Lifespan8 to 10 years in the wild and up to 18-20 years in zoos
Quick facts
DietMainly hoofed animals such as deer
HabitatForests, swamps and scrubland
RangePeninsular Malaysia
The Malayan Tigers
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When hunters become the hunted
Tigers are at the apex of the food chain. These solitary hunters can handle animal prey up to a ton in weight. A healthy adult has the strength of 30 men!
Sadly, man has turned the tables on them. Mercilessly poached to satisfy the insatiable demand for tiger parts, wild tigers are being hunted to extinction. In 2012 alone, tiger parts from at least 22 tigers were seized in Kedah. NGOs continue to report snares and illegal camp sites, even in protected areas.
Tigers in Singapore
The Malayan tiger used to roam the forests of Singapore in bygone era. When their habitats were converted to plantations around 1825, human-tiger encounters escalated. In 1850, tigers were reported to be claiming human lives daily — improbable given the low tiger numbers to start with. Seen as vermin, tigers were shot on sight. Shooters were rewarded with money.
By the 1870s, tigers were all but gone. The last tiger in Singapore was shot in 1930 in Choa Chu Kang.
Together, we protect wildlife
MYCAT
Fewer than 300 Malayan tigers are left in the wild. Besides illegal poaching, habitat loss and human-tiger conflicts compound the problem. To involve and educate members of the public, the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT) launched the Citizen Action for Tigers (CAT) Walk.
The IUCN Status
CR
Critically Endangered
At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
CAT Walk-ing
CAT Walk-ers assist forest rangers in regular anti-poaching patrols of the Sungai Yu River Wildlife Corridor. Sungai Yu connects Taman Negara National Park and the Titiwangsa Mountains, two of the largest tiger habitats in Malaysia.
The IUCN Status
CR
Critically Endangered
At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
Deterring poachers
Besides removing snares and baits, CAT Walk-ers report encroachment by trespassers and poaching. The CAT Walks have dramatically decreased the number of snares found, indicating the success of the initiative. More than 2,000 members of the public from 38 countries have walked over 5,270 km of the forest, disarming around 180 snares. A quarter of these volunteers are from Singapore.
The IUCN Status
CR
Critically Endangered
At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
My Cat to Protect
Five of our keepers have also participated in the ‘Realm of the Tiger’ programme, MYCAT’s expanded programme for the zoo community. Inspired by their trip, they have been sharing their experience with guests to raise awareness of the tigers’ plight. You, too, can help support tiger conservation
The IUCN Status
CR
Critically Endangered
At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.
DD
Data Deficient
Unknown risk of extinction
LC
Least Concern
At relatively low risk of extinction
NT
Near Threatened
Likely to become vulnerable in the near future
VU
Vulnerable
At high risk of extinction in the wild
EN
Endangered
At very high risk of extinction in the wild
CR
Critically Endangered
At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
EW
Extinct in the Wild
Survives only in captivity
EX
Extinct
No surviving individuals in the wild or in captivity
