Preface

5th International Conference on Tropical Resources and Sustainable Sciences (CTReSS 5.0) is an annual event organised by the Faculty of Earth Science, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan and has garnered more than 500 participants since 2020. This year, FSB is honoured to coorganise CTReSS 5.0 with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN). CTReSS 5.0 and 5 Keynote and Plenary Speakers who shared their insights on the latest trends in biodiversity conservation, green medicine and geoscience

Bats of Mount Penrisen, Padawan, Sarawak

We surveyed bats near the Hornbill Golf and Jungle Club Resort in the highland area of Mount Penrissen from 27 to 29 January 2005. We caught 38 individuals of 8 species in ten mist-nets and one harp-trap during two trapping nights. These represent new distributional records forMount Penrisen (Payne et al., 1998)

A new record of Chaerephone johorensis at Mount Jerai, Kedah, Malaysia

Chaerephonjohorensis, a wrinkled lipped bat ofthe family molossidae was recorded in mount Jerai, Kedah. this new record for Kedah was caught at hutan Lipur air terjun Batu hampar. this species was previously recorded in Krau wildlife reserve, taman negara, Johor (type locality) and a single locality in sumatra. this new record extends the current distribution of this species right up to northwest of Peninsular malaysia. Other notable discovery includes 25 species of small mammals

Dark Clouds Ahead? Anecdotal evidence for an illegal live trade in Sunda Neofelis diardi and Indochinese N. nebulosa Clouded Leopards (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae)

The Sunda Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi) and Indochinese Clouded Leopard (N. nebulosa) are medium-sized felids native to tropical south and southeast Asia. In 2019, we began investigating the trade in Clouded Leopards and their parts in Asia. This was partly inspired by social media posts of an apparent pet Sunda Clouded Leopard. Investigations continued with respect to how and where Clouded Leopards are sold on social media and other digital platforms. We discovered several social media posts and local language news articles, that we believe are indicative of an illegal live trade in Sunda Clouded Leopards in Indonesia. While fewer instances of trade in Indochinese Clouded Leopards have been discovered thus far, patterns of trade in other large felids and small carnivores in the region, particularly as influenced by social media, may have implications for future live trade in Indochinese Clouded Leopards and increased trade in Sunda Clouded Leopards. We recommend that additional international attention and investment of resources, including local, national, and international law enforcement activities, focus their efforts on the growing trade in Clouded Leopards

Diversity and Conservation status of Mammals in Wang Kelian State Park, Perlis, Malaysia

A series of surveys in Wang Kelian State Park, Perlis were carried out since 2009 to 2011 to document the diversity of mammals. Two sampling stations; 1) the Wang Burma cave trail and 2) the Orchard leading to Tasik Meranti were sampled for small mammals using mist-nets, harp traps, cage traps and were accounted through direct observation. The highlight of this study includes new geographic records for Rhinolophus chiewkweeae and Rousettus leschenaultii for the state of Perlis. Additionally, there were also 30 new distributional records of mammals in this protected area, increasing the total known mammals of Wang Kelian State Park to 86 species. Although having poorly known mammals such as R. chiewkweeae and Macaca arctoides in this park, the diversity of mammals in Wang Kelian State Park is still underestimated as the species cumulative curve over time has yet to reach a stationary phase. In conclusion more surveys need to be done especially the northern part of the park near the Malaysia-Thailand border and Tasik Meranti in order to look at possible occurrences of threatened mammals highlighted in this study

Bats of Bako National Park, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo

Two separate assessments on bats diversity were conducted in Bako National Park for about 12 trapping-nights. Our first assessment was conducted from 8th to 12th February 2005 followed by the second assessment on the 28th August to 3rd September 2005. A total of 295 individuals from 22 species of bats were captured using mist-nets and harp traps during the survey, which accumulated to 226 trapping-nights. Hipposideros cervinus was recorded as the most abundance species with 30.85% of total captures. Total of eight new geographic records have been added to this park: Emballonura monticola, Rhinolophus luctus, Hipposideros ater, Hipposideros bicolor, Myotis muricola, Myotis ater, Pipistrellus vondermanni and Kerivoula pellucida. With this additional record, now there are at least 34 species of bats known to occur in Bako National Park. A complete and long term study covering other areas not included in this study would definitely increase bat diversity found in these park

A review of durian plant-bat pollinator interactions

Durian (Durio zibethinus) brings in princely revenue for the fruit economy in Southeast Asia, ushering the current trend of clearing forests for durian plantations. Despite the thorny fruit’s popularity and increasing bat-durian papers, not many associate their vital plant-pollinator relationship. This unfamiliarity has led to the persisting negative connotations of bats as agricultural pests and worse, a disease carrier amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic. This review focuses on the bat-durian relationship comprising botanical insights and pollination ecology in relevance to the wider pteropodid-plant interactions. The majority of the studies compiled have concluded that bats are the most effective pollinator for durian than insects. Six fruit bat species (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) have been recorded pollinating durian flowers, with several other pteropodid species speculated to pollinate durian, including in non-native countries. Lastly, we address the research gaps for the batdurian relationship, which can also be applied to other chiropterophilous plants

Survey on the small mammals in Sg. Kangkawat research station Imbak canyon conservation areas

Sg. Kangkawat Research Station is a newly established research station in the Imbak Canyon Conservation Area, Sabah which encompasses both primary and secondary forest areas. Limited data is available on the small mammal diversity for this particular area. Therefore, a survey-based study on small mammal diversity was carried out between the 29th September – 8th October 2018 along the established trails within the vicinity areas of this research station. Small mammal trapping was done using traps (mist nets, harp traps, cage traps and pitfall traps) employed randomly along the Nepenthes trail, the Kawang trail, the South Rim trail and the Pelajau trail. This study documented a total of 32 small mammal species i.e. represented by 26 species (15 spp. of new records for ICCA ) of volant small mammals (Chiroptera) and 6 species of non-volant small mammals (Rodentia, Scadentia, Insectivora, Carnivora). The total number of specimens recorded was 108. A new distribution record on the Free-tailed Bat, Chaerephon cf. johorensis, was documented for Sabah and Borneo during this study

Phylogenetic relationships of fruit bats (Family: Pteropodidae) in Malaysia inferred from partial mtDNA cytochrome b gene

The taxonomic relationships of the Old World fruit bat family, Pteropodinae, by Anderson (1912) using morphological characters have been challenged by several authors. Previous studies using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) found major disagreement between morphology and molecular data in inferring the phylogeny of the fruit bats. Fifty-eight samples from 14 species of the Malaysian fruit bats (Family: Pteropodidae) was used in this study to examine on the phylogenogenetic relationship between species of fruit bats using 395 base pairs of partial mtDNA cytochrome b (cyt b) gene. Our phylogenetic analysis using neighbour-joining and maximum parsimony methods failed to support the monophyly of both the rousettine and cynopterine groups of the Subfamily Pteropodinae