Experts Guiding The Mission of Genting Nature Adventures (GNA)

High above the lowland heat, where the air grows cooler and mist curls through tall pine trees, a quiet revolution in environmental conservation is unfolding. Here, through the work of Genting Nature Adventures (GNA), nature trails and scenic walks are more than just leisure activities; they become a bridge between science and everyday people.

Pivotal to this initiative is a group of exceptional individuals who bring the landscape to life through knowledge, passion, and purpose. Their work doesn’t just sit on thick data reports behind laboratory doors. Instead, together, they study, protect, and bring to life the living story of Genting Highlands through GNA.

Prof. Dr. Badrul: At the Heart of Primate Research in Genting Highlands

Great collaborations often begin unexpectedly. For Prof. Dr. Badrul Munir Md Zain, a leading expert in primatology and molecular systematics, it all started with a name: Eddie Chan.

A chance conversation with a PERHILITAN officer led him to Eddie, who had successfully mapped out several siamang groups in the area. That meeting back in 1999 marked the start of a long and fruitful relationship with GNA, rooted in shared conservation goals.

Prof. Badrul’s work delves deep into the genetic and behavioural understanding of Malaysia’s primates, particularly the endangered siamang (the largest of all gibbon species). His research is based on non-invasive methods, like analysing faecal samples, to study DNA, diet, and habitat health. Such efforts require not just lab skills but field expertise. This is where GNA and Eddie (GNA Department Manager) come in, guiding researchers through the siamang’s forested domain.

But his involvement with GNA goes far beyond data collection. Prof. Badrul contributes ideas for educational materials and eco-tourism offerings, helping to bridge the gap between science and the public. His collaboration with GNA has produced valuable studies on mixed-species groups and dietary analysis, offering fresh insights into Malaysia’s rich primate population.

His respect for Eddie is clear: “He’s smart, thinks outside the box, and truly values collaboration,” says Prof. Badrul. Through this partnership, science isn’t just preserved – it’s lived and shared.

Prof. Dr. Rusea Go: Documenting Genting’s Vanishing Flora

A renowned botanist from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Prof. Dr. Rusea Go has been documenting the region’s plant life since 2006. Her early visits began as academic fieldwork but soon grew into a mission to preserve the often-overlooked flora beneath the forest’s veil.

Her partnership with GNA began with student field visits, which later evolved into long-term surveys and conservation projects. Her focus is on species like orchids and Nepenthes (pitcher plants), which are especially sensitive to climate and habitat changes.

With her team, she has recorded 25 new plant sightings, including rare rediscoveries like Paphiopedilum lowii and Hymenorchis javanica, species once thought lost or only found in other regions.

Through GNA, her research takes on public life. Visitors engage with her work through interpretive trails, forest walks, and educational signs, all designed to make science accessible and inspiring. Her contributions also reinforce GNA’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially around biodiversity and education.

Prof. Go’s future vision includes a Montane Floral Conservation Centre, propagation gardens, and youth-led ecological programmes. She expresses her heartfelt gratitude to GNA’s committed team, particularly Mr. Eddie Chan, Ms. Pat Ang (GNA Consultant), and Mr. Darren Yeo (Vice President – Design, Landscape, Eco Attractions, Lifestyle & Wellness) for creating a platform where science meets public engagement.

“The real treasure of Genting Highlands isn’t its skyline,” she says, “but the blooms on its forest floor.”

PERHILITAN’s Guiding Hands

In 2013, a siamang was seen crossing a road in Genting – a moment that not only raised eyebrows but also important questions. Why did this tree-dwelling gibbon venture onto asphalt? That scene sparked an ongoing relationship between PERHILITAN (Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia) and GNA.

Tracking the Hidden Life of the Forest
Hani Nabilia bte Muhd. Sahimi is a Wildlife Officer with PERHILITAN and a key figure in long-term siamang observation efforts in Genting Highlands. Armed with a Master’s in Forestry from Universiti Putra Malaysia, she brings depth and precision to everything she does, from habitat monitoring to public education.

Her involvement with GNA began in 2018 through the “Canopy Commitment” initiative, during which she studied 12 known siamang family groups across forested patches surrounding Awana Biopark and Chin Swee Temple.

