Roaring with renewed hope for survival
DEAR Malaysians, it has been a while since I last reached out to all of you. Well, this silence can be attributed to my lethargy driven by my diminishing hope that something concrete would be done to halt the disappearance of my species, the Malayan tiger, and my fellow forest dwellers over the past years.
My fear has suddenly vanished. I feel rejuvenated and my tiger enthusiasm is back again as there is new hope for better times ahead.
Just less than three weeks ago, there was joy when we got the news that the government is going to be ruled by a fresh new team. I too am excited.
When I was a cub, my late Dad told me of one prime minister who, in 1992, made a pledge to the world at the Earth Summit that Malaysia would keep 50% of her land under forest and tree cover in perpetuity.
The news that this great leader is back has brought immense joy to all of us in the forest. We feel a new dawn has arrived and this leader will take concrete action to save not only the fast disappearing Malayan tiger but also protect and preserve the nation’s biodiversity. It’s important to remind ourselves that Malaysia is blessed to be among the top 12 countries in the world with a rich array of flora and fauna.
We still have over 50% forest cover in Malaysia but due to land use change, illegal hunting and poaching, biodiversity is under serious threat. Many of the majestic mega fauna that Malaysia hosts, such as my fellow forest dwellers the tapir, seladang and elephants, are all threatened and may in the near future face the same fate as our big friend, the Javan and Sumatran rhinoceros which are now extinct in the Malayan peninsula.
The former government in support of the 2010 Tiger Summit made a pledge to double our population, which was then estimated at 500 individuals.
We too have a National Tiger Conservation Action Plan (NTCAP) to drive this agenda but the sad reality is the plan and pledge just mostly stayed on paper and there was lack of implementation on the ground.
In recent years, our number has halved to just about 250 to 340 of us. We do not deny the NTCAP was a good plan but it lacked political will and the resources to make it happen.
We, the Malayan tigers, are not being self-centred in asserting the need to save us from fading away from this beautiful land but as an umbrella species, saving us saves biodiversity.
There is another obvious reason we need to be protected – we are on the coat of arms (jata negara) of this nation, hence it’s the responsibility of all that the Malayan tiger, as a national symbol and icon, is protected and conserved.
We are thrilled that the new government in its manifesto has pledged to balance environment with development and, in the details of the manifesto document, has promised to strengthen environment governance in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. This promise brings hope and reinforces that conservation is development too. Biodiversity and ecosystem services such as fresh water, pollination, climate regulation, flood mitigation and many more provide much of the resources and services that fuel and support this nation’s socioeconomic development.
Before I take my long overdue nap, I would like to reiterate that it’s not easy to find prey species these days, and I have to hunt over extended periods.
I would like to end with hope and a positive outlook for the future. On behalf of my species and all forest dwellers, I would like to roar out a wish: I hope the new government will uphold its pledge and strengthen biodiversity conservation and ensure the survival of the Malayan tiger in the wild so that we continue to roam this land forever.
PAK BELANG Hutan Lipur Ulu Tembeling