From research to outreach : environmental education materials for the bats of Malaysia
2006
Kingston, Tigga, Boston Univ., 675 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston MA 02215, (USA) Dept of Geography | Zubaid Akbar, Kebangsaan Malaysia Univ., 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia). Faculty of Science & Technology. School of Environmental & Natural Resource Sciences | Lim Gary, Edutree Services Sdn Bhd, No. 2, Jalan Anggerik Aranda 31/12, 40460 Kota Kemuning, Shah alam, Selangor (Malaysia) | Fakhrul Hatta (eds.), Jabatan Perhilitan, Bukit Rengit, 28500 Lanchang, Pahang (Malaysia)
Despite their contribution to global and national biodiversity, their ecological and economic importance, and their imperiled status, public awareness of the conservation and economic value of bats in Malaysia is extremely low, where myths and prejudice abound. Established in 2001, the Malaysian Bat Conservation Research Unit (MBCRU) takes a multidisciplinary approach to the conservation of Malaysia's bat fauna, combining long-term conservation research with local capacity building and an environmental education programme (EEP). The MBCRU's EEP for the bats of Malaysia was developed using a three-point strategy, which we to firstly focus on core issues that are both of immediate conservation relevance and likely to enhance public empathy for bats (Malaysian bat diversity; the ecological and economic importance of bats; major threats and vulnerability) secondly to use research findings to guide the development of materials and thirdly to design materials and activities in line with more recent advances in learning theory. A strategy is illustrated with detailed examples of some of the materials developed by the MBCRU in the last three years. Bats are by no means, the only uncharismatic and overlooked group, in need of public concern, hence it is believed that much the EE approach discussed in this paper is broadly applicable to other diverse but poorly-known taxa.
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