Prey augmentation efforts crucial to saving Malayan tigers from extinction

Image of a Malayan tiger captured on a high-definition camera trap in 2023 - in collaboration with WWF Malaysia. Photo by Emmanuel Rondeau / WWF-US.

“MALAYSIA’S national animal, the Malayan tiger, declared extinct.” This provocative title could very well be a headline in a matter of years.

In the forests of Peninsular Malaysia, the plight of the Malayan tiger persists with alarming urgency. The oft-repeated and grim reality remains unchanged; fewer than 150 of these majestic creatures remain in the wild. Stop and let that sink in. This is not merely a statistic; it is a heartfelt plea for action, a call to safeguard the future of this iconic species from the persistent threats of poaching and habitat destruction. Not only is the tiger still being hunted, but its home is diminishing. Now, even its food source is threatened by disease.