APU highlights the need for conservation of the sun bear
ASIA PACIFIC University of Technology and Innovation (APU) together with Brainchild Pictures have produced a documentary titled Itam: A Sun Bear Story, which spotlights the plight of the endangered Malayan Bornean sun bear and its disappearing rainforest habitat.
The endangered Malayan sun bear is in need of help, being one of the world's most elusive bear species and as its numbers dwindle in the wild, one rescued Bornean sun bear Itam represents hope for the future through this documentary.
The documentary shot entirely in Sabah involved APU academic staff and students and as vice-chancellor of APU Professor Dr Ho Chin Kuan said, 'It is an honour to be part of this production journey. This rare opportunity allows our staff and students from diverse creative fields to collaborate on a large-scale project with the potential to make a meaningful impact on environmental conservation.'
Working closely with Brainchild Pictures, students from APU School of Media, Arts and Design (SoMAD) contributed creative proposals, including graphic designs, motion graphics, visual effects and also awareness campaigns.
The production house also contributed to the learning experience of students by providing exclusive masterclass sessions at APU, offering insights into visual effects (VFX). APU students also explored sustainable 3D souvenirs and developed tourism focused story books to raise awareness on sun bears.
At the launch of the full length documentary, a first for Malaysia, there was a recorded session with Dr Wong Siew Te, founder of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC). He shared the many threats to their habitat, including deforestation and poaching.
Wong said despite being the smallest bear species on Earth, sun bears are recognised as keystone species in maintaining rainforest ecosystems. He said their survival is crucial not only for biodiversity but also for human wellbeing and climate resilience.
The film's trailer was officially launched on May 8 at the APU campus in Technology Park Malaysia, Bukit Jalil by Tourism Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan.
Khairul said, 'We celebrate the launch of Malaysia's first big screen wildlife documentary, showcasing our commitment to conservation and sustainable tourism. Featuring Itam, a rescued sun bear, the film highlights the vital role of sun bears in our ecosystem.
'This documentary is a timely call for awareness, education and action. Projects like Itam put Malaysia on the global map – not just as a tourist destination, but as a country deeply committed to preserving our natural heritage for generations to come,' he said.
Filmmaker Raymond Tan, who directed the documentary said Itam not only chronicles the story of Malaysia's sun bear but also showcases Sabah as a leading destination for environmental and sustainability efforts in the region.
'Itam is more than just a story about a bear; it is a reflection of ourselves and our responsibility to protect the fragile ecosystems we are all part of. Conservation alone is no longer enough; education must be at the heart of everything we do if we are save not just the sun bear, but our future.
'We want to inspire audiences to care.'
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Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Malay Mail
Why Malaysia's smallest bear matters — and what we need to do to save them
KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — The sun bear, the world's smallest bear species, is often easy to overlook. Yet this shy, fuzzy creature plays a vital role in maintaining the health of Malaysia's rainforests — from dispersing seeds to creating homes for other animals. Despite this, many Malaysians remain unaware that the sun bear lives in their own forests, or that it is one of the most endangered bear species in the world. Conservationist Wong Siew Te has dedicated years to changing that, working to show how these bears are essential for sustaining rainforest ecosystems. However, he says much remains to be done. How are they important? Wong said one of their 'jobs' is as seed dispersers — they help regenerate trees by eating fruits and excreting the seeds far from the mother tree. They also feed on termites, controlling populations that attack mother trees. When they feed on stingless bees, they carve out cavities in the trees that later become nesting sites for hornbills and flying squirrels. 'They are also 'food providers', as a lot of animals actually follow the sun bears around, and when the bears feed on something, they often leave behind scraps that are picked up by pheasants and other birds,' Wong told Malay Mail in an interview. 'This is why they are known as the umbrella species whose protection helps countless other animals.' Do enough people know? For the past 17 years, Wong and his team have been working to raise awareness about sun bears and educate the public on their significance in rainforests. 'I think we managed to reach out to people but not a lot,' he said. Wong said he hopes to see information on wildlife conservation and environmental protection included in the school curriculum. 'Every kid will grow up knowing that there are wildlife and sun bears because still many people do not know that there is a bear called sun bear that lives in their own country,' he added. 'More Malaysians understand about the sun bears today compared to the past, but not all Malaysians know the existence of the sun bears, so this is something we need to catch up on before it is too late,' said Wong. Meeting the sun bears In 1998, Wong arrived in Sabah to conduct research for his Master's degree, which required him to study wild sun bears. 'I happened to be one of the first — to study the sun bears — and I got to discover a lot of amazing things about them and knew how important they are. 'But when I came out of the forest, I saw another extreme — which is deforestation, logging and poaching, it was very sad,' he said. That project eventually led Wong to start a conservation centre. In 2004, Wong received a travel grant from Woodland Park Zoo in the US to travel across Sabah, Sarawak and West Malaysia, to try to understand the situation of the captured sun bears in these three regions. 'The findings were actually quite shocking because so many sun bears are being kept in captivity as pets or display animals in roadside zoos, crocodile farms, and none of these bears were being treated nicely or housed in proper facilities,' he said. Today, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) is 17 years old. Poached, eaten and kept as pets However, despite Wong's conservation efforts for the sun bears, threats remain high. 