Over the years, she has gathered a wealth of insights into their daily rhythms, diets, territory shifts, and unexpected tolerance for nearby human activity. Notably, her research shows that the siamangs in Genting Highlands are not merely surviving amid growing development, but are continuing to reproduce steadily, with new births observed every two years.

It’s a hopeful sign in an otherwise pressured environment, and it speaks to the species’ remarkable ability to adjust. But as Hani explains, this adaptability shouldn’t be misunderstood as resilience without limits. Her work helps GNA craft programmes and public messaging that encourage responsible interaction, grounded in real behavioural science, not just assumptions.

From Policy to the Wild Pathways
If Hani brings a deep understanding of animal behaviour, Anuar Ismail provides the rules and structure that keep everything running responsibly. As an Assistant Wildlife Officer with PERHILITAN Pahang’s Enforcement Division, he makes sure that all of GNA’s outdoor activities follow Malaysia’s wildlife protection laws, and that they’re not just legal, but also safe, respectful, and well-managed.

His introduction to GNA came in February 2025 during site planning for a proposed Community Ranger Post at Awana Genting, under the Biodiversity Protection and Patrolling Programme (BP3). What began as an inspection turned into a deeper role in programme development, expert sessions, and technical advisory for GNA’s public-facing nature activities.

His work ensures that every trail, signboard, and encounter operates with clear guidelines and ethical intent. He plays a key role in discussions around the potential for a wildlife sanctuary in Resorts World Awana and has supported wildlife inventory efforts, most recently a 10-day survey covering mammals, birds, herpetofauna, and insects.

Yet, he’s not just a gatekeeper. His presence in the field allows him to observe visitor behaviour, staff routines, and site conditions first-hand, insights that make his enforcement work more grounded and constructive. According to Anuar, the real value of this partnership lies in bringing laws to life: “It’s one thing to know the regulations, it’s another to see how they shape understanding; how they influence what people do, feel, and remember after stepping into a forest.”

Together, Hani and Anuar help guide GNA not by theory alone, but through action. Their perspectives complement one another: she interprets the quiet signs of wildlife behaviour, while he sees to it that human activity leaves as light a footprint as possible. Their influence can be seen throughout GNA’s operations.

Educational campaigns discourage feeding of siamangs not just because it’s illegal, but because it disrupts natural behaviours that Hani has carefully documented. Meanwhile, ranger training sessions draw directly from Anuar’s experience with enforcement, patrolling, and inter-agency coordination. It’s not about simply “managing” nature. It’s about recognising complexity, where a single species can reflect the health of an entire landscape, and where small human choices ripple into long-term ecological outcomes.

The Botanical Enigma of Thismia with GNA

As a senior botanist at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Siti Munirah Mat Yunoh has long been intrigued by GNA’s respectful and research-driven approach to nature. Her involvement with GNA began with a spotlight on a remarkable botanical discovery: Thismia limkokthayi – a flower so tiny, so rare, it had gone unnoticed for centuries.

Known as the “ghost flower” or “fairy lantern”, Thismia doesn’t photosynthesise or reach for sunlight. Instead, it survives in darkness, drawing nutrients from fungal networks underground. It has only ever been found in Chin Swee Bio Park and nowhere else on Earth.

Siti served as the presenter and subject-matter expert in GNA’s “Awana: The Mysterious Thismia” knowledge-sharing project. Through her, this elusive bloom became more than a curiosity. It became a symbol of why every patch of untouched forest matters.

Siti’s ability to communicate complex ecological ideas with warmth and clarity allows GNA’s customers to appreciate the quiet beauty of forest life, from towering trees to flowers measured in millimetres. Through her work, the public doesn’t just see, they understand.

Discoveries like Thismia limkokthayi remind us how fragile our ecosystems are and how vital it is to protect them before they vanish.

Every Trail Tells a Story

Through the work of experts and academics with GNA, the hidden wonders of this landscape are being transformed into moments of awe, insight, and care. As more people walk these trails and open their eyes to what lies beyond the obvious, a quiet but powerful shift begins. In this partnership between nature and knowledge, a new kind of tourism is flourishing. It is knowledge-based tourism.