Latest news with #Malayan
Miami Herald
9 hours ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Striped predators make rare appearances — and bring hope for the species
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. In the forests of Asia between the trees, one of the world's largest cats uses its vertical stripes to blend in. Tigers are effective hunters and apex predators, but their populations have been pushed to the brink across their native lands. 'Tiger range has declined by a staggering 92%, with wild tigers living in only a fraction of the space they used to occupy,' the World Wildlife Fund told McClatchy News in an email. Global Tiger Day is celebrated on July 29, according to the WWF, and marks an opportunity to recognize tiger population successes and learning moments from around the world. Take a look at some recent rare sightings and news from captive breeding programs. In Kui Buri National Park, Thailand, a trail camera captured a rare sighting of an adult tiger, marking the park's first such sighting in over a decade. This exciting discovery, attributed to ongoing conservation efforts, has raised hopes for the return of tigers to the area. The park is in southern Thailand, near the border with Myanmar. | Published Jan. 6 | Read More | In Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand, a Bengal tiger mother and her three cubs were unexpectedly spotted on trail cameras. This is the first time a tiger has been recorded raising three cubs in the park, which is home to a small breeding population of Bengal tigers. The park is the largest national park in Thailand, located between the Gulf of Thailand and the eastern border of Myanmar. | Published Feb. 4 | Read More | In the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand, a female tiger known as F22, who had been elusive for years, was spotted on trail cameras with her two cubs. This sighting, which occurred in February, indicates the success of conservation efforts in the area, as the mother and cubs appeared strong and healthy. The sanctuary, near the border with Myanmar, is home to a diverse array of wildlife, suggesting a thriving ecosystem. | Published April 1 | Read More | In the Hala-Bala forest of Thailand's Bang Lang National Park, a camera trap captured images of the critically endangered Malayan tiger, along with other elusive species. This sighting highlights the forest's rich biodiversity and its ability to support various species. The Malayan tiger is found only on the Malaysian peninsula and Thailand's southern forests. | Published May 9 | Read More | At Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in India, two abandoned tiger cubs were discovered, but only one remained when the team arrived. Trail camera footage later confirmed that the mother returned to retrieve the cub, showcasing a successful case of wildlife conservation. The park is in eastern India near the disputed region of Arunachal Pradesh. | Published May 20 | Read More | McClatchy News continues to follow rare animals, new behaviors and even new species. Check back for the latest stories.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Malaysia steps up fight to save Malayan tiger
SHAH ALAM: Efforts to conserve the critically endangered Malayan tiger have shown encouraging progress since 2021, with various initiatives implemented to protect the species and its natural habitat. Wildlife and National Parks Department director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the conservation of the Malayan tiger must not be taken lightly as it requires strong commitment, coordinated action and ongoing public awareness. Among the key initiatives is the Biodiversity Protection and Patrolling Programme (BP3), introduced to combat poaching through cross-agency enforcement under the Integrated Khazanah Operation (IKO). To date, IKO has carried out 72 operations, resulting in 856 arrests and seizures worth RM390 million. 'Through collaboration with Armed Forces and police veterans, the Orang Asli and local communities, 2,500 community rangers have been appointed to curb forest encroachment, illegal logging, poaching and mining, while also improving community well-being. 'The federal government has allocated RM80 million for this effort,' he said during the World Tiger Day 2025 celebration yesterday. He added that 15,000ha of new terrestrial protected areas have been gazetted in Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Terengganu and Negeri Sembilan under the Ecological Fiscal Transfer for Biodiversity Conservation, with the allocation increased to RM250 million for this year. To strengthen action against cross-border wildlife crimes, the Wildlife Crime Bureau was established under the Royal Malaysia Police and recorded seizures worth more than RM2 million in 2024. Abdul Kadir also acknowledged state-level initiatives, citing Pahang's move to gazette the 134,183ha Al-Sultan Abdullah Royal Tiger Reserve to support population recovery. 'These efforts are carried out consistently to ensure the Malayan tiger, which faces the threat of extinction, can be preserved for future generations.' Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii said World Tiger Day, observed on July 29, serves as a reminder of the global importance of tiger conservation. He said the situation in Malaysia remains alarming, with the First National Tiger Survey (2016 to 2020) estimating the Malayan tiger population at fewer than 150. 