Discover Malaysia’s breathtaking hidden environment at Sabah Borneo with Gaya Island Resort’s very own resident marine biologist, Scott Mayback. As the resident marine biologist, Scott oversees all the aquatic operations and marine activities that take place at the resort and offers you an insight to the world below the surface.

Originally from the United States of America, born and bred in Long Island, New York, he is an individual who has always found the secrets of the deep calling to him to be explored. Fascinated from an early age with all aquatic life, he spent his youth breeding fishes and exploring the coastline before pursuing his interest further by studying at the University of Oregon. There, he picked up valuable experience by spending a year working at the university’s own marine lab, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology (O.I.M.B), and also spent his free time learning about coral propagation.

After completing his education, Scott felt it was time to explore the world and set about travelling across the globe to pursue his passion. A constant desire to seek out adventure and a thirst to discover his surroundings led him to Malaysia and eventually Sabah, where he has spent the last three years gaining hands-on experience on coral reef restoration and turtle rehabilitation. With this experience, he has taken on the responsibility of helping Gaya Island Resort, and YTL Hotels, to pursue an active role in conservation by implementing initiatives and setting up marine conservation programmes while assisting also in coral planting and rehabilitating the coral reef. He hopes that his work will contribute in the efforts to end blast and cyanide fishing so that the coral reefs will have a chance to regrow and strive  to its natural beauty once again.

Scott came up for air long enough to answer a few questions we had for him.