Controlling Tiger Poaching in Belum-Temenggor

By Ainul Huda Mohamed Saaid KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- In June 2015, the iconic Malayan tiger was listed as a "critically endangered" species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The tiger population had dropped from about 3,000 in the 1950s to less than 500 in 2003. Currently, only 250 of these magnificent big cats are left in the jungles of Peninsular Malaysia (there are no tigers in Sabah and Sarawak). While poachers are the main culprits behind the animal's disappearance from our jungles, other factors like the construction of roads traversing jungles and logging activities also influence the tiger population. World Wide Fund For Nature-Malaysia Tiger Conservation Programme leader Dr Mark Rayan Dharmaraj said: "Roads that traverse jungles make it easier for hunters to enter the forest. Wherever logging is carried out, there will be roads too, thus making it convenient for hunters to go deeper into the jungle." As a predatory species that occupies the top spot in the food chain, tigers play a vital role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystems they survive in as they keep populations of prey species like deer, wild boar and gaur in check. In Malaysia, tigers are killed or poached for their pelts and certain body parts that are used in traditional medicines and folk remedies. According to WWF-Malaysia, some 103 tigers were poached between year 2000 and 2015, based on body parts seized by enforcement officials. From 2010 to 2013, a total of 2,241 traps and 1,728 illegal camps set up by hunters were discovered in Malaysian jungles. MONITORING JUNGLES Stressing that there should be more comprehensive monitoring to check poaching activities in jungles, Mark Rayan said he, however, understood the constraints faced by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) as it has a shortage of forest rangers. Mark Rayan and his team are also doing their part to help monitor the jungles of Belum-Temenggor in northern Perak, with the help of the local Orang Asli community. "We conduct our own anti-poaching patrols to help the authorities. We look for tiger traps (laid by hunters) and remove them," he told Bernama, adding that he himself had come across a tiger that was caught in a snare. He said information gathered during their jungle patrols would be conveyed to Perhilitan. An estimated 40 to 50 tigers are known to be roaming in the 3,000 square kilometre-large Belum-Temenggor forest complex. Mark Rayan said Belum-Temenggor was a conducive habitat for tigers as it was rich in prey species and was connected to the smaller Korbu and Piah forest reserves. This allowed the big cats to migrate from one part of the jungle to another if it was necessary for them to do so. Other areas in Peninsular Malaysia that have been identified as tiger habitats are Taman Negara (National Park), which is spread over the states of Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu; and Endau-Rompin National Park in Johor state. ENHANCING CONSERVATION EFFORTS Meanwhile, the Perak state authorities showed their commitment to tiger conservation efforts in July this year when they registered the 1,175 sq km Royal Belum State Park – located within the Belum-Temenggor forest complex – for Conservation Assured, Tiger Standards (CATS) accreditation. CATS is an international conservation tool to set minimum standards for the effective management of target species and to encourage assessment of these standards in relevant conservation and protected areas. The first species-specific conservation assured standards are for the tiger. Developed by WWF and its partners, the standards have been endorsed by the Global Tiger Forum. The Royal Belum park is the first CATS tiger recovery and conservation site in Malaysia, as well as in Southeast Asia. Perak State Parks Corporation acting general manager Noor Asmah Mohd Nawawi described CATS as a new approach to tiger conservation. "It focuses on setting standards to help assess management and implementation efforts. "CATS will also help those involved in tiger conservation to understand their targets and areas that need improvement or more attention," she said. CARRY OUT MORE STUDIES Mark Rayan said the road to CATS accreditation was a long one as many more assessment studies have to be carried out to determine the exact number of tigers left in Malaysia. "We also have to study the effects of the changes taking place in tiger habitats brought about by logging and road construction activities, as well as the decline in the number of prey animals," he said. The findings from the scientific studies will help them to identify effective measures that can be taken to improve forest management and conservation of this threatened species, he added. Mark Rayan said tigers could breed easily if their habitats remain untouched and they have enough food. These animals, which typically hunt alone, instinctively keep away from humans and are only known to attack people if they are injured, sick or have grown old, he added. -- BERNAMA