Wildlife of Malaysia
Encyclopedia
.jpg)
Coral Triangle
The Coral Triangle is a geographical term so named as it refers to a roughly triangular area of the tropical marine waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste that contain at least 500 species of reef-building corals in each ecoregion...
.
Terrestrial fauna
Malaysia is estimated to contain 20% of the world's animal species, and includes some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet.
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
holds two big cats: the Indochinese Tiger
Indochinese 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...
and the clouded leopard
Clouded Leopard
The clouded leopard is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN...
. Another major predator is the sunbear. Large prey exists, such as the Sumatran Rhinoceros
Sumatran Rhinoceros
The Sumatran Rhinoceros is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae and one of five extant rhinoceroses. It is the only extant species of the genus Dicerorhinus. It is the smallest rhinoceros, although is still a large mammal. This rhino stands high at the shoulder, with a head-and-body length of ...
, the Malayan Tapir
Malayan Tapir
The Malayan Tapir , also called the Asian Tapir, is the largest of the four species of tapir and the only one native to Asia. The scientific name refers to the East Indies, the species' natural habitat...
, Mouse deer, Barking Deer, Sambar Deer
Sambar 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...
, Wild Boar, and Bearded Pig
Bearded Pig
The bearded pig , also known as the Bornean bearded pig, is a species of pig. It can be recognized by its prominent beard. It also sometimes has tassels on its tail. It is found in Southeast Asia—Sumatra, Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, and various smaller islands—where it inhabits rainforests and...
s. 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...
s and Asian Elephants can also be found. Lowland animals such as these also can be found at higher altitudes, along with animals specialized for mountain living, such as Siamang Gibbons, Red Squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
s, and Lesser Moon Rats. East Malaysia
East Malaysia
East Malaysia, also known as Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo. It consists of the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan. It lies to the east from Peninsular Malaysia , which is located on the Malay Peninsula. The two are...
lacks the tigers of the peninsular, leaving clouded leopards, sunbears, and Sunda Otter Civets as the primary predators. Rhinoceroses and Elephants are also found there, along with Bornean Orangutan
Bornean Orangutan
The Bornean orangutan, Pongo pygmaeus, is a species of orangutan native to the island of Borneo. Together with the slightly smaller Sumatran orangutan, it belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia....
s, Mueller's Gibbons, Macaques, Proboscis Monkey
Proboscis Monkey
The proboscis monkey or long-nosed monkey, known as the bekantan in Malay, is a reddish-brown arboreal Old World monkey that is endemic to the south-east Asian island of Borneo...
s, Silvered leaf monkey, Langurs, and Slow loris
Slow loris
Slow lorises are a group of five species of strepsirrhine primates which make up the genus Nycticebus. Found in South and Southeast Asia, they range from Northeast India in the west to the Philippines in the east, and from the Yunnan province in China in the north to the island of Java in the south...
. High levels of endemism are found on the diverse forests of Borneo's mountains, as species are isolated from each other by lowland forest. Kinabalu Ferret-badgers, Kinabalu Black Shrews, Hose's Palm Civet
Hose's Palm Civet
The Hose's palm civet , also known as the Hose's civet , is a civet found in Borneo. It is named after zoologist Charles Hose and is a member of the family Viverridae...
s, and Brooke's Tree Squirrels are all endemic to the mountains. Other small mammals include Mongoose
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
and Giant Rat
Giant rat
The term giant rat has been applied to various species of large rodents. They tend to be native to tropical and sub-tropical locations. Some have flourished in other climates, including the Coypu and the Gambian pouched rat, which have both become invasive species...
s. 11,300 orangutan's are found in East Malaysia. Other ape species include the White-handed Gibbon and the Siamang
Siamang
The siamang is a tailless, arboreal, black-furred gibbon native to the forests of Malaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra. The largest of the lesser apes, the siamang can be twice the size of other gibbons, reaching 1 m in height, and weighing up to 14 kg...
. Malaysia has 10 monkey species, divided between langurs and macaques. Proboscis Monkeys, the world's largest monkey, are a langur species endemic to Borneo. Macaque species include the Crab-eating Macaque
Crab-eating Macaque
The Crab-eating macaque is a cercopithecine primate native to Southeast Asia. It is also called the "long-tailed macaque", and is referred to as the "cynomolgus monkey" in laboratories.-Etymology:...
and the Pig-tailed Macaque
Southern Pig-tailed Macaque
The southern pig-tailed macaque is a medium-sized Old World monkey found in the southern half of the Malay Peninsula , Borneo, Sumatra and Bangka Island. This omnivorous macaque is mostly found in forest, but will also enter plantations and gardens...
