So, it’s really sad to see that many of them becoming a roadkills in accidents.

Unintentional fatality

According to a report by Bernama, a total of 92 Malayan Tapir sadly lost their lives due to road accidents in Johor, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Selangor and Terengganu between 2015 to 2020.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah told the news agency that just last year alone, 24 species of the animal have died in road accidents.

"It is sad because the Malayan Tapir population is now increasingly threatened due to habitat loss, forest fragmentation and falling victims to traps and road accidents," he was quoted as saying.

He added that the Wildlife and National Parks Department, among others, have started a captive breeding programme at the Sungai Dusun Wildlife Conservation Centre (PKHL) in Selangor to increase the population of Malayan Tapirs in the country.

The Malayan Tapir is a fully protected wildlife under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 [Act 716] and an endangered species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and Redlist of Mammals for Peninsular Malaysia 2017.

Save the Malayan Tapir

The Malayan Tapir is the largest tapir species in the world, and they are well known for being the only one with a distinct black and white colouring on their body.

However, things aren't looking too great for the tender giants.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that they are only 2,500 of them remaining in the South-East Asian region.

In fact, there are estimated to be fewer that 1,500 of them left in Peninsular Malaysia.

The Malayan Tapir was first listed as endangered in 1986, due to an ongoing decline from loss of available habitat, fragmentation of remaining habitat and increased hunting activities.

While the authorities are doing all they can to keep the species alive, we must do our part to help our Malayan Tapir friends thrive.