    Sunbearo
    Sun Bear Symposium
    Sun-bear-symposium
    Sun-bear-video-blog
    Supporters
    Suria
    Susie
    Susie Beruang 35
    Tabin Wildlife Reserve
    Tan Tan
    Threats
    Toby
    Tokob
    Tree Nest
    Uncategorized
    Vacancies
    Video
    Vip Visitors
    Visit
    Visitor
    Volunteer
    Wai-pak-ng
    Walk Bear
    Wan Wan
    Wawa
    Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997
    Wildlife-disease
    Wildlife Smuggling
    Wildlife-smuggling
    Wildlife Trade
    Wildlife Trafficking
    Wong Siew Te
    Workshop
    Yayasan Sime Darby
    Yearling

    RSS Feed

Have a question or comment? We welcome all enquiries, so please get in touch from any of the methods below:
​
Contact us

Picture
​ info.bsbcc@gmail.com ​
Picture
​+60 89-534491
Write to us at our
​Postal Address

​
BSBCC,
PPM 219, Elopura,
90000 Sandakan, Sabah,
Malaysia
Contact us on our ​Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

​
​
Click the button below
to fill our Contact Form
​
​

CONTACT FORM
  • HOME
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Our Journey
    • Events >
      • Past events
    • Meet Our Crew
    • Visit us
    • Our Work >
      • Animal Welfare
      • Ecotourism
      • Rehabilitation
      • Conservation actions
      • Research
      • Education >
        • Virtual Field Trip For Schools >
          • (MALAY) Lawatan Maya Beruang Madu Untuk Pelajar
          • (ENGLISH) Virtual Field Trip for Schools
      • Partners and Supporters
  • Sun Bears
    • Sun bear facts
    • Meet our bears
  • Resources
    • Sun Bear Wallpapers - Free For You
    • Learning Materials
    • Newsletter
    • Annual Report
    • Press
  • Bear Talk Blog
  • Adopt
    • My Bear Adoption
    • Share Bear Adoption
    • Gifts With Meaning
  • Donate
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer programme
    • Volunteer Stories
  • SHOP
  • 首頁
  • 關於我們
    • 總覽
    • 中心的歷程
    • 我們的使命 >
      • 動物福利
      • 復育計劃
      • 馬來熊與生態教育
      • 馬來熊研究
      • 生態旅遊
    • 團隊介紹
    • 支持與合作機構/團體
    • 探訪本中心 >
      • 活動
      • 過往活動
  • 馬來熊
    • 馬來熊常識
    • 中心裡的馬來熊
  • 資源
    • 馬來熊電腦桌面背景壁紙(免費下載)
    • 教學資料
    • 時事通訊
    • 年度報告
    • 新聞/媒體
  • 助養馬來熊
    • 馬來熊「熊之友」助養計劃
    • 馬來熊「共同助養計劃」
    • 送馬來熊禮物
  • 捐款
  • 志工活動
    • 參與志工活動
    • 志工的故事
  • 購物
  • 聯絡我們
  • 首页
  • 关于我们
    • 总览
    • 中心的历程
    • 我们的使命 >
      • 动物福利
      • 复育计划
      • 马来熊与生态教育
      • 马来熊研究
      • 生态旅游
    • 团队介绍
    • 支持与合作机构/团体
    • 探访本中心 >
      • 活动
      • 过往活动
  • 马来熊
    • 马来熊常识
    • 中心里的马来熊
  • 资源
    • 马来熊电脑桌面背景壁纸(免费下载)
    • 教学资料
    • 时事通讯
    • 年度报告
    • 新闻/媒体
  • 助养马来熊
    • 马来熊“熊之友”助养计划
    • 马来熊“共同助养计划”
    • 送马来熊礼物
  • 捐款
  • 志工活动
    • 参与志工活动
    • 志工的故事
  • 购物
  • 联络我们
  • ホーム
  • BSBCCについて
    • 概要
    • 私たちの歩み
    • 活動内容 >
      • 動物福祉
      • エコツーリズム
      • 教育
      • 保全活動
      • 研究
      • リハビリテーション
      • パートナー & 支援者
    • スタッフ紹介
    • イベント
    • 訪れる
  • マレーグマ
    • マレーグマ知識
    • マレーグマ紹介
  • 情報
    • デスクトップ用壁紙(無料)
    • 学習教材
    • ニュースレター「マレーグマの声」
    • 年間報告書
    • 報道
  • 里親プログラム
    • 里親になる
    • みんなで里親になろう
    • マレーグマへの贈り物
  • 寄付
  • ボランティア
    • ボランティア
    • ボランティア体験談