. The Malayan Tiger
Malayan Tiger
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...
, a subspecies of the Indochinese tiger, is endemic to the Malay peninsula with a remaining population of about 500. Small cats such as the Bay Cat
Bay Cat
The Bay Cat , also known as Bornean Cat, Bornean Bay Cat, Bornean Marbled Cat, is a wild cat endemic to the island of Borneo that appears relatively rare compared to sympatric felids, based on the paucity of historical as well as recent records...
and various civet cats are also found. 1200 Asian Elephants exist on the Peninsular, with another population existing in East Malaysia. The world's largest cattle species, the Seladang, is found in Malaysia. Fruit bats are also found throughout the country, with a high concentration in the Mulu Caves.
Over 620 species of birds have been recorded just on the Peninsular. Many are endemic to the mountains of the peninsular, such as the Crested Argus
Crested Argus
The Crested Argus is a large and spectacular peacock-like pheasant with dark-brown-spotted black and buff plumage, a pink bill, brown irises and blue skin around the eyes. The head is small. The male has a broad and greatly elongated tail of twelve feathers. He measures from in total length...
. Bornean forests show high levels of endemism among bird species, with 38 species found nowhere else. Black-browed Babbler
Black-browed Babbler
The Black-browed Babbler is a mysterious songbird species in the family Timaliidae. It is endemic to Borneo. Only a single specimen, collected in the 19th century, is known....
s and White-crowned Shamas found only in these forests. Large numbers of Hornbill
Hornbill
Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family...
s, Woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
s, and Pitta
Pitta
Pitta may stand for:*Pittas, a family of tropical birds*Pitta bread *Pitta , an island in the Dodecanese archipelago, in the Aegean Sea...
s such as the Mangrove Pitta
Mangrove Pitta
The Mangrove Pitta is a species of passerine bird in the Pittidae family native to Southeast Asia. It is part of a superspecies but has no recognized subspecies.- Taxonomy :...
are also present. Other species are found isolated on mountains, such as Golden-naped Barbet
Golden-naped Barbet
The Golden-naped Barbet is a species of bird in the Ramphastidae family.It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
s, Spot-necked Bulbul
Spot-necked Bulbul
The Spot-necked Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
s, and Mountain Serpent-eagles. Bulbul
Bulbul
Bulbuls are a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds. Many forest species are known as greenbuls. The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asia to Indonesia, and north as far as Japan. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands...
s, starling
Starling
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. The name "Sturnidae" comes from the Latin word for starling, sturnus. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and many African species are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent...
s, and house swift
House Swift
The House Swift is a species of swift in the Apodidae family.It is found in Nepal, and Southeast Asia. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Little Swift.-References:...
s can be found in urban areas. Crested Serpent-eagles and Kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
s can be found. There are nine species of Hornbill in Malaysia, the most common of which is the Pied hornbill. At 1.5 metres (5 ft) from head to tail is the largest hornbill, the Great hornbill
Great Hornbill
The Great Hornbill also known as Great Indian Hornbill or Great Pied Hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. Great Hornbills are found in the forests of Nepal, India, the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, Indonesia. Their impressive size and colour have made them important in...
, followed closely in size by the Rhinoceros Hornbill
Rhinoceros Hornbill
The Rhinoceros Hornbill, Buceros rhinoceros, is one of the largest hornbills, adults being approximately the size of a swan, 110-127 cm long and weighing 2-3 kg . The Rhinoceros Hornbill lives in captivity for up to 35 years...
of Borneo. The Fish eagle
Grey-headed Fish Eagle
The Grey-headed Fish Eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae.Grey-headed Fish Eagle breeds in southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka to Southeast asia...
and Brahminy kite
Brahminy Kite
The Brahminy Kite , also known as the Red-backed Sea-eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers. They are found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia...
are the most common birds of prey. Storm's Stork
Storm's Stork
The Storm's Stork, Ciconia stormi is a large, approximately long, stork with black and white plumages, red bill, orange bare facial skin, red legs and yellow orbital skin. Both sexes are similar. The young has duller plumage and bare skin....
and the Oriental darter
Oriental Darter
The Oriental Darter or Indian Darter , sometimes called Snakebird, is a water bird of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia.-Taxonomy:...
can be found in wetlands.
