Latest news with #AnuarMcAfee
New Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Science
- New Straits Times
UniSZA researcher discovers rare red-bellied eagle nest in Terengganu
KUALA NERUS: In a remarkable discovery, Anuar McAfee, a research fellow at the East Coast Environmental Research Institute of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), successfully located a nest of the elusive red-bellied eagle (Lophotriorchis kienerii) in the forests of Terengganu last February. The nest, found atop a 57-metre-high tree, marks the first recorded sighting of its kind in Malaysia. Anuar, who is a member of the Terengganu branch of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), said the discovery is highly significant for Malaysia's ornithological records, a branch of zoology dedicated to the study of birds. He said the presence of the red-bellied eagle is a clear indicator that the ecology of Terengganu's forests remains healthy and capable of sustaining wildlife species at the top of the food chain. "The red-bellied eagle is a predator listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list as a near-threatened species. "This species can be found in mature forests and highland forests in South Asia and Southeast Asia," he said in a statement today. Anuar said the discovery of the raptor's nest was also very significant because it was not only the first in Malaysia, but also rarely recorded globally. According to him, the data will be used for conservation biology research, biodiversity monitoring and forest ecosystem assessment. "This important discovery contributes to global conservation efforts, in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity, which promotes the conservation of biodiversity as the basis for sustainable development. "The conservation of the animal's habitat in Malaysia is important to ensure that the biodiversity we have is protected for future generations to see," he said
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Science
- The Sun
UniSZA researcher discovers nest of red-bellied eagle
KUALA NERUS: In a remarkable discovery, Anuar McAfee, a research fellow at the East Coast Environmental Research Institute (ESERI) of Sultan Zainal Abidin University (UniSZA), successfully located a nest of the elusive red-bellied eagle (Lophotriorchis kienerii) in the forests of Terengganu last February The discovery of the nest on a 57-metre-high tree is the first recorded in the country. Anuar, who is a member of the Terengganu branch Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), said the discovery is highly significant for Malaysia's ornithological records, a branch of zoology dedicated to the study of birds. He said the presence of the red-bellied eagle is a clear indicator that the ecology of Terengganu's forests remains healthy and capable of sustaining wildlife species at the top of the food chain. 'The red-bellied eagle is a predator listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list as a near-threatened species. 'This species can be found in mature forests and highland forests in South Asia and Southeast Asia,' he said in a statement today. Anuar said the discovery of the raptor's nest was also very significant because it was not only the first in Malaysia, but also rarely recorded globally. According to him, the data will be used for conservation biology research, biodiversity monitoring and forest ecosystem assessment. 'This important discovery contributes to global conservation efforts, in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity, which promotes the conservation of biodiversity as the basis for sustainable development. 'The conservation of the animal's habitat in Malaysia is important to ensure that the biodiversity we have is protected for future generations to see,' he said
Free Malaysia Today
22-05-2025
- Science
- Free Malaysia Today
First confirmed nesting of elusive raptor recorded in Terengganu
An adult rufous-bellied eagle and its eaglet in Terengganu. (Anuar McAfee pic) PETALING JAYA : The first confirmed nesting in Malaysia of an elusive bird of prey was recorded in Terengganu earlier this year, a sight rarely documented even at the global level. The nest of the rufous-bellied eagle or Lophotriorchis kienerii, which typically inhabits mature hill and montane forests, was spotted by research fellow Anuar McAfee during a field trip in late February. Found primarily in Southeast Asia, the rufous-bellied eagle is considered 'near threatened' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. McAfee, of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), said nesting records for the raptor were scarce even within its known range. An adult rufous-bellied eagle sighted in Terengganu. (Anuar McAfee pic) 'We know the species nests here, as the bird can be seen in our forests. Anuar McAfee. 'But no nest had been found before this. So that in itself is significant,' the author of 'Birds of Terengganu' told FMT. McAfee, a research fellow at UniSZA's East Coast Environmental Research Institute, said the discovery of the nest in Malaysia was especially valuable for conservation biology, biodiversity monitoring, and forest ecosystem assessment. He said it was also symbolically appropriate given the theme for this year's International Day for Biological Diversity, 'Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development'. 'The presence of this eagle signals that our forests remain ecologically healthy and capable of supporting apex wildlife,' he said. 'To witness and confirm the nesting of such a special raptor in Malaysia is truly of great significance.'
