Major efforts are underway to ensure the survival of the Malayan tiger. — Courtesy of WWF-Malaysia
Anti-poaching ranger teams comprising Orang Asli play crucial role in conservation of critically endangered cats
THE Malayan tiger, which has long been a symbol of strength and courage and even appears on our Coat of Arms (Jata Negara), is fighting for survival in the rainforests of Peninsular Malaysia.
Though it is at the top of the forest food chain, decades of hunting by poachers for their skin, teeth and other body parts have decimated its population.
There are now only an estimated 150 Malayan tigers (Panthera tigris jacksoni) in the wild, and they are classified as critically endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Various bodies have made it their mission to save the tiger by carrying out anti-poaching ranger activities, promoting community involvement in conservation efforts and most importantly, highlighting the importance of these big cats.
These local efforts are also a reflection of international concerns over the declining tiger population worldwide.
No role too small: Children from the Jahai Orang Asli tribe in tiger suits and face paint celebrating Global Tiger Day – and the importance of their conservation – at Kem Menraq, Royal Belum State Park, Perak. — ILI AQILAH/The Star
To raise awareness, Global Tiger Day or International Tiger Day is held each year on July 29.
First started in 2010 during the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia, the now annual celebration plays an important role in recognising the dangers faced by the animal, says tiger protection society Rimau president Lara Ariffin.
“Global Tiger Day serves as a reminder of the urgency faced by tigers. Today, fewer than 150 Malayan tigers live in the Malaysian rainforest and we have only a small opportunity to save the species from extinction.
“This urgency drives Rimau to take action and inspire others to do the same.
“Through collaboration with other organisations, government agencies and foundations, we are able to pool resources and expertise for more effective conservation efforts.
“This year, we celebrated the day together with International Ranger Day.
“We wanted these two special days with the Orang Asli Jahai tribe in Royal Belum (Perak) to express gratitude for their commitment towards tiger conservation in the landscape,” she said.
The Jahai are part of the Menraq patrol team formed by Perak State Parks Corporation (PSPC) with Rimau to work within the Royal Belum State Park, one of the last bastions of the Malayan tiger.
An Orang Asli team setting up a camera trap to monitor tiger numbers. — Courtesy of WWF-Malaysia
Menraq consisting of 30 Jahai men became the first Malaysian team to win the IUCN WCPA International Ranger Awards 2023, which netted them US$10,000 (RM45,495) for exemplary achievement in community-led conservation of tigers.
On July 31, StarMetro was invited to join Rimau in celebrating the day with the Jahai tribe at Kem Menraq in Royal Belum.
The event was attended by over 300 people from the Jahai tribe from five villages namely Kampung Kejar, Kampung Jerai, Kampung Tanhain, Kampung Terapung and Kampung Bongor.
Lara said this was the first time the celebration was held at Kem Menraq.
“Apart from our staff, we had volunteers from Jasmine Playschool, Nuvista Sdn Bhd, Teach for Malaysia, Universiti Malaya and the Singapore Wildcat Action Group (SWAG).
“I was told the volunteers had only a few hours to train the children in a dance performance which we presented for the Tok Batin and their parents,” she said.
For SWAG co-director Dr Vilma D’Rozario, celebrating International Tiger Day in Malaysia has been an honour.
“Celebrating Global Tiger Day creates awareness of the tiger’s plight, especially poaching.
The anti-poaching team’s daily routine involves patrolling the forest for snares and threats. — Courtesy of WWF-Malaysia
“It wakes people up to realise that if we don’t do something now, we are going to lose the Malayan tiger. We must not let that happen,” she said.
“Having the Jahai tribe celebrating the day with us is a joyous recognition ceremony and we are thankful to Rimau for having us to be part of it.”
Ten-year-old Jayden Oey from the Netherlands, who participated in the celebration, was left in awe of the beauty of Royal Belum.
“This is my first time here and I’m glad that I get to celebrate International Tiger Day with the Jahai tribe in Royal Belum.
“Seeing the Orang Asli kids having fun in this beautiful place is something I will share with my schoolmates because we don’t have forests like this back home.
“Royal Belum certainly needs to be taken care of in order for us to protect the tiger,” said the youngster, whose grandmother is a Rimau committee member.
At the celebration, the Orang Asli children who participated in the performance were dressed in tiger-like onesies complete with tiger face painting.
