THE Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MyCAT) welcomes the government’s efforts to list Taman Negara as a United Nations Education, Scientific, Cultural Organisation world heritage site and congratulates the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) and the Armed Forces on the successes of the 1Malaysia Biodiversity Enforcement Operation Network (1MBEON).
1MBEON is an initiative under the National Blue Ocean Strategy to conduct joint patrols in protected areas to combat poaching and trespassing, and has resulted in the arrest of 13 foreigners since February. While the joint initiative is to be commended, anti-poaching patrols and other enforcement efforts need to be scaled up.
Although the Malayan tiger features prominently on commemorative coins issued by Bank Negara to celebrate Taman Negara’s 75th anniversary, the reality is that Malaysia has lost about 90 per cent of its tigers since independence.
Studies conducted between 2010 and last year suggest that there may be only 250 to 340 wild tigers left, and poaching is the greatest threat to the survival of our tigers and other wildlife.
According to the studies, which took place in protected areas and forest reserves, non-governmental organisations destroyed more than 2,241 poachers’ traps and 1,728 illegal camps. Meanwhile, the equivalent of at least 94 tigers were confiscated in Malaysia between 2000 and 2012 based on 33 seizures during that period.
The remaining tiger population can bounce back if protected, but the government needs to invest money and manpower towards its protection. Patrols need to be focused and carried out with greater frequency. A better informant network, penetrating deep into the forest and spreading across tiger priority areas, is a must. These should be conducted by full-time personnel, who are appropriately armed and trained.
Just how much effort is needed? To cite an example, Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, a 2,700 sq km reserve in Thailand where tigers and other wildlife are safe despite its proximity to major wildlife trafficking hubs, has 284 full-time staff patrolling 19,000km every year.
To achieve the same intensity of foot patrols in the 4,343 sq km Taman Negara, Perhilitan would need 400 personnel patrolling the park full time. The available manpower is at eight per cent of what is needed. The understaffing has even been highlighted by the natural resources and environment minister.
Enlisting military personnel and Perhilitan staff from outside Taman Negara increases patrolling intensity temporarily but it is still only 10 per cent of the protection needed. Protection of these areas should be a full-time job.
We call on the Public Service Department to allocate more enforcement staff to Perhilitan to improve protection in all three tiger-priority areas, Taman Negara, Belum-Temengor and Endau-Rompin. The Forestry Department should also detect illegal logging and poaching in Peninsular Malaysia’s permanent reserved forests.
We also ask that the Economic Planning Unit and Finance Ministry allocate more funds to ensure rangers and enforcement staff are properly trained, equipped and compensated.
Given the precariously low tiger numbers, each animal should be monitored and protected.
If anti-poaching efforts remain piecemeal, tigers could disappear from Malaysia in the next decade.
In a recent survey in Indonesia, the Sumatran tiger showed a great comeback. Earlier this year, Thailand was proclaimed “the great hope in saving the tiger”, and was identified as a potential model for wildlife conservation in Southeast Asia. Malaysia, too, should stake this claim as it is the only home of the Malayan tiger.
Malaysia is a Tiger Economy, and there is no reason for us to fall behind Nepal, India, Indonesia and Thailand in the fight to save the tiger. With as few as 250 tigers remaining, we reiterate the urgent need for the government to invest more resources to save Malaysia’s tigers.
Wong Pui May, coordinator, Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers