In conjunction with National Month, we are excited to share some facts with you about the  endangered animals in Malaysia. Malaysia is one of the most biodiverse countries in Asia and is home to over 2000 native species. However, most of its wildlife is endangered. Although a species can become endangered due to natural causes, the most common factor in species decline is irresponsible human activity. Below are a few of Malaysia’s beautiful and sadly endangered animals.  

1. Malayan Tiger

Image source: The Malaysian Reserve

This elegant creature is a unique subspecies of the Malaysian Peninsula. The three priority areas for these tigers are Taman Negara, Endau Rompin Forest Complex, and Belum Temengor Forest Complex. In 2015, the Malaysian Tiger was on the list of endangered species. From a number of around 3,000 in the 1950s, the tigers have now declined to between 80 and 120. 

2. Orangutan

Image source: New Scientist

Forests in Malaysia and Indonesia are the only homes of orangutans. Known in Malay as “men of the forest”, they are the largest tree-dwelling mammals in the world and are highly intelligent as they display the use of tools and culture in the wild. Their reproductive rate is very low because the child stays with the mother until sexual maturity. Currently, there are estimated to be just 100,000 orangutans left in the wild.

3. Sumatran Rhino

Image source: Natural History Museum

The Sumatran rhinoceros is now extinct in Malaysia. The country’s last rhino, Iman, died of cancer in November 2019. Because of decades of habitat loss and poaching, fewer than 80 Sumatran rhinos are thought to exist in the wild, most on the nearby island of Sumatra. The rest are scattered across Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo. 

4. Malayan Tapir

Image source: Owlcation

Globally, there are four different species of tapir, each with a distinct appearance and habitat range. The Malayan tapirs are the largest and the only species with a distinct black and white colour. According to the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), only1,100 to 1,500 tapirs are left in Peninsular Malaysia.

5. Proboscis Monkey

Image source: Bali Safari Park

Easily recognisable in appearance with its long nose and large stomach, the proboscis monkey was once widespread in the coastal mangroves of Borneo. As its numbers have dropped by 80% in the last three decades to an estimated 7,000, it has been listed as endangered since 2000.