250 reptile species have been recorded, with about 150 species of snakes and 80 species of lizards. Only 16 of the land snakes are venomous. Notable among these are the Malayan pit viper, King Cobra
King Cobra
The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia...
s, Dumeril's monitor
Dumeril's monitor
Dumeril's monitor is a member of the Varanidae family found in Southeast Asia. It is found in southern Burma and north of the Isthmus of Kra to Kanchanaburi Province in Thailand. Varanus dumerilii is also found in peninsular Malaysia, throughout Borneo, Sumatra, Riou and other smaller islands of...
s, Malay Water Monitor
Water monitor
The Water monitor, is a large species of monitor lizard capable of growing to in length, with the average size of most adults at long. Maximum weight of Varanus salvator can be over , but most are half that size. Their body is muscular with a long, powerful, laterally compressed tail...
s, and Estuarine Crocodiles. The King Cobra is the deadliest snake found, but it is rarely encountered. The reticulated python
Reticulated Python
Python reticulatus, also known as the reticulated python is a species of python found in Southeast Asia. Adults can grow to over 8.7 m in length but normally grow to an average of 3-6 m . They are the world's longest snakes and longest reptile, but are not the most heavily built...
is said to grow up to 10 metres (33 ft) in length. Monitor lizard
Monitor lizard
Monitor lizards are usually large reptiles, although some can be as small as in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known...
s, almost 2 metres (7 ft) in length, are found in both halves of the country. Other snake species include the Paradise tree snake and Wagler's pit viper. Estuarine Crocodiles can grow up to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length. Its smaller relative, the Malayan false gharial, can also be found. Flying lizards can also be found.
There are about 150 species of frog in Malaysia. Freshwater fish include the rare Asian arawana, along with marbled goby
Marbled goby
Marbled goby, Pomatoschistus marmoratus, is a species of small-sized coastal fish of Gobiidae family. Widespread in the eastern Atlantic , Mediterranean, Black Sea and Sea of Azov, Suez Canal and Lake Qarun in Egypt.-Links:*...
s, harlequin
Harlequin rasbora
The Harlequin Rasbora a small fish belonging to the Family Cyprinidae, subfamily Rasborinae, which was originally given the scientific name of Rasbora heteromorpha...
s, and tiger barb
Tiger barb
The tiger barb or Sumatra barb, is a species of tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Puntius genus of the minnow family. The natural geographic range reportedly extends throughout the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo, with unsubstantiated sightings reported in Cambodia...
s.
Malaysia has thousands of insect species, with more being discovered every year. Butterfly species include the Rajah Brooke Birdwing, while moth species include the Atlas moth. The largest beetle found is the Rhinoceros beetle
Rhinoceros beetle
The Rhinoceros Beetles or Rhino Beetles are a subfamily of the scarab beetle family . Other common names – some for particular groups of rhino beetles – are for example Hercules beetles, unicorn beetles or horn beetles...
. Other large insects include the Giant stick insect, which can grow as long as a human forearm, the Empress cicada
Empress cicada
The Empress cicada is a cicada from Malaysia, with a wingspan of ....
, with a wingspan of 30 centimetres (12 in), and the 4 centimetres (2 in) long Giant ant. Other insects include Banded hornet
Greater banded hornet
Greater banded hornet is a tropical species of hornet found in Southeast Asia, from Afghanistan to New Guinea. It is medium sized, worker's length is of about 25 mm. The head is dark brown/red, the abdomen is black with a large yellow stripe.-External links:**...
s, Fire ant
Fire ant
Fire ants are a variety of stinging ants with over 285 species worldwide. They have several common names, including ginger ants, tropical fire ants and red ants.- Appearance :...
s, Giant honey bees, and Weaver ant
Weaver ant
Weaver ants or Green ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae . Weaver ants are obligately arboreal and are known for their unique nest building behaviour where workers construct nests by weaving together leaves using larval silk...
s. Many scorpions can also be found.
Terrestrial flora
About two thirds of Malaysia is covered in forest which is believed to be 130 million years old. It is composed of a variety of types, although they are mainly dipterocarpDipterocarpaceae
Dipterocarpaceae is a family of 17 genera and approximately 500 species of mainly tropical lowland rainforest trees. The family name, from the type genus Dipterocarpus, is derived from Greek and refers to the two-winged fruit...
forests. Dipterocarps can grow to about 50 metres (164 ft) tall. Lowland forest occurs below 760 metres (2,493 ft), and formerly East Malaysia was covered in such rainforest, which is supported by its hot wet climate. There are around 14,500 species of flowering plants and trees. Besides rainforests, there are over 1425 square kilometres (550.2 sq mi) of mangroves in Malaysia, and a large amount of peat forest. Coastal land of the peninsular is fringed by Mangroves, which cause sediment buildup resulting in peat bogs. These provide a base for plants that can tolerate the conditions. The peat forests of coastal Malaysia provide an important habitat for waterbirds and fish. The dipterocarps that occur in the peat forest obscure the ground, limiting ground vegetation. At higher altitudes, oaks, chestnuts, and rhododendrons replace dipterocarps.
