KUALA LUMPUR: The population of the Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) in Malaysia is showing positive growth, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
However, he said the exact number of tigers will only be confirmed after the official figures are released by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan).
“The last census indicated fewer than 150... We are waiting for the official count, but based on initial field data, there is a positive trend,” he told newsmen after the monthly assembly of the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES) at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) here.
Nik Nazmi attributed this progress to stricter enforcement efforts and the increased presence of community rangers, but cautioned that the Malayan tiger remains critically endangered and requires continuous protection.
On Nov 12 last year, Nik Nazmi reaffirmed NRES’s commitment to protecting and conserving the Malayan tiger to prevent the extinction of this iconic species, which also adorns the country’s coat of arms.
