PENANG, 19 December 2016 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) scientist Professor Dr. Mashhor Mansor was recently invited as a keynote speaker at the first international workshop on biodiversity focusing on Myanmar flora and fauna in University of Yangon, Myanmar in conjunction with its 96^th anniversary since its establishment in 1920.

Mashhor, currently attached to USM School of Biological Sciences, said that he is looking forward to pursue an international collaboration in the field of biodiversity in Myanmar in particular and ASEAN in general.

“I am humbled and proud of being recognised by the University of Yangon as a key researcher in trying to conserve the biodiversity in the 10 ASEAN countries, focusing on lakes and river basin in the ASEAN region.

“I have been working closely with a network of 22 universities in Lower Mekong, covering China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, and have successfully accomplished several important targets including capacity building, networking and expanding extra knowledge on wetlands,” he added.

Besides Mashhor, other team members who were invited by the University of Yangon were coastal vegetation scientist Dr. Onrizal from Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), Dr. Luki Subehi from the Research Centre for Limnology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), and three postgraduate students Zaki Zainol, Muzzalifah Abd Hamid and Siti Norasikin Ismail who are currently doing research on biodiversity and environmental studies.

The Malaysian researchers headed by Mashhor will be working on several projects with the University of Yangon, namely on the studies of the rich biodiversity of the lakes and rivers in Myanmar; food web related to buffalo and leech interaction at Moyengyi Lake; local knowledge on interaction between Irrawaddy dolphins and local fishermen; riverine corridor vegetations in Myanmar; wildlife population and conservation; and the ecology of Irrawaddy delta.

Meanwhile, the Head of the University of Yangon Zoology Department, Professor Thidar and Professor Su Su welcomed Malaysians especially students to work and collaborate with them on Myanmar biodiversity and ecology.

Text: Tan Ewe Hoe / Photo: Professor Dr. Mashhor Mansor