Wildlife authorities rescued an endangered Malayan tiger from a wire snare that sliced the big cat’s paw to the bone.
WWF’s Wildlife Protection Unit made the sad discovery of a male tiger writhing in agony as he tried to pull free of a cruel wire snare set by poachers in the Belum-Temengor forest complex.
According to WWF, Perhilitan Perak Park Director Shabrina Mohd Shariff said the suspected poachers are from Kelantan, and that the case is currently part of an ongoing investigation. If caught, the poachers reportedly face up to five years and jail and a “hefty” fine.
TRAFFIC and WWF Malaysia researchers believe that the rescued tiger is unfortunately just one of the many: Poaching is rampant in the Belum-Temengor area, due to the insatiable demand for tiger body parts in China, where rising incomes are fueling the flourishing endangered species trade.
The tiger is reportedly undergoing treatment at the Malacca Zoo; however, the tiger’s leg may require amputation.
The Malayan tiger
The Belum-Temengor forests are one of the last strongholds for the Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni), with an estimated population of only about 500 individuals. Malayan tigers are found exclusively in the southern tip of Thailand and Malaysia, and was determined in 2004 to be a distinct subspecies of the Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti).
Image source: flickr.com / CC BY 2.0
About Rhishja Cota-Larson
From the author:
Sad news – the rescued tiger has reportedly died from infection and stress after having his leg amputated.
http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2009/10/tiger-saved-from-poachers-dies-of.html