Maylasia, a nation with the highest lost of forest in the world and one of the world's largest suppliers of palm oil, is about to loose its tiger subspecies, the Malayan tiger
(Panthera tigris jacksonii) The latest data (2010-13) from camera traps set up in three known tiger habitats showed far fewer tigers than expected. The previous estimate was 500, but only 250-340 now remain. Based on these figures the tiger may now be listed as Critically Endangered by the ICUN instead of only Endangered. Maylasian tiger conservation groups blame the insidious illegal trade in tiger body parts for traditional medicine. Loss and fragmentation of forest habitat that causes prey species,
especially sambar deer, to decline also causes declining tiger populations.
Range states committed to doubling world tiger populations to 6,000 in the most recent year of the tiger, 2010.
{21.01.10, Year of the Tiger} The next year of the tiger occurrs in 2022. Maylasia will be unable to meet its committments if the Maylasian tiger subspecies, which was first recognized as genetically distinct in 2004, continues to struggle to survive. Conservationists hope to perform more surveys to establish a more accurate count and establish patrols to protect tigers in three key habitats including Taman Negara National Park. The world has already lost the Bali, Caspian, and Javan tigers and is close to loosing the China tiger with only 70 of them living in captivity. There are more tigers in captivity in the United States than there are thought to still exist in the wild (3-4,000). About half of Earth's wild tigers live in India.
