In the 1950s, there were an estimated 3,000 Malayan tigers in Malaysia. Today, its numbers have seen a drastic drop to less than 150 individuals. The Malayan tiger is currently listed as Critically Endangered under the IUCN Red List, meaning it faces an extremely high risk of extinction. Time is running out for our tigers. We must act now to save our national symbol of pride, or we’ll lose them forever. Here are the main threats that our tigers are facing:
POACHING AND ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE
habitat loss due to deforestation and fragmentation
habitat loss due to deforestation and fragmentation
Overhunting of Tigers’ main prey
Poaching still remains the main threat to our tigers. Recognizing the critical need to apply anti-poaching interventions, WWF-Malaysia launched an intensive patrolling initiative in 2018, at the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex, Perak. The initiative brought about immediate results. With more than 70 anti-poaching team members including teams from the Orang Asli community regularly patrolling the deep forests of Perak, they collectively covered more than 11,000km in just a year. After 2 years, the outcome was a massive 98% decrease in snare levels.
Less snares = less tigers and tiger prey trapped.
Then in mid-2020, WWF-Malaysia’s camera traps captured images of a mother tiger and her three cubs. The sighting represented a message of hope that our anti-poaching work had brought about positive results.
Here’s how your gift will help our tiger conservation efforts:
- Supporting wages for field assistants to conduct patrolling and camera-trapping
- Providing rations and consumables for patrolling work
- Purchasing camping equipment to carry out field surveys
- Covering logistics and transportation costs
- Supporting critical awareness and communications initiatives conducted with the community and civil society
