Mek Tuntung – guardian of terrapins
In Kampung Pasir Gajah, there will be blank stares if one is asking for Dr Chen Pelf Nyok.
Instead, ask for Mek Tuntung.
That is how the local folk refer to her – Miss River Terrapin – in recognition of her research work on the river terrapin population.
When she first arrived, Dr Chen was a one-woman show. In the seven years there, she managed to inspire a village-wide movement to save the endangered creatures.
Thus, it was only fitting that she was given the Commonwealth Point of Light Award.
“When I started the project at 30, I had no idea of the impact my project might have.
“All I wanted to do was build a long-term conservation programme to save the river terrapins,” she said.
Dr Chen is a co-founder of the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia. She first started documenting river terrapins as a Master’s student at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu in 2005.
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Photo from The Star Online.
