Malaysia: RM60m to build viaducts for tiger crossings

Nicholas Cheng and Kanyakumari Damodaran New Straits Times 21 Feb 12;

These are in addition to earlier six similar wildlife-friendly projects costing RM110m

The 123km highway links Grik in Perak with Jeli in Kelantan, crossing the Main Range.

Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said although the cost was high, experience showed the idea worked and these viaducts would be built in Perak.

He said the viaducts would provide safe passage for animals as part of the ecological linkages at the Belum-Temenggor Priority Tiger Landscape and the Greater Taman Negara.

These projects are in addition to earlier approved projects worth RM110 million for creating six wildlife-friendly viaducts in Terengganu and Pahang.

Although several core tiger habitats had been designated as protected areas, as part of the effort to double the wild tiger population by 2020, Kurup said many tigers were found outside these areas.

Also, extensive land use created fragmented forests which led to fragmented tiger populations and conflict issues from encounters between tigers and humans.

The Central Forest Spine Master Plan intends to create a contiguous network of forests in the backbone of the peninsula.

"For Malaysia, the tiger is part of our national symbol and its conservation is important as it occupies the top position in the animal food chain and its conservation will mean a healthier bio-diversity," Kurup said when launching the Cross-Sectoral Executive Forum on Mainstreaming Tiger Habitats yesterday.

Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director-general Datuk Rasid Samsudin said the mainstreaming of tiger habitats into the national plans had already started showing promising results.

"Perhilitan now manages around 15,000ha of ecological corridors around the wildlife viaducts in Terengganu," he said.

During the forum, World Bank's programme director of Global Tiger Initiative Keshav Varma urged government agencies and the private sector to consider how their polices and programmes could affect wildlife.

He also praised the Malaysian government for balancing the use of natural resources with the protection of tigers and other wildlife. "If the Malaysian model is adopted, the future prospects for tigers and other species will improve markedly."

Tigers, which are the largest cats in the world, have already lost 95 per cent of their habitats throughout Asia. Their numbers have dwindled to around 7,000.

The four main tiger states are Pahang, Perak, Kelantan and Terengganu.

They cover 90 per cent of the tiger habitats, with an estimate showing there are 450 to 500 tigers, indicating that Malaysia has the largest known tiger population in Southeast Asia.

The 123km highway links Grik in Perak with Jeli in Kelantan, crossing the Main Range.

Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said although the cost was high, experience showed the idea worked and these viaducts would be built in Perak.

He said the viaducts would provide safe passage for animals as part of the ecological linkages at the Belum-Temenggor Priority Tiger Landscape and the Greater Taman Negara.

These projects are in addition to earlier approved projects worth RM110 million for creating six wildlife-friendly viaducts in Terengganu and Pahang.

Although several core tiger habitats had been designated as protected areas, as part of the effort to double the wild tiger population by 2020, Kurup said many tigers were found outside these areas.

Also, extensive land use created fragmented forests which led to fragmented tiger populations and conflict issues from encounters between tigers and humans.

The Central Forest Spine Master Plan intends to create a contiguous network of forests in the backbone of the peninsula.

"For Malaysia, the tiger is part of our national symbol and its conservation is important as it occupies the top position in the animal food chain and its conservation will mean a healthier bio-diversity," Kurup said when launching the Cross-Sectoral Executive Forum on Mainstreaming Tiger Habitats yesterday.

Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director-general Datuk Rasid Samsudin said the mainstreaming of tiger habitats into the national plans had already started showing promising results.

"Perhilitan now manages around 15,000ha of ecological corridors around the wildlife viaducts in Terengganu," he said.

During the forum, World Bank's programme director of Global Tiger Initiative Keshav Varma urged government agencies and the private sector to consider how their polices and programmes could affect wildlife.

He also praised the Malaysian government for balancing the use of natural resources with the protection of tigers and other wildlife. "If the Malaysian model is adopted, the future prospects for tigers and other species will improve markedly."

Tigers, which are the largest cats in the world, have already lost 95 per cent of their habitats throughout Asia. Their numbers have dwindled to around 7,000.

The four main tiger states are Pahang, Perak, Kelantan and Terengganu.

They cover 90 per cent of the tiger habitats, with an estimate showing there are 450 to 500 tigers, indicating that Malaysia has the largest known tiger population in Southeast Asia.

RM170mil for tiger corridor
Isabelle Lai The Star 21 Feb 12;

PETALING JAYA: The Government has allocated RM170mil to build wildlife-friendly viaducts that are vital in linking fragmented tiger populations and reducing conflict with humans, said Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup.

He said these included viaducts along the East-West Highway in Perak costing RM60mil in addition to earlier approved projects in Terengganu and Pahang costing RM110mil.

The viaducts will allow safe passage across highways for wildlife, including tigers and elephants, between conservation corridors such as the Greater Taman Negara and Belum-Temengor Priority Tiger Landscape.

“This is an ambitious yet strong commitment from the Government to strive to double the wild tiger population by 2022,” he said in his speech before launching the Cross-Sectoral Executive Leadership Forum on Mainstreaming Tiger Habitats here yesterday.

Despite the high cost, Kurup said it was possible to build these viaducts through early intervention during the planning stage of infrastructure development.

He said Malaysia would continue to ensure tiger conservation efforts were part of mainstream state and district-level programmes through its Central Forest Spine master plan and National Tiger Conservation Action Plan.

Malaysia was one of 13 countries that took part in the International Tiger Summit in 2010 in St Petersburg, Russia, to address the threat of tiger extinction and highlight the animals as the face of biodiversity.

Keshav Varma, the World Bank programme director for the Global Tiger Initiative, said the Malaysian Government had been “extremely forward-looking” in finding a balance between using its natural resources and protecting wildlife, including accommodating the needs of tigers and other species amid development.

“If the Malaysian model is adopted, the future prospects for tigers and other species could improve markedly,” he said.

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute director Steven Montfort said tiger conservation could be achieved by working together with all parties involved.