Malayan tiger teeters on ‘brink of extinction’ as spate of deaths sparks alarm

(CNN) — A recent spate of alarming deaths has heightened fears for the Malayan tiger, wildlife authorities and conservationists say, with some calling the threat to Malaysia’s emblematic animal a “national emergency.”

Native to the jungles of peninsular Malaysia, the majestic feline subspecies is critically endangered, with fewer than 150 believed to be left in the wild due to habitat loss, illegal poaching and a decline in prey.

Found on Malaysia’s coat of arms and considered a national heritage symbol, its numbers have plummeted since the 1950s, when around 3,000 roamed the Southeast Asian country, officials say.

Against that already grim backdrop, photos and videos of a dead Malayan tiger went viral on social media in late June. The carcass, found bloated and floating in a stream in the rural northern state of Kelantan, was discovered by forest rangers.

There was no sign of injury from snares or gunshots, and state forestry officials are conducting a post-mortem examination.

The images provoked strong reactions from many in Malaysia, who noted the urgency of saving their national symbol from extinction.

“The plight of Malayan tigers is a national crisis that requires the full attention and commitment of all Malaysians,” Henry Chan, director of conservation at the World Wildlife Fund Malaysia (WWF), told CNN.

Stronger conservation efforts are needed, he added, such as enhancing patrols in critical tiger habitats and leveraging advanced technology such as camera traps and drones for monitoring and surveillance.

“These magnificent creatures continue to teeter on the brink of extinction,” Chan said.

“Losing just one tiger brings the entire species closer to extinction, making every individual tiger’s life extremely critical to the survival of the species.”

“The Malayan tiger is on the brink of extinction with fewer than 150 remaining in the wild,” said Mark Rayan Darmaraj, country director of Wildlife Conservation Society Malaysia, who noted that suspected poachers were arrested in a separate case in the nearby state of Pahang the following day, “in possession of the skull and bones of a tiger.”

“They suffer from habitat loss, prey depletion and retaliatory killings stemming from human-tiger conflicts,” he said.

“Additionally, the construction of roads through their habitats increases the risk of fatal vehicle collisions as seen in several recent incidents.”

On July 6, authorities in the western state of Perak were alerted to a dead tiger found in a storm drain off a major highway. Estimated to have been around 4 years old, the adult male had been hit by a car, officials said.

A month earlier, the body of another adult tiger was found by an expressway in Pahang state. Officials believe the tiger, believed to have been 5 years old, was run over by a vehicle while trying to cross the road from a nearby forest reserve.

It was the fourth Malayan tiger killed by a vehicle collision between November 2023 and May 2024, according to authorities.

Eight-year plan

The Malayan tiger was recognized as a subspecies in 2004. Like all tigers, they are excellent swimmers and powerful apex predators.

Smaller than Indonesia’s Sumatran tigers and the Bengal tigers found across South Asia, Malayan tigers can grow to about 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) long and weigh up to 130 kilograms (about 280 pounds), experts say, and need large swaths of forest to roam.

Their slightly darker, reddish-orange coats also distinguish them from other tiger species.

In an eight-year National Tiger Conservation Action Plan released in collaboration with non-profit groups in 2020, Malaysian officials outlined priorities such as conservation tools and a “National Physical Plan” to aid conservation efforts.

“By implementing a suite of concerted actions, backed by political commitment and public support, we as a nation and as part of the global conservation community can ensure that one of the most majestic and charismatic animals with which we share the planet will not vanish,” the report said.

CNN has reached out to official wildlife agencies for further comment about recent tiger conservation efforts.

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