PETALING JAYA: The Malayan tiger, currently on the verge of extinction, can rack up to RM200,000 each in the black market, making it a target for poachers.
The tiger, also known as ‘pak belang’, is in high demand in the black market for its fangs, head, whiskers, claws, teeth, skin and skin, according to Kosmo.
The Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks (Perhilitan) director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the Malayan tiger was facing a serious threat now due to active illegal wildlife poaching.
These poachers were not afraid of any legal consequences considering that the animal’s body parts can fetch a lucrative sum, he said.
“The price of one adult tiger can reach up to RM200,000 in the black market while each part of the animal is sold at the cheapest price of RM500.
“The tiger is sold at the black market to be used in traditional medicine, said to cure illnesses aside from being turned into decorative items,” he was quoted as saying.
Tiger fangs, on the other hand, is used as an amulet, believed to bring good luck or allegedly make the wearer invincible, according to Abdul Kadir.
Due to these factors, there are individuals who are brave “enough”, as quoted, to steal the fangs from the tigers when they have died after being hit by vehicles.
“There is no scientific evidence proving the claims of the beliefs of certain communities on the miraculous powers of the tiger’s body parts,” he was also quoted as saying. .
However the Malayan tiger’s value fluctuates over time according to demand and there is no “specific” price point, as quoted, due to several factors among which are stringent wildlife law enforcement operations, says Abdul Kadir.
“The harder it is for these tigers to be hunted aside from stringent law enforcement, the higher the price.
“The other wildlife high in demand in the black market are sun bears, elephants, leopards, clouded leopards and pangolins,” he was also quoted as saying.
The enforcement of the Wildlife Conservation Act (Amendment) 2022 (Act A1646) in Peninsular Malaysia, effective from February 1 2023, imposes higher penalties and fines on wildlife crime offenders, Abdul Kadir explained.
The ongoing Bersepadu Khazanah Operation, that began in 2019 in a collaboration with the police, Customs, Forestry Department and other agencies successfully reduced illegal wildlife poaching activities.
“Based on Perhilitan’s records from 2019 until last October, 22 arrests were conducted involving 16 locals and six foreigners believed to be involved in illegal wildlife poaching.
“In that period of time, we have seized a live tiger, a dead tiger and 20 pieces of meat as well as eight fangs together with teeth, 20 pieces of skins, two genitals, three heads, four whiskers, 36 fangs and 258 bones,” Abdul Kadir was quoted as saying.
Following the declining numbers of Malayan tigers, Perhilitan has since carried out the breeding through the Harimau Malaya Breeding Program In Captivity under the Harimau Malaya Conservation Centre and Wildlife Rescue Centre together with the cooperation of zoos and exhibitions in the Peninsular.
