Poachers threaten Malaysia's defence of tigers: WWF

Google News 20 Jan 10;

KUALA LUMPUR — Conservationists called on Wednesday for a war on the poachers who are undermining Malaysia's ambitious goal to double its population of wild tigers to 1,000.

With 2010 declared the Year of the Tiger according to the Chinese zodiac, experts fear there will be an upsurge in poaching of one of the world's most endangered species.

"The demand (for tiger parts) has been strong. It will remain strong in the Year of the Tiger," said Dinoysius Sharma, executive director of WWF-Malaysia.

"Prices may increase amid dwindling numbers in the wild, which makes it more lucrative to hunt for tigers," he said. "Security should be beefed up for the tigers."

Sharma said that in the past year, 10 tigers have been taken by poachers from one of Malaysia's main habitats, the Belum-Temengor forest in northern Perak state.

"We have evidence of (poachers) living in the jungle for long period of times," he said.

Sharma said that in the last 12 months, 114 tiger traps have been destroyed and 10 poachers arrested in the Belum-Temengor forest.

Malaysia's wild tigers are mostly found near the Malaysia-Thai border, but there are also some living in central Pahang state and as far south as Johor, which borders Singapore.

In 2008 Malaysia unveiled an ambitious "National Tiger Action Plan" aimed at doubling the number of wild tigers in peninsular Malaysia to 1,000 by 2020.

In the 1950s, there were as many as 3,000 tigers in Malaysia but their numbers fell as the country opened up more land for agriculture.

Elizabeth John, from TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, said poaching "is the most immediate and worst threat" to Malaysia's wild tigers and that poachers are "well armed and well equipped".

"Other threats include loss of habitat and prey," she said, adding that areas close to the Thai border are "poaching hotspots."

Melvin Gumal, director for Malaysia's Wildlife Conservation Society, said that tigers are killed by poachers for their skin, meat, claws and other body parts which are prizes for their supposed medicinal value.

"Enforcement must be our priority to reach the ambitious target (of 1,000 tigers). The target is achievable," he said.

Year of saving the tiger
Yeng Ai Chun, The Star 21 Jan 10;

Groups roaring up support to save Malaysian big cat from extinction

KUALA LUMPUR: The Year of the Tiger is upon us – but for wildlife conservationists, it has to be the year of saving the tiger from extinction.

The Malayan tiger is down to a mere 500 in the wild in Peninsular Malaysia and it will need a concerted effort from all to double the number under the Tiger Action Plan, WWF Malaysia chief executive Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma.

However, saving Malaysia’s declining tiger population is no longer a job only for conservationists but needs wider support from the public and private sectors, said

“You can be the person who helped save the tigers, or you can be the one who helped wipe them out,” Dr Dionysius said yesterday.

The Tiger Action Plan, which was launched 2008, aims to have 1,000 wild tigers in Malaysia by 2020.

“This is the best chance we have to seriously attempt to save tigers from extinction, mainly because of the national Tiger Action Plan and policies in place and the unprecedented cooperation between the Government and NGO community.

“With the eyes of the world upon the tiger this year, it is our chance to showcase Malaysia’s commitment towards the target of 1,000 wild tigers,” said Dr Dionysius.

MYCAT (Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers) would also be launching a Year of the Tiger programme, a series of public awareness campaigns targeting schools and both the rural and urban public.

“We will be kicking things off at Dong Zen Temple (in Jenjarom, Selangor), where 1,000 faces will be painted to symbolise the 1,000 tigers we hope to have by the year 2020,” said Dr Dionysius.

The plan mainly identifies five factors threatening tigers – habitat loss and fragmentation; commercial poaching; human-tiger conflict; declining prey base; and science deficiency in the monitoring of tigers and their prey.

TRAFFIC senior communications officer Elizabeth John said commercial poaching was the “most urgent threat” to the tigers.

“Poaching has the capacity to do the most damage in the shortest period of time,” she said.

The tiger population has been decimated due to illegal hunting for their skins, bones and other body parts.

Those with information about illegal poaching or trading can make a report via the Tiger Crime Hotline at 019-3564194.

The Tiger Action Plan was formulated by the Government through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, together with the Malaysian Nature Society, TRAFFIC South-East Asia, the Wildlife Conservation Society-Malaysia Programme and WWF-Malaysia, using the collaborative platform of MYCAT.

1000 tigers for Malaysia
WWF Malaysia 20 Jan 10;

20 January 2010, Kuala Lumpur – This is the Year of the Tiger, the year of hope for tigers in the wild. Tiger numbers are dwindling worldwide, but the Malayan tiger has the best chance not just of survival, but also of doubling its current numbers to 1000 by the year 2020.

To build a brighter future for tigers, the Malaysian Government, through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, together with the Malaysian Nature Society, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Wildlife Conservation Society-Malaysia Programme and WWF-Malaysia, formulated the National Tiger Action Plan (TAP) in 2008 using the collaborative platform of the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT).

The target of the TAP, endorsed by the National Biotechnology and Biodiversity Council at its recent meeting chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, is to have 1000 tigers surviving in the Central Forest Spine; the 51,000 km2 backbone of Peninsular Malaysia’s environmentally sensitive area (ESA) network.

“The implementation of this visionary plan ensures not only that the tiger survives in the coming decades, but that it will increase in number,” said Dr Loh Chi Leong, Executive Director of the Malaysian Nature Society.

Malaysia is the most important tiger range country in Southeast Asia because it still has a sizeable wild tiger population and has blueprints for sustainable development such as the National Physical Plan. 2010 is also the Year of Biodiversity which presents a perfect opportunity to reaffirm the country’s commitment to the target of 1000 tigers surviving in the wild.

“Doubling Malaysia’s tiger numbers isn’t a job just for conservationists. We call for wider support from the public and private sector. There must be serious changes in consumer behaviour and an increase in support of government and NGO efforts. Everyone has a role to play” said Chris R. Shepherd, Acting Regional Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.

Malaysia has the benefit of a forward thinking government. “Well before the declaration by other countries to
double global tiger numbers, the Malaysian government had already taken that step,” said Dr Melvin Gumal,
Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society-Malaysia Programme.

“This is the best chance we have to seriously attempt to save tigers from extinction, mainly because of the National Tiger Action Plan and policies in place and the unprecedented cooperation between the government and NGO community. With the eyes of the world upon the tiger this year, it is our chance to showcase Malaysia’s commitment towards the target of 1000 wild tigers,” said Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma, Executive Director/CEO of WWF-Malaysia.

For further information, please contact:

Malaysian Nature Society
Kanitha Krishnasamy, Senior Policy Officer
E: policy@mns.org.my T: 03 2287 9422

TRAFFIC Southeast Asia
Elizabeth John, Sr. Communications Officer
E: jlizzjohn@yahoo.com T: 012 2079790

Wildlife Conservation Society-Malaysia
Dr Melvin Gumal, Director
E: mgumal@wcs.org T: 03 7880 2029

WWF-Malaysia
Sara Sukor, Communications Officer
E: ssara@wwf.org.my T: 012 3060404

MYCAT Secretariat’s Office
Loretta Shepherd, Programme Coordinator
E: loretta@malayantiger.net T: 0123100594