IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Kawanishi, K.; Gumal, M.; Shepherd, L.A.; Goldthorpe, G.; Shepherd, C.R.; Krishnasamy, K.; Abu Hashim, A.K. | |
| The Malayan Tiger | |
| 2010 Book Chapter | |
For those of us working in Malaysia, seeing a tiger in the dense jungle is indeed a dream. Despite our many years of collective experience in the country's rich forests, none of us has had the pleasure of experiencing the sensation, dreamlike or not, of encountering a wild tiger. Of some consolation, where tigers roam they leave incontestable traces of their presence and, when we encounter these signs, we are reminded that we are merely guests in the court of the forest's true master. In 2004, Malaysia's tigers were recognized as a new subspecies, genetically distinct from the tigers of northern Indochina, _P.t. corbetti_. A more recent morphological study questions the validity of this classification, citing the lack of morphological differences between the two as the main cause for concern but regardless of the eventual taxonomic classification, we refer to wild tigers resident to Peninsular Malaysia as Malayan tigers. Even before scientists suggested the Malayan tiger's taxonomic significance, Malaysia had showcased the tiger as an animal of national significance, enshrined in Malaysia's national coat-of-arms. Politically, the conservation of tigers and their habitats is implied within both the National Policy on Biological Diversity and the National Physical Plan (NPP), Malaysia's first blueprint for spatial planning. Both documents formally address Malaysia's commitment to the development of the country and the conservation of its biodiversity. The goal of the National Tiger Action Plan for Malaysia, enacted in 2008, is to have by the year 2020 thriving tiger populations at carrying capacities in Malaysia's forests, connected with ' green linkages ' known as the Central Forest. This chapter is based on that Action Plan. |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |