SINCE assuming office as land, water and natural resources minister, Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar has been vocal on conservation issues, especially those pertaining to wildlife.
His initial “shoot on sight” suggestion aimed at poachers shows his seriousness in wanting to confront this menace that is endangering our wildlife.
The plight of Malaysian wildlife, especially the fast dwindling tiger population, is uppermost on his mind, and he has advocated tough measures to contain deforestation, loss or fragmentation of habitat, hunting and trafficking of wildlife.
Malaysia’s tiger population has drastically declined to less than 200, compared with more than a 1,000 a couple of decades back.
Today, wildlife faces the most serious threat as we chase development like never before.
It is surprising to note that while the tiger population has increased in India, China and Russia, the species is facing extinction in Malaysia.
As a wildlife and conservation supporter, I feel that the Malayan tiger is possibly starving its way to rapid decline and, ultimately, extinction.
The massive deforestation for development in the last five decades has caused havoc to tiger habitats and their food chain has been severely restricted. Nursing or lactating mother tigers need to be helped and provided with food nearby to ensure they do not strain themselves searching for food. The longer the mother is out in search of prey, the greater the risk for the cubs as male tigers are known to engage in infanticide.
In India’s forests, tiger habitats abound with innumerable prey, such as deer, wild boars, monkeys, gaur, jungle fowl, etc. Deer of various kinds are plentiful, and despite competition from leopards and wild dogs, tigers can make a kill easily, possibly explaining their quick recovery.
Tigers need to be well fed to be physically strong to mate and produce a healthy litter of cubs.
The Malayan tiger is different from the Siberian tiger and the Royal Bengal tiger, and more research needs to be done to get it out of its predicament. More researchers, local and foreign, as well as non-governmental organisations, politicians, community leaders, corporate sponsors and others can help save the tiger.
Today ’s technological advances, such as motion and night vision cameras and drones, can delay extinction. The government needs to provide more funding and enforcement through the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) and armed forces to save our tigers.
According to local tiger expert and conservationist Kae Kawanishi, at least 2,000 members of the armed forces are needed to fully patrol and protect tiger sanctuaries. The Orang Asli and village folk living in areas bordering tiger sanctuaries need to be roped in. All hunting permits should be immediately cancelled so that there is enough prey for tigers.
Warning signs such as “poachers will be shot on sight” should be placed in tiger sensitive areas to forewarn poachers, hunters, villagers and others.
Curfews should be imposed from dusk to dawn in tiger habitats. Roads constructed by timber loggers should be blocked or sealed off by digging trenches across them to prevent easy access to the jungle.
Roads and highways along wildlife habitats should have tunnels for animals to cross or, at the very least, should not be fenced off as this will stop them from reaching their food source. More automated enforcement system cameras are needed at these spots, and fines should be doubled for speeding.
Toll plazas and gantry signboards should display wildlife related messages on LED boards to alert road users.
All hope is not lost for our Malayan tiger to recover from its decline. We just need political will on the part of the new government to protect and do the best for the tiger’s survival.
The oldest forest in the world — about 350 million years old — could become eerily quiet without the Malayan tiger’s roar.
V. THOMAS
Sungai Buloh, Selangor