Malaysia: ‘Tiger Valley’ to open at end of year

Roslina Mohamad The Star 30 Apr 11;

KUANTAN: Nature lovers can watch tigers roaming in their natural habitat when the Pahang government opens its Tiger Valley' at the Klau Forest Reserve in Temerloh at the end of the year.

State Tourism, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Shafiq Fauzan Sharif said the project would be an open-zoo concept using facilities that were already available “with some new twists for added value.”

The state government received RM3.2mil from the Tourism Ministry to roll out the project under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

“Although it is based on an open-zoo concept, there is still a need for it to be fenced.

“But it will be huge enough for the wild animals to roam freely. It will be back to nature for the animals as that is where they are supposed to be, not living in a cages,'' Shafiq told The Star yesterday.

He added that the “Tiger Valley” would have facilities for visitors to watch the animals from a safe distance, such as a viewing tower and specially-built walkways.

Shafiq said the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) would be roped in to work with the state on the project and to provide proposals on the tigers' habitat.

He said some tigers in zoos nationwide have lived in cages for more than 20 years.

“These animals should be allowed to move about in their natural habitat,” he said, adding that an open zoo is good and healthy for wild animals and a niche area that can be developed for the tourism industry.

Shafiq hoped the planned “Tiger Valley” would be integrated with the popular Kuala Gandah elephant sanctuary located in the same forest reserve.