Research background
Good-quality data are required to obtain reliable estimates of population and ecological parameters in wildlife research. Thus, there are ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of survey methods to obtain accurate occurrence and abundance data of wildlife. In wildlife research, various methods have been used to collect wildlife occurrence data depending on the species, research objectives, location, and habitat types. Survey methods have been developed and improved upon over the years, with the advancement of technology, to achieve accuracy and effectiveness in wildlife surveys. The main conventional survey method for wildlife in tropical rainforests is solely by visual counting while tracking within a species’ habitat (Plumptre et al. 2013). However, this laborious method requires well-trained field workers and long survey durations to cover large areas of challenging terrain in tropical rainforests. Unfortunately, visual surveys based on the photography and the naked eye also have limitations. Visual surveys are commonly performed in the morning and late afternoon when animal activity is high and daylight makes detecting animals easier (Ingberman et al. 2009). However, fast movements of animals can be difficult for observers to get accurate counts and may result in counting the same animal repeatedly. In tropical rainforests, thick and inaccessible canopy, as well as visual camouflage of many species can also limit the detection of animals (Kays et al. 2018). It is crucial to have a method that can improve the accuracy, precision, and bias reduction in primate surveys. Therefore, it may be best to count them at night, when they have settled at their sleeping sites and when there are fewer movements that may make counting more difficult. As night time visibility is very limited for the researchers, thermal cameras can be used to detect wildlife, which might help alleviate these issues. According to Matsuda et al. (2010), primates tend to sleep near the river in a riparian forest, therefore, a handheld camera can be used to survey primates along the riverbank. However, it might be more difficult to detect primates in the deeper forest using a handheld thermal camera. Thermal imaging can be used to improve the detection of wildlife. Animals emit body heat in the form of infrared waves that can be captured by thermal cameras (Cilulko et al. 2013). Thermal cameras were initially used in the military but eventually were applied in wildlife studies (Gowen et al. 2010). This technique has been applied in human and veterinary medicine (Lavers et al. 2009; Ring and Ammer 2012), civil engineering (Rao 2008), food quality (Gowen et al. 2010), agriculture (Ishimwe et al. 2014), as an anti-poaching tool (Mulero-Pazmany et al. 2014) and in many other areas of study. Some studies were performed using a thermal imager mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to survey and monitor wildlife (Garner et al. 1995; Havens and Sharp 1998; Burn et al. 2009; Chretien et al. 2015). In the natural sciences, thermal imaging techniques support safe and non-invasive sampling techniques and have been used to help researchers in identifying roosting or sleeping sites of animals (Mitchell and Clarke 2019). However, thermal imaging techniques cannot be used to determine species or gender (Franke et al. 2012) therefore, ground truthing (information provided by direct observation) is needed to identify the species of animals captured on cameras. There have been a few studies done on ground-based by using thermal camera as a hand-held tool in wildlife studies and monitoring (Ditchkoff et al. 2005; Gauthreaux and Livingston 2006). According to Garner et al. (1995), the optimum conditions to get a high quality image are when there is adequate thermal contrast and when the density of forest cover is low, while Daniels (2006) found fresh snow, complete cloud cover and low temperatures are optimal conditions for the technology, and yet another study done by Franke et al. (2012) found that this technology can be used throughout the year in terms of temperature. The latter also found that ambient temperature does not influence the detection of wildlife greatly; however, this may differ in tropical settings where ambient temperatures are closer to wildlife body temperatures. Thermal imaging technique also enable population surveys to be done at night, when the animals appear as warm spots against a dark, cool background in the thermogram, therefore increasing the probability of detection (Cilulko et al. 2013). Previous studies have primarily taken place in cooler climates and less dense forests. In cooler areas, the thermal contrast is higher, and thus results in a clearer detection. Less vegetation also helps improve the detection of animals compared to high vegetation that can cover the body of animals from detection. It is important to have more studies to know how the thermal imaging technique would work in this type of forest, climate, and also generally on primate studies. This study aims to optimize the thermal imaging technique and assess its usefulness as a hand-held tool to estimate primate populations by comparing thermal surveys with visual surveys. We hypothesized that more primates can be observed using the thermal method compared to the visual method and that the thermal camera works best during early morning when primates are still stationary at their sleeping sites.

Conference Highlights
Featured speakers:
The congress featured an exceptional lineup of distinguished speakers who enriched the event with their insights, expertise, and thought-provoking presentations. The contributions of these featured speakers were instrumental in shaping the conference’s discussions and generating new perspectives on Primates and People: A New Horizon theme.

Sessions and Workshops:
The conference featured a diverse array of symposiums, roundtables, and workshops, each delving into specific subjects within a Primates and People: A New Horizon topic. Notable sessions including topics on social behaviour, ecology, pathogens, conservation, evolution, microbiome, communication, breeding and many more.
Networking Opportunities:
One of the most valuable aspects of the conference was the networking opportunities it provided. Attendees had the chance to connect with peers, exchange contact information, and foster potential collaborations. Informal gatherings and networking breaks facilitated fruitful conversations and the exchange of ideas. For me personally, I got to meet people from Mexico, where I will be traveling to for my attachment in 2024 and exchanged contacts with them.

Take-away messages
The conference showcased the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex challenges. The diverse range of topics covered highlighted the interconnectedness of various fields. Attending various sessions and workshops broadened my knowledge base, exposing me to new concepts, methodologies, and approaches that can be applied in my own work. Besides that, meeting other members of the Malaysian Primatological Society was fun. I got to meet other amazing primatologists and even taking care of the booth was a great experience for me and I enjoyed every second of it.

Vision in advancing primatology in Malaysia: The congress was an enriching experience that brought together a vibrant community of professionals and researchers. Meeting passionate primatologists from this congress really encourages me to do better in my field. My work may not be focusing on primates now but advancing primatology in Malaysia is not only a scientific endeavor but a commitment to understand and conserve the unique biodiversity that thrives within the country and for my field of study in restoration ecology, it will be the commitment to restore the habitat of these primates. This vision serves as a roadmap to guide efforts toward a more informed, sustainable, and harmonious coexistence with our primate relatives and the ecosystems they inhabit. I am grateful for the opportunity to have participated in this event and look forward to applying the knowledge gained to my own endeavors.