'Without drastic action, Malaysia could lose this iconic species within the next five to 10 years. 'The Cabinet, on June 16, 2021, agreed to implement extraordinary strategic measures over 10 years, focusing on halting the population decline, improving conservation governance and strengthening long-term survival initiatives.' Following the accreditation of Royal Belum State Park in Perak with the Conservation Assured Tiger Standards in 2023, Malaysia is now seeking similar recognition for national parks in Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan, as well as Endau Rompin National Park. Huang said the department is also working to obtain Asean Heritage Park status for the Tengku Hassanal Wildlife Reserve. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to implementing the Malayan Tiger Crisis Action Plan 2021 to 2030, strengthening enforcement through BP3 and expanding partnerships under the Save the Malayan Tiger Campaign with private sector and public involvement. The event also saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the department and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), symbolically aligning with the national football team Harimau Malaya and its tagline, Demi Lencana di Dada, Demi Harimau Kita. FAM has contributed about RM200,000 to the Save the Malayan Tiger Campaign Fund to date. Since the campaign's launch in 2021, ticket sales from Harimau Malaya football matches have raised RM2.1 million for the cause. It was also revealed that six contributors – comprising FAM, private companies and youth groups – have collectively donated RM401,021 to the campaign between 2023 and 2025, signalling strong ongoing support.
Sinar Daily
3 days ago
- Health
- Sinar Daily
Sunbears to elephants: Life at a Thai wildlife hospital
Patients range from delicate sugar gliders intended as pets, to some of the hefty rescued elephants that roam WFFT's expansive facility in Phetchaburi, southwest of Bangkok. 26 Jul 2025 08:00pm This photograph taken on July 9, 2025 shows "Yong," a six-year-old pigtailed macaque rescued from a life harvesting coconuts, getting a vasectomy surgery at the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) hospital in Phetchaburi province. Dozens of animals are being treated each month at the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) facility -- Thailand's only NGO-run wildlife hospital -- in Petchaburi, southwest of Bangkok. (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP) THAILAND - The patient lay prone on the operating table. An IV line snaking from his left leg, near the wound from the tranquilliser dart that sedated him. Yong, a pig-tailed macaque rescued from a life harvesting coconuts, was being treated at Thailand's only NGO-run wildlife hospital. This photograph taken on July 9, 2025 shows "Yong," a six-year-old pigtailed macaque rescued from a life harvesting coconuts, getting a vasectomy surgery at the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) hospital in Phetchaburi province. Dozens of animals are being treated each month at the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) facility -- Thailand's only NGO-run wildlife hospital -- in Petchaburi, southwest of Bangkok. (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP) He is one of dozens of animals treated each month at the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) facility. Patients range from delicate sugar gliders intended as pets, to some of the hefty rescued elephants that roam WFFT's expansive facility in Phetchaburi, southwest of Bangkok. The wide variety can be a challenge, said vet Siriporn Tippol. "If we can't find the right equipment, we have to DIY use what we already have or modify based on the specifications we need." She described strapping an extension handle onto a laryngoscope designed for cats and dogs so it could be used during surgery on bears and tigers. A treatment whiteboard gives a sense of an average day: cleaning a wound on one elephant's tail, assessing another's possible cataract and treating a Malayan sunbear's skin condition. Yong was in quarantine after rescue -- coconut monkeys often carry tuberculosis or other infectious diseases -- and needed a full health check. But first, he had to be sedated, with a tranquilliser dart blown from a white tube into his left haunch. Before long he was slumped over and ready to be carried to hospital. Blood was taken, an IV line placed and then it was X-ray time, to look for signs of broken bones or respiratory illness. Next was a symbolic moment: vets cut off the metal rings around the monkey's neck that once kept him connected to a chain. The operating theatre was the final stop, for a vasectomy to allow Yong to join a mixed troop of rescued monkeys without risk of breeding. Out-of-hand hobby The light-filled hospital only opened this month, replacing a previous "tiny" clinic, said WFFT founder Edwin Wiek. "I've always dreamed about having a proper medical facility," he told AFP, over the sound of nearby tigers roaring in grassy enclosures. With over 900 animals in WFFT's care and a regular stream of emergency arrivals, "we needed really a bigger place, more surgery rooms, a treatment room," he said. Wiek founded WFFT in 2001 with two macaques