Apart from the performance, there were also various games for the audience offering prizes such as cooking oil, sugar, rice and toys.
Tiger conservation
World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) Tiger Conservation Programme team leader Christopher Wong said global tiger days were meant to highlight big wins in tiger conservation.
Such days also honour anti- poaching rangers and advocate wider government commitments to rescue the apex predator.
“It is exceptionally significant this year as we had WWF-Malaysia patron Sultan Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah gracing the celebration.
“Besides celebrating the day, we also honoured anti-poaching rangers in the front lines, which include our men from WWF-Malaysia’s Project Stampeder, PSPC’s Royal Belum State Park rangers and Menraq.
“This year, Royal Belum State Park has been accorded the Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CATS), the first Malayan tiger habitat conservation accreditation not only in Malaysia but the South-East Asian region,” he said when contacted.
Wong added that WWF-Malaysia had put much effort and action into protecting tigers.
Some of the Jahai children celebrating Global Tiger Day at Kem Menraq, Royal Belum. — ILI AQILAH/The Star
“We have a 110-men anti- poaching patrol ranger team. They come from the Orang Asli community and are trained to work independently, removing snares and collecting data on poaching.
“We have increased the number of rangers from 12 men in 2016 to 110 in 2022, resulting in zero active snares in 2022.
“The men spend a substantial amount of time patrolling, finding and removing snares and other poaching threats.
“All the information gathered is also channelled to enforcement agencies for further action.”
PSPC director Mohamed Shah Redza Hussein said patrolling had proved effective in helping the tigers.
“Over the past 15 years, we can see that the number of tigers has declined, and if we don’t address this soon, the tiger is facing an unliveable population.
“That means tigers exist but there is no place to breed.
Lara (centre) presenting a certificate of appreciation to Menraq team leader Ardi Kembong during the Global Tiger Day celebration. — Courtesy of Rimau.
“So what can we do? We need to stabilise the condition, stop the blood from flowing.”
Mohamed Shah said this could be done through patrolling.
“Only when we stop the killing can we move to the next phase, which is rehabilitation and rejuvenation.
“Then we can start with other programmes and introduce more food and help create a safe habitat for the tiger to breed,” he said.
Wong said besides patrolling, anti-poaching rangers carried out research and kept an eye on ecological linkages or inter-ecosystem exchanges.
“It is estimated that the tiger population is less than 150, but throughout the years, we have seen some positive developments such as formalisation of the National Tiger Task Force in 2022, the amendment to the Wildlife Conservation Act and of course, the CATS accreditation.
“The monitoring of the tiger population is carried out using camera-traps. As each tiger has unique stripes, they can be identified through photographs of their flanks.
“This method has helped us effectively count the number of tigers as well as estimate their population, monitor them and measure our conservation success,” Wong said.
Eye on habitat
For these solitary animals to thrive, tigers need a lot of uninterrupted forest areas to roam. But development and human encroachment into tiger territory have made this difficult.
On May 23, Perak science, environment and green technology committee chairman Teh Kok Lim said the state was working closely with the Federal Government to protect the endangered species by setting aside an additional 340,000ha as accreditation land for tiger conservation involving five permanent forest reserves.
Wong also said WWF-Malaysia monitored land use changes within Belum-Temengor to keep an eye on development projects that could negatively impact the integrity of the habitat.
These efforts also extend to engaging with the community.
Orang Asli villagers participating in a raft race as they celebrated the endangered tiger in Royal Belum. — ILI AQILAH/The Star
“We have a strong relationship with the Orang Asli which includes addressing the threats they face, as well as helping them build resilience to future threats and their capacity to recognise the urgency for wildlife protection.
“From outreach programmes, consultation, workshops and guiding them on Free, Prior and Informed Consent, our goal is to empower the Orang Asli to be an active participant in making an informed decision not only on their livelihood but also issues relevant to tiger conservation,” he said.
Free, Prior and Informed Consent is a specific right recognised in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which aligns with their universal right to self-determination.
Wong added that tiger conservation required a strong collaboration from various stakeholders including the Perak government, PSPC, Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitian), Maybank, the Malaysian police and armed forces, non-governmental organisations and the Orang Asli of Belum and Temenggor.
“The future of the Malayan tiger is in our hands. What we do now or not do will determine if our tigers go extinct,” he said.
