THE high demand for timber has led to deforestation and logging, causing negative impact to species which are dependent on forests.
The destruction of habitat causes animals to leave certain areas, causing a drop in their population and eventually leading to extinction.
Malaysia estimatedly had more than 3,000 tigers in the 1950s but the number dropped to 340 in just half a century.
The Malayan tiger is on the red list as a critically endangered and categorised as a totally protected species which is threatened with extinction under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.
Habitat loss due to deforestation and fragmentation is the main contributor to the decline in tiger population. They are also prone to local extinction due to inbreeding, which affects their genetic viability.
Overhunting of main prey, such as wild boar, also affects the population of tigers as their source of food is reduced.
Most animals do not survive the initial destruction of their habitat caused by deforestation. When trees are felled, animals living in the trunk and canopy are destroyed.
Animals that do survive may not know where to relocate.
Without shelter and food from the trees, they die of exposure.
These animals sometimes come into contact with humans while searching for new habitats and food.
Sometimes these animals are deemed a nuisance. Some also attack the humans.
At times, these displaced animals are relocated to areas where they do not interfere with human habitation, but at times they are attacked and killed.
Lionel Perera
Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan