Beautiful and elusive, Malayan tiger’s, much like most, if not all, of it’s feline counterparts has experience a devastating decline – poaching and lack of food are the main reasons for this worldwide trend.
Historical Decline
The population of the Malayan tiger has dramatically decreased from around 3,000 in the 1950s to fewer than 150 today.
Recent Deaths
A recent increase of deaths has heightened fears for the Malayan tiger, with experts warning the feline is “on the brink of extinction”.
Impact of Poaching and Deforestation
The population of this tiger subspecies on the Malaysian peninsula has been decreasing due to poaching and deforestation, leaving it “critically endangered”.
Recent Casualties
Most recently, an adult male tiger, estimated to be around four years old, was found dead in a storm drain off a highway in Perak region. It had been hit by a car.
Vehicle Collisions
A month earlier, another adult male was found dead by an expressway in Pahang, believed to have been struck by a vehicle while trying to cross the road. They were the third and fourth Malayan tigers killed by vehicle collisions between November 2023 and May 2024.
Viral Tragedy
In late June, photos and videos of a dead tiger went viral on social media, provoking strong reactions from the public. The carcass, bloated and floating in a stream in Kelantan, showed no visible signs of injury from snares or gunshots. A postmortem examination was done by forestry officials to determine the cause of death but its outcome is not yet known.
National Crisis
“The plight of Malayan tigers is a national crisis that requires the full attention and commitment of all Malaysians,” Henry Chan, director of conservation at the World Wildlife Fund Malaysia, told CNN.
Symbol of National Heritage
The Malayan tiger is a symbol of national heritage. But despite government policies and plans for protection, the feline’s population has plummeted, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Subspecies Recognition
The Malayan tiger was recognized as a subspecies in 2004. It is smaller than Indonesia’s Sumatran tiger and South Asia’s Bengal tiger. An excellent swimmer and powerful apex predator, it is distinguished by a slightly darker, reddish-orange coat.
Habitat Preservation
Like all tigers, it needs large swathes of forestland to roam, making habitat preservation crucial for survival. But the subspecies suffers from habitat loss, prey depletion, and retaliatory killings stemming from human-tiger conflicts.
Poaching Issues
Mark Rayan Darmaraj, country director of Wildlife Conservation Society Malaysia, noted arrests of suspected poachers in Pahang region “in possession of the skull and bones of a tiger.”
Conservation Efforts
Malaysia released a National Tiger Conservation Action Plan in 2020 in collaboration with nonprofit groups. The eight-year plan outlines priorities such as deploying conservation tools to aid conservation. “By implementing a suite of concerted actions, backed by political commitment and public support, we as a nation and as part of the global conservation community can ensure that one of the most majestic and charismatic animals with which we share the planet will not vanish,” it stated.
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