AKUARIUM TUNKU AKUARIUM TUNKU ABDUL RAHMANABDUL RAHMAN

(ATAR),(ATAR),ZOO NEGARA MALAYSIAZOO NEGARA MALAYSIA

Malaysia’s 1st Wetland-themed Aquarium

Herman Bernard GanapathyZoo Negara Malaysia

ContentsContentsA.IntroductionB. Why Wetlands? C. Theme &

DevelopmentD.Education at

ATARE. Conservation at

ATARF. Challenges &

Opportunities

A.A. ZOO NEGARA - INTRODUCTIONZOO NEGARA - INTRODUCTIONLAUNCHED by 1st Prime Minister of Malaysia,Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj on 14th November 1963.

GENERAL INFORMATIONGENERAL INFORMATION

ZOO NEGARA IS OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE

MALAYSIAN ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY

• Established : About 46 Years• Size : 120 Acres (48.6 Ha)• Current Visitors : About 1 million per year• Operates : 365 days (9am – 5 pm)• Ticket Prices : Adults RM20 : Child RM6• OPEX Per Year : RM9 – 10 million per year• Staff : 125 (60 in Zoology Dept)

THE FIVE PILLARS OF ZOO THE FIVE PILLARS OF ZOO NEGARA MALAYSIANEGARA MALAYSIA

•Conservation•Education•Recreation•Training•Research

BB. . WHY A WETLANDS THEME?WHY A WETLANDS THEME?• Critically threatened• Ecologically important• Misunderstood• High in biodiversity and

endemism• Lack of knowledge on local

wetland fauna & flora among Malaysians

WHY ATAR? WHY ATAR? …………WHY NOT?WHY NOT?

• Approximately one million visitors a year-what better place to educate on various conservation issues

• Family oriented/comfortable -every age group can be educated within a short period of time within their comfort zone

• A different approach - as opposed to conventional aquariums

• Instill love- for local wetland fauna and flora among local Malaysians

98 %98 % Recreation & Family Recreation & Family Outing Outing

2% 2% Research, Wildlife Research, Wildlife Awareness & KnowledgeAwareness & Knowledge

C. DEVELOPMENT OF ATARC. DEVELOPMENT OF ATAR

Malaysian River Journey2.Upper river/Dams

3.Mid river

4.Freshwater and man-made wetlands

5.Lower river

6.Peat swamps

7.Mangrove swamps

8.Rocky shore and coral reefs

DEVELOPMENT OF ATARDEVELOPMENT OF ATAR1. Concept & Theme

• Design based upon theme

• Includes flora and fauna of wetlands in Malaysia and SEA

• Replication of habitats/niches into aquariums

• Immerse exhibits

DEVELOPMENT OF ATAR DEVELOPMENT OF ATAR

2. Habitat Analysis

a. Water parameters

b. Habitat design and structure

c. Fauna and flora composition

d. etc

DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT OF ATAROF ATAR3.Replicating habitats of each zone

Artificial rockwork

Mural painting

Replication of habitat

Designing of tank layout

DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT OF ATAROF ATAR

4. Specimen Collection

DD. EDUCATION AT ATAREDUCATION AT ATAR

1.Design of posters and information signs of aquarium

EDUCATION AT ATAREDUCATION AT ATAR2. Interactive sessions and monitoring

E.E.CONSERVATION WORK AT ATARCONSERVATION WORK AT ATAR

1.Breeding Programme•Selected wild fish species (eg Betta sp, Parosphromenus sp etc)

CONSERVATION WORK AT ATARCONSERVATION WORK AT ATAR

2. Plant Culturing Programme •selected endangered aquatic plants eg Cryptocoryne sp, Barclaya sp etc

CONSERVATION WORK AT ATARCONSERVATION WORK AT ATAR3. Rescue & relocation-of endangered aquatic plants sp eg

Cryptocoryne

Before: March 2010

After: October 2010

CONSERVATION WORK AT ATARCONSERVATION WORK AT ATAR

Rescue and relocation of Cryptocoryne minima at Sg. Buloh FR

CONSERVATION WORK AT ATARCONSERVATION WORK AT ATAR4. Research collaborations

-with research teams (foreign & local)

5. Meetings and discussions

-NGOs and

Government Agencies

Peat swamp fish research with Natural History Museum, London

Peat Swamp Consultancy Meeting

E. CHALLENGES & E. CHALLENGES & OPPURTUNITIESOPPURTUNITIES1. Visitors

perception/attitudes Towards theme

Create more interesting ways of displaying wetlands

Towards exhibits Create multiple exhibits based on habitats

Towards education Creative means of education

2. Funding/Sponsorship Marketing of ATAR

CHALLENGES & CHALLENGES & OPPURTUNITIESOPPURTUNITIES

4. Husbandry issues Insufficient information of

biology/ecology of each species exhibited Ability to learn more about

each species and their habitat

Difficulty in breeding threatened species Ability to learn about

biology and breeding patterns of each threatened species

CHALLENGES & OPPURTUNITIESCHALLENGES & OPPURTUNITIES

5. Conservation issueDestruction/pollution of

natural habitats conservation through

breeding/culturing programmes

Networking with other environmental organizations (NGOs and Government)

Lack of research Collaboration with

research institutes etc

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!