Malayan Tiger
Encyclopedia
The Malayan tiger is a tiger
subspecies that inhabits the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula
and has been classified as endangered
by IUCN in 2008 as the population was estimated at 493 to 1,480 adult individuals in 2003; none of the three subpopulations likely harbors more than 250 mature breeding individuals, with a declining trend.
When in 1968 Panthera tigris corbetti was newly designated, the tigers of Malaya and Singapore
were included into this subspecies.
In 2004, Panthera tigris jacksoni was recognized as a new subspecies when a genetic analysis found that they are distinct in mtDNA and micro-satellite sequences from Panthera tigris corbetti.
The Malayan tiger's local name
is harimau belang.
when specimens from the two regions are compared cranial
ly or in pelage. No type specimen was designated.
Malayan tigers appear to be smaller than Indian
ones. From measurements of 11 males and 8 females, the average length of a male is 8 in 6 in (259.08 cm), and of a female 7 in 10 in (238.76 cm).
Body length taken from 16 female tigers in the State of Trengganu ranged from 70 to 103 in (177.8 to 261.6 cm) and averaged 80.1 in (203.5 cm). Their height ranged from 23 to 41 in (58.4 to 104.1 cm), and their body weight from 52 to 195 lb (23.6 to 88.5 kg). Data from 21 males in the State of Trengganu showed that total length ranged from 75 to 112 in (190.5 to 284.5 cm), with an average of 94.2 in (239.3 cm). Their height ranged from 24 to 45 in (61 to 114.3 cm), and their body weight from 104 to 284.7 lb (47.2 to 129.1 kg).
.
Between 1991 and 2003, tiger signs were reported from early-succession vegetation fields, agricultural areas outside forests in Kelantan
, Terengganu
, Pahang
, and Johor
, and many riparian habitats outside forests in Pahang, Perak
, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Johor. Most of the major rivers that drain into the South China Sea
had some evidence of tigers, whereas those draining into the Straits of Melaka in the west did not. Tiger sign was not reported from Perlis
, Pulau Pinang, and Malacca
, and the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur
and Putrajaya
in the west coast. The total potential tiger habitat was 66211 km² (25,564.2 sq mi), which comprised 37674 km² (14,546 sq mi) of confirmed tiger habitat, 11655 km² (4,500 sq mi) of expected tiger habitat and 16882 km² (6,518.2 sq mi) of possible tiger habitat. All the protected areas greater than 402 km² (155.2 sq mi) in size had tigers.
, barking deer, wild boar, bearded pigs and serow
. Tigers in Taman Negara also prey on sun bear
and elephant
calves. Whether their principal prey includes adult gaur
and tapir
is unknown. Occasionally, livestock
is also taken; however, tiger predation reduces the numbers of wild boar which can become a serious pest in plantations and other croplands. Studies indicate that in areas where large predators (tigers and leopards) are extinct, wild pigs are over 10 times more numerous than in areas where tigers are still present.
Tigers occur at very low densities 1.1–1.98 tigers per 100 km² in the rainforest as a result of low prey densities, thus in order to maintain viable tiger populations of minimum of 6 breeding females, reserves need to be larger than 1000 km². Information on dietary preference, morphological measurements, demographic parameters, social structure, communication, home range sizes, dispersal capabilities are all lacking.
due to development projects and agriculture are serious threats.
Commercial poaching
occurs at varying levels in all tiger range states. In Malaysia there is a substantial domestic market in recent years for tiger meat and manufactured tiger bone medicines
.
community.
However, the Malaysian Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (MAZPA) and the Government of Malaysia protested, arguing that Malaysia should have been consulted over the naming of its national icon. Malaysia holds that the naming should reflect the geographical region, Malaysia. In Malaysia, therefore, the Malayan tiger is known as Panthera tigris malayensis.
of Malaysian institutions such as Royal Malaysian Police, Maybank
, Proton
and Football Association of Malaysia
. It symbolizes bravery and strength to Malaysians. It is also the nickname for the Malaysian national football team. The tiger has been given various nicknames by Malaysians, notably "Pak Belang," which literally means "Uncle Stripes." Pak Belang features prominently in folklore as one of the adversaries of Sang Kancil
(the mouse deer).
