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A local Sabahan, Andy Martin Ginal Martin, has become the first fully
qualified primatologist in the State. Martin, a research assistant at
Sepilok, underwent a two-year course at Oxford Brookes under the full
sponsorship of the Orangutan Appeal UK and has already received
accreditation from the university.
When interviewed at the Sepilok Orangutan Appeal UK cocktail
party at Rasa Ria Resort recently, Martin said that as a Sabahan, he
felt the education he gained was important to further his expertise in
the field.
“For now in Sabah, there is no one doing this private
conservation. We are Sabahans, we have the orang utans and we still
depend on people from the UK and elsewhere to conduct studies for us,”
he said.
He acknowledged the Appeal for their role in making his graduation a reality.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it without their support because
financially it was impossible to continue with my study for more than
one year in the UK.”
Martin said among the important things he had learnt from his
academic stint is that he needs to look at conservation from the point
of view of education.
“We need to send the conservation message to the world because
now in Sabah, we have a lot of programmes but educationally, we still
need outside experts to explain the knowledge,” he explained.
As a primatologist, he also commented on the survival of the orang utan in Sabah.
He said that he believed the orang utan in Sabah still have a
future and it is crucial for everyone to work together and cooperate to
accomplish the objectives and researches in the field.
Martin also said that the most urgent need for the survival of
the species now is to protect the forest, the habitat and their
population in the wild.
“There is also an urgent need to reduce deforestation,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sue Sheward, the founder and chairperson of Orangutan
Appeal UK, said that it is important for Sabah to have its own people as
primatologists.
She commended Martin for his tenacity in continuing with his study despite the disasters that befell upon his family.
“In the midst of it, his family house was razed by fire and his
father suffered serious burns and was very ill, but Andy went on.
“He received an extension and was able to complete his degree. We
are glad that now he has passed his degree and is the first Sabahan to
be a qualified primatologist and I feel he will make a difference,” she
said.
8 comments:
Congratulations to Andy Martin Ginal Martin for becoming the first fully qualified primatologist in Sabah.
Martin also said that the most urgent need for the survival of the species now is to protect the forest, the habitat and their population in the wild.
The Sabah forestry department have been working hard to improve the forest conservation efforts and reduce the deforestation effects.
We are proud of Andy Martin for his achievement in the efforts of Orang Utan conservation.
The state government have discovered the forest corridor which the wildlife uses to migrate to other parts of the forest. This will help us understand their migrating patterns and habitat needs and better protect them.
Congratulations.
Orangutans are the most arboreal great apes and spend most of their time in trees
Orangutans are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also constructing elaborate sleeping nests each night from branches and foliage.
so hopefully, in the future we are no longer depend on foreign primatologist to conduct studies about our orangutans..
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