That timeline may feel like a long way off, but it was recently revealed that our furry friends’ fight for survival timeline has accelerated with an alarming rate.
According to The New Straits Times, the poor tigers may go extinct by 2022!
Conservationist Dr Mark Rayan Darmaraj told the English daily that with only 200 Malayan tigers left in the wild, the species could be wiped out in two to three years.
“We will lose our tigers in two or three years, and I am being optimistic here. If we leave things as they are, the Malayan tiger could be driven into extinction even faster,” he said.
“By taking care of tigers, the apex predator, we are also protecting the ecosystem.”
Dr Mark, who is also the WWF-Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia Terrestrial Conservation Programme’s Tiger Landscape lead, added that the abundance of tigers is a sign of a healthy ecosystem.
Among the reasons that contributed to the declining number of tigers are illegal hunting or poaching, and the scarcity of food caused by loss of habitat.
Damaraj also recommended that the government establish a wildlife crime unit which specialises in investigations and intelligence gathering to help combat poaching syndicates and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The onus is on us to ensure the survival of our wildlife species. If the Malayan tigers become extinct, we will be held accountable and answerable to future generations.”
The clock is ticking, we must work together as one to help protect our tigers!