Lim Boo Liat

Lim Boo Liat (21 August 1926 – 11 July 2020) was a Malaysian zoologist whose pioneering work revealed the biological diversity of the Malay Peninsula and Borneo. He was a conservationist and a strong advocate for the preservation of the region's natural heritage.

Lim was a prolific researcher, and authored over 300 scientific papers and multiple books. He was bestowed several honors during his long career, including being the first Southeast Asian to receive Honorary Membership in the American Society of Mammalogists, and winning the Merdeka Award in 2013. Nature lessons in school inspired a love for the outdoors, and he spent time in his youth collecting plants and insects. During this time, he also helped found the National Zoo of Malaysia and in the 1950s, helped reestablish the Malaysian Nature Society after a hiatus caused by World War II.

He was the fourth Asian and first Southeast Asian to be awarded honorary membership to the American Society of Mammalogists, "conferred in recognition of a distinguished career in service to mammalogy". Lim had multiple species named after him, including snake Oligodon booliati, protozoa Sarcocytis booliati, frog Kalophrynus limbooliati, flea Medwayellia limi, chigger Babiangia booliati, and parasitic worms Helimonella limbooliati, Plasmodium booliati, and Brienlia booliati. 1978 Sandosham Gold Medal from the Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine 1995 Science and Technology Award from the Malaysia Toray Science Foundation 2003 Honorary Member of the American Society of Mammalogists 2007 Elected Fellow of the Akademi Sains Malaysia 2007 Spallanzani Award from the North American Society for Bat Research 2013 Merdeka Award, environment category