The Malayan tiger was featured on Special Service Group
insignia
.
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
subspecies that inhabits the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
and has been classified as endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
by IUCN in 2008 as the population was estimated at 493 to 1,480 adult individuals in 2003; none of the three subpopulations likely harbors more than 250 mature breeding individuals, with a declining trend.
When in 1968 Panthera tigris corbetti was newly designated, the tigers of Malaya and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
were included into this subspecies.
In 2004, Panthera tigris jacksoni was recognized as a new subspecies when a genetic analysis found that they are distinct in mtDNA and micro-satellite sequences from Panthera tigris corbetti.
The Malayan tiger's local name
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
is harimau belang.
Characteristics
There is no clear difference between the Malayan and the Indochinese tigerIndochinese Tiger
The Indochinese tiger or Corbett's tiger is a subspecies of tiger found in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam and formerly in China. Tigers in peninsular Malaysia, formerly classified as Indochinese, have recently been reclassified as a separate subspecies, Malayan tiger Panthera tigris...
when specimens from the two regions are compared cranial
Cranial
Cranial may refer to:* an adjective related to the cranium* Anatomical terms of location* Cranial cavity* Cranial Osteopathy...
ly or in pelage. No type specimen was designated.
Malayan tigers appear to be smaller than Indian
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
ones. From measurements of 11 males and 8 females, the average length of a male is 8 in 6 in (259.08 cm), and of a female 7 in 10 in (238.76 cm).
Body length taken from 16 female tigers in the State of Trengganu ranged from 70 to 103 in (177.8 to 261.6 cm) and averaged 80.1 in (203.5 cm). Their height ranged from 23 to 41 in (58.4 to 104.1 cm), and their body weight from 52 to 195 lb (23.6 to 88.5 kg). Data from 21 males in the State of Trengganu showed that total length ranged from 75 to 112 in (190.5 to 284.5 cm), with an average of 94.2 in (239.3 cm). Their height ranged from 24 to 45 in (61 to 114.3 cm), and their body weight from 104 to 284.7 lb (47.2 to 129.1 kg).
Distribution and habitat
The geographic division between Malayan and Indochinese tigers is unclear as tiger populations in northern Malaysia are contiguous with those in southern ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
Between 1991 and 2003, tiger signs were reported from early-succession vegetation fields, agricultural areas outside forests in Kelantan
Kelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
, Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
, Pahang
Pahang
Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
, and Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
, and many riparian habitats outside forests in Pahang, Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Johor. Most of the major rivers that drain into the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
had some evidence of tigers, whereas those draining into the Straits of Melaka in the west did not. Tiger sign was not reported from Perlis
Perlis
Perlis is the smallest state in Malaysia. It lies at the northern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and has Satun and Songkhla Provinces of Thailand on its northern border. It is bordered by the state of Kedah to the south...
, Pulau Pinang, and Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
, and the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
and Putrajaya
Putrajaya
Putrajaya is a planned city, located 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, that serves as the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The seat of government was shifted in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, due to the overcrowding and congestion in the Kuala Lumpur areas...
in the west coast. The total potential tiger habitat was 66211 km² (25,564.2 sq mi), which comprised 37674 km² (14,546 sq mi) of confirmed tiger habitat, 11655 km² (4,500 sq mi) of expected tiger habitat and 16882 km² (6,518.2 sq mi) of possible tiger habitat. All the protected areas greater than 402 km² (155.2 sq mi) in size had tigers.
Ecology and behavior
Malayan tigers prey on sambar deerSambar Deer
The Sambar ' is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. Although it primarily refers to R. unicolor, the name "Sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine Deer and the Rusa Deer...
, barking deer, wild boar, bearded pigs and serow
Serow
Serow may refer to:*Three species of Asian ungulate in the genus Capricornis**Japanese Serow**Mainland Serow**Taiwan Serow* Serow, Iran, a city in Urmia County, West Azarbaijan Province, Iran*Alternative spelling of Serov...