and a gibbon. It now spans 120 hectares (297 acres) and houses 60 species. "That hobby got out of hand," he laughed. He has long advocated for stronger wildlife protections in a country well-known as a wildlife trafficking hub in part because of its location and strong transport links. Wiek once had tendentious relations with Thai authorities, even facing legal action, but more recently has become a government advisor. WFFT is now a force multiplier for the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). "In many cases, when wild animals from elephants and tigers to macaques are found injured and displaced, we coordinate with WFFT, who assist in rehabilitation and medical care," said DNP wildlife conservation director Chalerm Poommai. One of WFFT's current campaigns focuses on the estimated thousands of monkeys like Yong trained to pick coconuts on plantations in southern Thailand. "The animal welfare issue is horrible," said Wiek. "But another very important point is that these animals actually are taken out of the wild illegally. And that, of course, has a huge impact, negative impact on the survival of the species." WFFT is working with authorities, the coconut industry and exporters to encourage farmers to stop using monkeys, and switch to shorter trees that are easier to harvest. There is also work to do equipping the new hospital. A mobile X-ray unit and specialised blood analysis machine are on Siriporn's wishlist. And Wiek is thinking ahead to his next dream: a forensics lab to trace the origins of the animals confiscated from traffickers. "The laws are there, we lack the enforcement," he said. "But with this tool, we could actually do some real damage to these illegal wildlife traffickers." - AFP More Like This
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Save the Malayan Tiger campaign raises RM2.1 million since 2021
SHAH ALAM: The 'Save the Malayan Tiger' campaign has collected RM2.1 million in donations since its launch in 2021, according to acting Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. He credited the success to strategic partnerships, including the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), which contributed RM200,000 through match ticket sales. 'I would like to thank FAM for their support,' he said during the national-level Global Tiger Day celebration. The event was attended by Peninsular Malaysia Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim and FAM president Datuk Mohd Joehari Mohd Ayub. Johari, also Minister of Plantation and Commodities, highlighted the Cabinet's approval in 2021 of a 10-year conservation plan for the Malayan tiger. The strategy focuses on halting population decline, improving governance, and ensuring long-term survival. Perhilitan's monitoring, supported by NGOs, indicates a rising tiger population, signaling progress in conservation efforts. Malaysia is also seeking 'Conservation Assured Tiger Standards' accreditation for Taman Negara and Endau Rompin National Park. Additionally, Perhilitan aims to secure ASEAN Heritage Park status for the Tengku Hassanal Wildlife Reserve. - Bernama
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
'Save the Malayan Tiger' campaign raises RM2.1mil since 2021
SHAH ALAM: Contributions to the 'Save the Malayan Tiger' campaign have reached RM2.1 million since its launch in 2021, says acting Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. He said the donations were made possible through cooperation with various strategic partners, including the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), to raise funds and awareness on the importance of Malayan tiger conservation. "So far, FAM has contributed about RM200,000 to the Save the Malayan Tiger Campaign Fund through proceeds from football match ticket sales. Once again, I would like to thank FAM," he said here today. Also present were Peninsular Malaysia Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim and FAM president Datuk Mohd Joehari Mohd Ayub. Johari, who is also the plantation and commodities minister, said this in a speech delivered by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii when officiating the national-level Global Tiger Day celebration, held annually on July 29. Meanwhile, Johari said the Cabinet had, on June 16, 2021, agreed to implement extraordinary strategic actions for Malayan tiger conservation over a 10-year period from 2021 to 2030. He said these actions encompassed three approaches, namely, intensifying efforts to halt population decline, improving governance and implementation effectiveness in conservation, and strengthening initiatives to ensure the long-term survival of the Malayan tiger. "Monitoring conducted by Perhilitan with support from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has shown a rise in the Malayan tiger population. "This is a positive indicator of the success of ongoing efforts, including habitat conservation through international accreditation and recognition schemes," he said. In addition, Johari said Malaysia was currently working to secure 'Conservation Assured Tiger Standards' accreditation for Taman Negara in Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan, as well as Endau Rompin National Park. He added that Perhilitan was also pursuing Asean Heritage Park (AHP) recognition for the Tengku Hassanal Wildlife Reserve. – Bernama
