Image via Chrishen Gomez
Have you ever thought about what it would take to save the planet? Or do you belong in the group of people who are ignorant about Mother Earth being in dire need of rescue?
Each and every one of us can take up the responsibility to protect Mother Earth, even if we’re taking baby steps. Chrishen Gomez, one of the unsung heroes in the DIGIyin Saathanai Hero-kkal campaign, believes that we can do more for the environment, starting with one’s self.
Image via Chrishen Gomez
The 27-year-old generally identifies as a wildlife biologist and conservationist. Although he had always been fascinated by nature after spending his childhood years diving into the ocean on family holidays and island trips, this profession wasn’t something he dreamed of pursuing since young.
“As an adolescent, all I wanted was to be successful. However, my narrow understanding of success then meant that I was gearing myself up for a professional career in medicine or engineering,” Chrishen shared.
Image via Chrishen Gomez
He’s also fortunate to have parents who exerted very little pressure on his choice of career. All they wanted from him was to excel in everything he did regardless of the path he took.
“Their support meant that I was able to look at the world more objectively and discover my place in it without fear of disappointment or not meeting the expectations of others,” he added.
His interest in the natural world led him to study biotechnology in Sarawak where he was exposed to the pristine forests of Borneo, rich in flora and fauna.
Image via Chrishen Gomez
However, he saw a huge problem that Malaysians were turning a blind eye to and felt the urge to protect nature even more.
“We have steadily prioritised development and wealth building without truly understanding the environmental cost that we are paying as a result,” Chrishen expressed.
“While development is necessary, I truly believe science is the engine for the conservation vehicle. Without the time and effort of scientists, we will never truly understand the real cost of our developmental activities.”
Image via Chrishen Gomez
This was the moment he felt determined to pursue environmental conservation as a career and invest his abilities into solving the problem.
Stepping into this role, he knew that becoming familiar with the forest was part and parcel of the job, which turned into something he fell head over heels with immediately.
Today, Chrishen is a wildlife researcher for Oxford University, studying the genetic connectivity of Sunda clouded leopards in Borneo. He spends most of his time going back and forth between a molecular lab in Kota Kinabalu and the field station located in a primary forest in Sabah.
Image via Chrishen Gomez
“The Sunda clouded leopard is Borneo’s apex predator, so our study will tell us how we can still develop Sabah without putting Sunda clouded leopard populations at risk,” Chrishen explained.
“Our days involve servicing camera traps in the jungle or surveying new forest areas to investigate opportunities for research and identifying clouded leopard hotspots for the study.”
As a research manager for the Bornean Carnivore Programme in Sabah, he also manages a team of local research assistants devoted to studying the Bornean mammalian carnivore guild.
Image via Chrishen Gomez
The day-to-day work in the forest can be exhausting because it requires lots of endurance and sometimes involve long hikes or battling the elements in most difficult conditions, but he never goes to bed without feeling absolute satisfaction.
“I typically end the day with a home-cooked meal and a book before I head to bed. Unsurprisingly, my lifestyle in the forest is extremely healthy and relaxed. While work may be difficult, stress is uncommon as we often get sufficient sleep and have good amounts of physical exercise,” Chrishen said.
His life in Sabah also showed him how much people live in excess, especially city folks. We’re often told that the key to a fulfilling life is to have more. But after spending some time watching and observing animals, living together with just enough, no less, no more, he realised that the key to life is to be content.
"I’ve tried to model my life in Sabah the same way too, to consume only what I need to and to live my each day with a purpose that goes well beyond my own interest. I have never felt more fulfilled,” he shared.
Image via Chrishen Gomez
Additionally, Chrishen is also a proud recipient of the Merdeka Award Grant, with which he was able to take up a research fellowship Brown University under Dr. Tyler Kartzinel, one of the world’s most eminent conservation geneticists.
“The opportunity to work collaboratively with scientist who share my common language and passion in science truly opened up a world of possibilities in research. It showed me just how easy it is to find common ground and leverage on each other’s strengths to strengthen our research efforts,” he said.
“I also learned how important it is to cultivate a dynamic academic environment by encouraging an inquisitive spirit and supporting open discourse on all areas of science.”
Image via Chrishen Gomez
The future may look bleak for the planet with the constant debate about our impact on the environment. Nevertheless, Chrishen trusts that we’re on the right direction.
“There is great power when every individual is empowered to make personal changes in their lifestyle. It could be as simple as recycling, composting your food waste or limiting the use of fossil fuels. Everything counts.”
Let’s continue to be inspired by Chrishen’s efforts and do our part to change this world!
As part of the DIGIyin Saathanai Hero-kkal campaign, we’re constantly looking to share stories of Malaysian ‘superheroes’ that live amongst us.
If you know a hero or if you have an inspirational story about overcoming challenges, we’d love to hear from you. Just submit your story at RAAGA’s website or click the image above.