'The biggest threat to the sun bears is still deforestation especially in West Malaysia. After that is hunting and poaching, and followed by sun bears as pets,' he said. Wong said that habitat fragmentation forces the bears to cross roads to find food or shelter, where they often end up as roadkill. He added that in the black market, sun bear paws go for about RM5,000 in West Malaysia and RM2,000 in Sabah — based on checks from before the Covid-19 pandemic. 'So what happens is when the mother bear is killed, the bear cub will be placed in the black market for sale," Wong said. He advised the public to immediately report such cases to the authorities if they come across them. 'Offering money — even to buy the bears as a rescue effort will keep the market alive,' he added. Wong said that while sun bears are protected by strict laws in most parts of Malaysia, in Sarawak the penalties for harming them are much lighter. 'I have been pushing for a stricter law in Sarawak but it's a lot of work and it will take time.' The brighter side Wong said that in recent years, the centre has had to rescue fewer bear cubs, especially from those who used to keep them as pets. 'It's much less, but it's not completely eliminated. So 17 years of work and trying to educate the public, there are still very stubborn people. 'Just two weeks ago, there was another sun bear in West Malaysia that went into someone's house, Perhilitan believes that it's someone's house pet,' he added. What does the centre still need? The BSBCC was thriving, self-sustaining from eco-tourism, until Covid-19 brought the world to a halt. The centre lost its main income — tourists. 'No tourists, no income. But the bears still needed food, medicine and care. Our costs remained high,' he said. That was when Wong reached out to the Hasanah Foundation — under sovereign wealth fund Khazanah — which then established a new funding category for animal welfare. 'The grant helped cover bear food, medicine, and partial salaries for bear keepers during the pandemic,' he said. Looking ahead to 2026, when the sun bear will serve as the Visit Malaysia mascot, Wong said this recognition will help raise global awareness about conservation efforts for the Malaysian bear. 'I'm looking forward to tourists coming to the centre to learn more about the sun bears. 'At the same time, more tourists means more income for the conservation centre,' he added.
The Star
09-06-2025
- The Star
Recognised for work on elephants
Nurzhafarina showing the skeleton of an elephant that died in Kinabatangan, now on display at UMS Tropical Biology and Conservation Institute gallery in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. — Bernama FOR over two decades, Dr Nurzhafarina Othman's life has been inextricably linked with the Bornean elephant, particularly in Sabah's Lower Kinabatangan. What began in 2003 as a conservation biology degree at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) evolved into a profound mission to understand and conserve South-East Asia's largest land mammal. Now a senior lecturer at UMS Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Nurzhafarina dedicates her life to studying every aspect of these gentle giants, whose future faces increasing threats. Her unwavering commitment to elephant conservation, especially through her leadership as founder and director of non-profit Seratu Aatai, recently garnered global recognition. In April, Nurzhafarina was honoured with the prestigious Whitley Award, widely known as the 'Green Oscar', as testament to her impactful work. Speaking to Bernama, she shared the unique and powerful bond that formed between her and the elephants during her fieldwork. These encounters revealed their sensitive, affectionate and intelligent nature, challenging common misconceptions. 'There's a feeling that we chose each other. It's as if I was meant to be part of their story,' she mused, recalling how her initial academic pursuit transformed into a deeper calling. Nurzhafarina recounts never experiencing aggression from the pachyderms. Instead, her presence was met with calm, as if they recognised her role as a protector, not an intruder. 'The elephants gave me their time,' she said, detailing how she came to know 50 individual females by sight, even naming them, over four years. The Sabah-based lecturer from Kedah emphasised that elephants don't 'attack' or 'invade'; rather, humans have encroached into their territories. This fundamental truth fuels her lifelong mission: to foster harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants. Founded in 2018, Seratu Aatai, which means 'united in heart' in the Sungai language, actively works with local communities through education and outreach. It aims to promote empathy and awareness for elephants and all wildlife. Seratu Aatai remains the only conservation group in Sabah solely dedicated to protecting the Bornean elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis) in Lower Kinabatangan, a rich biodiverse region also home to the orang utan, sun bear and proboscis monkey. Witnessing the elephants' struggle to navigate their fragmented natural habitats surrounded by human activity was a pivotal moment for her. It ignited her resolve to be a voice for these creatures, bridging the gap between human development and animal preservation. Receiving the Whitley Award 2025 was an emotional experience. Presented by the UK-based Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), the award is highly competitive and globally recognised. On April 30, she accepted the £50,000 (RM287,000) award from WFN patron Princess Anne at the Royal Geographical Society in London, England. This award validates her efforts to protect the estimated 300 remaining Bornean elephants in eastern Sabah. It also acknowledges her innovative approach of engaging the palm oil industry in Lower Kinabatangan to adopt elephant- friendly practices and establish safe corridors for the world's smallest elephant species. 'This award comes with great responsibility,' said Nurzhafarina expressing gratitude for the platform it provided to highlight the elephants' plight and affirm the work of those in the field. For her, conservation is a heartfelt expression of gratitude for the opportunity to protect these endangered species. While acknowledging the challenges of uniting all parties, she hopes local communities will join her in this mission, believing Kinabatangan can symbolise human-wildlife harmony. 'Sabah and Borneo are renowned for their natural wealth. So we must find a balance between development and environmental conservation,' she added.
The Star
09-06-2025
- The Star
Zoo's vital role in nature conservation
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