. Tigers in Taman Negara also prey on sun bear
Sun Bear
The sun bear , sometimes known as the honey bear, is a bear found primarily in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia; North-East India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Southern China, Peninsular Malaysia, and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.-Description:The sun bear...
and elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
calves. Whether their principal prey includes adult gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
and tapir
Tapir
A Tapir is a large browsing mammal, similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. There are four species of Tapirs: the Brazilian Tapir, the Malayan Tapir, Baird's Tapir and the Mountain...
is unknown. Occasionally, livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
is also taken; however, tiger predation reduces the numbers of wild boar which can become a serious pest in plantations and other croplands. Studies indicate that in areas where large predators (tigers and leopards) are extinct, wild pigs are over 10 times more numerous than in areas where tigers are still present.
Tigers occur at very low densities 1.1–1.98 tigers per 100 km² in the rainforest as a result of low prey densities, thus in order to maintain viable tiger populations of minimum of 6 breeding females, reserves need to be larger than 1000 km². Information on dietary preference, morphological measurements, demographic parameters, social structure, communication, home range sizes, dispersal capabilities are all lacking.
Threats
Habitat fragmentationHabitat fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation as the name implies, describes the emergence of discontinuities in an organism's preferred environment , causing population fragmentation...
due to development projects and agriculture are serious threats.
Commercial poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
occurs at varying levels in all tiger range states. In Malaysia there is a substantial domestic market in recent years for tiger meat and manufactured tiger bone medicines
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
.
Conservation
Tigers are included on CITES Appendix I, banning international trade. All tiger range states and countries with consumer markets have banned domestic trade as well.In captivity
The captive population of the Malayan tiger should be managed in a similar way to the other recognized subspecies but it is unclear how this information will be used by the zooZoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
community.
Naming controversy
When the Malayan tiger was accepted as a subspecies of the tiger family, the news was warmly received in Malaysia. However, there was soon debate over the scientific naming of the Malayan tiger. The formal description of the subspecies gave it the name Panthera tigris jacksoni in honour of tiger specialist Peter Jackson.However, the Malaysian Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (MAZPA) and the Government of Malaysia protested, arguing that Malaysia should have been consulted over the naming of its national icon. Malaysia holds that the naming should reflect the geographical region, Malaysia. In Malaysia, therefore, the Malayan tiger is known as Panthera tigris malayensis.
In culture
The Malayan tiger is depicted in the coat of arms of Malaysia, symbolizing the government, and appears in various heraldryHeraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
of Malaysian institutions such as Royal Malaysian Police, Maybank
Maybank
Maybank , a trade name for Malayan Banking Berhad is the largest bank and financial group in Malaysia, with significant banking operations in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. The bank also has large interests in Islamic banking through Maybank Islamic Berhad and insurance via its Etiqa...
, Proton
Proton (company)
Proton is a Malaysian automobile manufacturer headquartered in Subang Jaya and Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, with a manufacturing plant in Tanjung Malim, Perak. Founded in 1983, it was Malaysia's only carmaker until the establishment of its competitor and arch-rival, Perodua, in 1993...
and Football Association of Malaysia
Football Association of Malaysia
The Football Association of Malaysia is the governing body for football in Malaysia, responsible for organising the Malaysian national football team and the major football and futsal tournaments within the country. The Football Association of Malaysia main headquarters is located at Wisma...
. It symbolizes bravery and strength to Malaysians. It is also the nickname for the Malaysian national football team. The tiger has been given various nicknames by Malaysians, notably "Pak Belang," which literally means "Uncle Stripes." Pak Belang features prominently in folklore as one of the adversaries of Sang Kancil
Sang Kancil
The Sang Kancil is a part of Malaysian and Indonesian folklore. A weak and small yet cunning figure, the Sang Kancil uses its intelligent advantage to triumph over beings more powerful than itself. This folklore character is similar to the American figure Br'er Rabbit and has been an empowering...
(the mouse deer).
The Malayan tiger was featured on Special Service Group
Grup Gerak Khas
The Grup Gerak Khas is a special forces regiment of the Malaysian Army which conducts special operations missions for the Malaysian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sabotage, counter-terrorism, and intelligence gathering...
insignia
Insignia
Insignia or insigne pl -nia or -nias : a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction...
.