HOW YOU CAN HELP?
WHAT ARE WE DOING?
Malaysia is home to the magnificent Malayan tiger, thus it is our responsibility to protect them. WWF-Malaysia’s tiger conservation work covers several strategies, designed to reduce threats toward tigers and other wildlife living within the same landscape.
Strengthen Anti-Poaching Patrol Teams
To keep the Malayan tiger safe, we need patrol teams to be the eyes and ears on the ground. Without them, our tigers are at the mercy of poachers. WWF-Malaysia hires and trains almost 100 forest rangers to conduct patrolling and camera-trapping activities across the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex. We are quite likely the largest employer of indigenous people within Belum-Temengor.
Tiger Research And Monitoring
WWF-Malaysia has a team of field biologists that carry out monitoring of the tiger to estimate population size, trends, and other demographics for tigers, co-predators and prey with the use of camera-traps. Camera trappings help trace movement of tigers that further helps in identifying existing/potential corridors that are in need of protection or restoration.
Ecological linkages/land-use
WWF-Malaysia monitors land-use changes within Belum-Temengor and the surrounding areas to keep an eye out for development projects which might affect the integrity of the habitat.
Forest Protection Advocacy
WWF-Malaysia works together with the Department of Forestry to improve the management of Temengor and other forest reserves around Belum-Temengor. This consists of providing key technical information to the Malaysian governments regarding tigers that assists in the creation and expansion of protected areas (PAs) across Malaysia, thereby protecting thousands of square kilometers of tiger habitat.
Community Engagement
Strong alliances with indigenous communities are essential for active involvement and in leading to a positive change for effective tiger conservation. This strategy enables Orang Asli communities within and around Belum-Temengor to progress from the participative stage towards community empowerment level of engagements.
WHY SUPPORT WWF-MALAYSIA?
Anti-Poaching Patrol Success
In 2018, WWF-Malaysia launched Project Stampede, an ambitious plan to flood the forests with patrol teams to remove snares and provide real-time information on poacher camp locations. As a result, the Belum –Temenggor tiger site today is a safer place for tigers to hunt, breed and thrive.
Signs Of Population Recovery
In late 2020 and early 2021, intensive camera-trapping revealed fresh sightings of tigers where 12 individual tigers were identified, compared to 10 in previous years surveys. The highlight was a sighting of a female tiger followed closely by her three cubs estimated to be between one and half to two years old. The same family of four were seen again passing through the same location one month later. These recent sightings may be indicative of the beginning of a tiger population recovery in Belum-Temengor.
