PUTRAJAYA, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- The Malayan Tiger Crisis Action Plan (MTCAP) 2021-2030 will be developed to address the Malayan tiger population crisis and stabilise the population to 400 individuals by 2030.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) announced that this was agreed upon during the National Tiger Implementation Working Group (MyTWG) meeting yesterday.
"The Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN) will report the status of the action plan's implementation to MyTWG and the National Tiger Conservation Task Force (MyTTE)," it said in a statement today.
NRES also noted that MyTWG took into account Malaysia's involvement in the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), a new international initiative led by the Indian government.
The IBCA leads and coordinates the protection and conservation of big cat species, including tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, pumas, jaguars, and cheetahs, to disseminate information on best practices and human capacity development.
Additionally, it establishes repositories of resources, research and development opportunities, and public awareness for the protection and conservation of big cats.
The ministry added that MyTWG also discussed the key points of the IBCA Framework Agreement.
It said the Khazanah Integrated Operation had detained 354 Malaysians and 73 foreign nationals, involving seizures amounting to RM150 million between 2021 and July 2024.
"This includes the arrest of four Cambodian nationals in the Al-Sultan Abdullah Royal Tiger Reserve on June 4, 2024," the statement added.
NRES also announced that 90,000 hectares of new terrestrial protected areas had been gazetted in Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Terengganu, and Negeri Sembilan through the Ecological Fiscal Transfer for Biodiversity Conservation (EFT), contributing to the strengthening of Malayan tiger habitat conservation at the state level.
"However, at the same time, the recent incidents of Malayan tiger deaths due to human conflicts are very concerning.
"In 2023 and 2024 alone, five Malayan tigers have died, including due to roadkill, and nine tigers have been captured in conflict areas. These incidents show that Malayan tiger habitats are disrupted, causing tigers to leave their natural habitats,” it said.
Nonetheless, NRES believes that the federal and state governments' commitment to strengthening the conservation of this iconic national species will lead to more extraordinary actions to ensure that the tiger does not become extinct.
The MyTWG meeting was chaired by Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, and attended by state council members representing tiger range states, namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Selangor, and Terengganu.
-- BERNAMA
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