Malayan tigers hit by road sparks national debate on how to save endangered icon | News | Eco-Business

While the tiger population in Nepal is making a remarkable recovery and India has had some success in conserving the species, in Malaysia the government, scientists and conservation groups are struggling to save the species. Conservation efforts have had little success.

The Malayan tiger, panthera tigris jacksoniis one of six unique tiger subspecies native to Peninsular Malaysia and one of the smallest tigers in the world. The majestic mammals are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with fewer than 150 individuals left in the wild.

A series of roadkills involving animals in recent months have left locals in awe, raising fears that the most important species is facing yet another crisis that could threaten its survival, alongside habitat loss and poaching.

On May 16, 2024, an adult tiger was found dead beside the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway near Lentang in Bentong, Pahang, after being hit by a vehicle. This followed the discovery of a Malayan tiger carcass floating in a river in the rural northern state of Kelantan by forest rangers in late June.

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The more forests you destroy, the more tigers will become extinct.

Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil, President, Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia

About a week later, another tiger was found dead in a drain of the North-South Expressway near Gua Tempurung in Gopeng, Perak.

Eco-Business speaks to Henry Chan, WWF Malaysia’s Director for the Tiger Conversation. He highlights some of the pressing issues affecting the species’ survival and emphasises the urgent need for comprehensive conservation measures.

According to Chan, a lack of prey is one of the main reasons why more and more tigers are leaving their natural habitat, risking their lives by crossing dangerous highways in search of food.

He said these incidents reveal underlying problems of habitat fragmentation and inadequate and poorly designed wildlife crossings, which require immediate attention.

“Infrastructure development is causing habitat fragmentation, forcing tigers to cross dangerous roads. We advocate for wildlife corridors and crossings to provide safe passage for tigers and other wildlife,” Chan said.

He noted that building underpasses and overpasses reduces traffic fatalities. Such structures have proven effective in countries such as the United States and Canada.

“Establishing forest corridors to connect fragmented habitats is a promising strategy. These corridors help tigers move safely between protected areas, which is essential for their genetic diversity and survival,” he told Eco-Business.

Chan added that efforts to restore degraded habitats are ongoing and that continued investment and monitoring are needed to ensure the success of these projects.

Malaysia has taken a number of measures to protect its national species from extinction, including a cabinet agreement on nine extraordinary conservation measures for the Malayan tiger for a period of 10 years, from 2021 to 2030.

This includes the establishment of the National Tiger Conservation Task Force in 2021 and the Malayan Tiger Conservation Centre in Lanchang, Temerloh for tiger reintroduction programs in 2023.

The Pahang State Government has also been working on major conservation initiatives that create incentives to protect the species. Last year, the state allocated 134,183 hectares of land to the Al-Sultan Abdullah Royal Tigers Reserve.

The reserve, expected to be completed by the end of 2028, is the first of its kind in Malaysia and will be included in the Malaysian Forest Fund’s carbon credit projects, contributing to collective efforts to enhance forest conservation.

In addition to these efforts, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) is also working to revive as many wildlife corridors as possible in the Central Forest Spine of Peninsular Malaysia, the prime habitat of Malayan tigers.

NRES Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad told reporters at a recent event that the federal government has increased ecological fiscal transfers – that is, the transfer of taxes between government agencies based on ecological indicators – to states for forest protection from RM60 million (US$12.89 million) to RM200 million (US$42.96 million) annually, recognising habitat loss as the main cause of the declining tiger population.

“The amount is increasing, but we know it needs to be increased to ensure a holistic solution for tiger conservation,” he said.

Speaking at another event, he also said his ministry, through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), is working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Malaysia and using the Global Environment Facility fund, a multilateral fund that provides grants and blended financing for biodiversity projects, to invest US$1.5 million in tiger conservation work in Pahang, through 2028.

Despite the efforts, Chan says there are still major challenges that need to be addressed to ensure its long-term effectiveness.

Environmental activist and chairperson of non-profit organisation Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said there was still too much development that was hindering the protection of forests.

“The more you destroy forests, the more tigers will disappear. Forest destruction is one of the main reasons why wild animals like tigers are disappearing fast,” Shariffa said.

She added that the construction of new highways and the East Coast Rail Line, which runs through pristine forests, and of commercial plantations for crops such as durian, are some of the reasons why Peninsular Malaysia’s forests are under continued threat.

Contrary to Chan’s belief, Shariffa said forest corridors are not as effective in addressing the problem of declining tiger populations as there is a risk of increased poaching.

“Corridors open the door for poachers, and I don’t think Malaysia is ready for that,” she said.

Joint action by government agencies, NGOs, the private sector and local communities is crucial to ensure the success of Malaysia’s efforts to protect its national animal.

To achieve this ambition, Chan said legislation and enforcement must be strengthened. This includes tougher penalties for poaching and habitat destruction, effective enforcement of speed limits and warning signs in nature reserves to reduce road fatalities, as well as stricter enforcement of wildlife protection laws.

Successful partnerships such as Project Stampede, an intensive anti-poaching patrolling and monitoring initiative supported by the Maybank Foundation and WWF Malaysia, must also be established to ensure the survival of the critically endangered Malayan tiger, he said.