Wwf-Malaysia Is Deeply Saddened By The Demise Of A..

WWF-Malaysia is deeply saddened by the demise of Awang Besul, the Malayan tiger that was found wandering in Besul, Terengganu. The death of this Malayan tiger is a grave reminder of not only the declining number of Malayan tigers in our country but also the fact that we should never let our guard down in terms of assessing and addressing new threats to tigers.

Awang Besul is believed to have died due to a disease called Canine Distemper Virus (CDV). Canine distemper disease affecting tigers have been documented in Russia, whereby tigers have been seen walking into towns and on the street. The disease targets the central nervous system causing the animals to be come disorientated and exhibit no fear. Although it is unfortunate that the tiger had succumbed to this disease, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks’s (PERHILITAN) swift response on locating and capturing the tiger to investigate further is highly commendable. Capture and quarantining an animal with CDV aids in further reducing the likelihood of spreading the disease in the wild. It is hoped that the department will be able to investigate further the source of transmission and contain the disease as much as possible.

To find a wild tiger roaming freely amidst humans is alarming, but even more alarming was the fact that people were seen approaching the tiger closely without fear. It is important to note that the tiger was not in its normal state and as such, how the people at Besul reacted towards the tiger should never be repeated again as they could have been harmed. We therefore urge the public not to take any sort of risk to approach a wild animal and advise for Perhilitan to be contacted immediately to report any unusual wildlife sightings, so that action can be taken in a timely manner.

Dr. Mark Rayan Darmaraj

Tiger Lead

WWF-Malaysia

Photo © WWF-Malaysia/Christopher Wong. A camera trap image of tigers.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/wwfmy/photos/a.159457438241/1015866..

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WWF Malaysia

WWF-Malaysia is a national conservation trust that currently runs conversation projects covering a diverse range of environmental protection & nature conservation in Malaysia. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

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