Perak – Rimba

In honour of the late Dr. Tony Whitten, the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology has just published a special Memorial Issue showcasing articles celebrating Tony’s career and new species or genera named after him. Project Limestone researchers named one new genus and one new species after him.

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Tony was an avid supporter of Rimba’s Project Limestone. Up to his last day, Tony was still trying his best to bring scientists like us and the cement industry closer together to explore how limestone biodiversity can be better protected (see Tony in action in this video: min 27:37 onwards). Continue reading →

April 1, 2020April 1, 2020 by Rimba Categories: Home, Project Updates, PublicationsTags: International Institute for Species Exploration, Kelvin Foon Junn Kitt, Kinta Valley, LafargeHolcim, land snail, Liew Thor-Seng, limestone, Malaysia, New York Times, Perak, Project Limestone, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Reuben Clements, Rimba, Tony Whitten, YTL, YTL Cement

Scientists and Lafarge Malaysia Collaborate to Study Threatened Land Snails

Kuala Lumpur – Scientists and Lafarge Malaysia recently embarked on a joint study to document the diversity of land snails at limestone hills in Peninsular Malaysia.

A quarried limestone hill in Kinta Valley, Perak, Malaysia. Credit: Junn Kitt Foon. License: CC-BY 4.0

Formed from reefs beneath ancient seas, limestone hills are regarded as “arks of biodiversity” because they can harbour plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth. A recent study showed that at least 445 limestone hills can be found scattered across Peninsular Malaysia.

Research has also shown that limestone hills provide numerous benefits to humans, by storing groundwater, or providing habitat for cave bats that either pollinate commercially important trees like Durian, or reduce pests in rice fields.

To support the construction industry which plays a vital role in the socio-economic development of the country, however, certain limestone hills are being quarried to make cement. Continue reading →

July 18, 2017August 2, 2017 by Rimba Categories: Project Updates, PublicationsTags: biogeography, conservation, Kelvin Foon Junn Kitt, Lafarge, Liew Thor-Seng, mollusc, Perak, Project Limestone, Reuben Clements, snails, Sunway University, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, ZooKeys

Tag: Perak

Publication updates 23 & 24: New Malaysian land snail genus and species named after the late Dr. Tony Whitten

Project Update 22, Publication Update 20: Project Limestone Press Release