There are an estimated 8,500 species of vascular plant
Vascular plant
Vascular plants are those plants that have lignified tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant. Vascular plants include the clubmosses, Equisetum, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms...
s in Peninsular Malaysia, with another 15,000 in the East. The forests of East Malaysia are estimated to be the habitat of around 2,000 tree species, and are one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, with 240 different species of trees every hectare. Further inland, Heath forest
Heath forest
Heath forest is a type of tropical moist forest found in areas with acidic, sandy soils that are extremely nutrient-poor. Notable examples are the Rio Negro campinarana of the Amazon Basin in South America, and the Sundaland heath forests of Borneo and neighboring islands.-External links:**...
s are present. These forests host many members of the Rafflesia
Rafflesia
Rafflesia is a genus of parasitic flowering plants. It contains approximately 28 species , all found in southeastern Asia, on the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand and the Philippines.Rafflesia was found in the Indonesian rain forest by an Indonesian guide working for Dr...
genus, the largest flowers in the world, with a maximum diameter of 1 metres (3 ft). They also contain large numbers of carnivorous plants, such as pitcher plant
Pitcher plant
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over...
s, bladderworts, sundew
Sundew
Drosera, commonly known as the sundews, comprise one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surface. The insects are used to supplement...
s, and ant-house plants.
Some parts of the forest have shown promise for use in medicine. In 1990 a stand of trees showed promise to be able to be used to stop the spread of a strain of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, but was cut down before more samples could be taken. Promise has been shown in fighting Malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
.
Marine life
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
is 1.5 times larger than its land area, and some of its waters are in the Coral Triangle
Coral Triangle
The Coral Triangle is a geographical term so named as it refers to a roughly triangular area of the tropical marine waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste that contain at least 500 species of reef-building corals in each ecoregion...
, a biodiversity hotspot. The waters around Sipadan island are the most biodiverse in the world. Bordering East Malaysia, the Sulu Sea
Sulu Sea
The Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.Sulu Sea contains a number of...
is a biodiversity hotspot, with around 600 coral species and 1200 fish species. Five species of sea turtle
Sea turtle
Sea turtles are marine reptiles that inhabit all of the world's oceans except the Arctic.-Distribution:...
s inhabit the area, along with 20 species of Sea snake. The Dugong
Dugong
The dugong is a large marine mammal which, together with the manatees, is one of four living species of the order Sirenia. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest modern relative, Steller's sea cow , was hunted to extinction in the 18th century...
is found around Sabah and in the Strait of Johor.
Sharks present include whale shark
Whale shark
The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a slow-moving filter feeding shark, the largest extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of and a weight of more than , but unconfirmed claims report considerably larger whale sharks...
s, hammerhead shark
Hammerhead shark
The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks in the family Sphyrnidae, so named for the unusual and distinctive structure of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a "hammer" shape called a "cephalofoil". Most hammerhead species are placed in the genus Sphyrna while the...
s, and reef shark
Reef shark
Several species of reef-associated sharks are known as reef sharks:* Blacktip reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus* Caribbean reef shark, Carcharhinus perezi* Grey reef shark, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos...
s. Game fish such as the Blue marlin
Makaira
Makaira is a genus of marlins and spearfishes. It includes the black, Atlantic blue, and Indo-Pacific blue marlins.- Sustainable consumption :...
and tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
are often found, along with reef fish such as barracuda
Barracuda
The barracuda is a ray-finned fish known for its large size and fearsome appearance. Its body is long, fairly compressed, and covered with small, smooth scales. Some species could reach up to 1.8m in length and 30 cm in width...
, bigeye trevally
Bigeye trevally
The bigeye trevally, Caranx sexfasciatus , is a species of widespread large marine fish classified in the jack family Carangidae...
, bump-head parrotfish, garupa
Garupá
Garupá is a village and municipality in Misiones Province in northeastern Argentina.-References:...
s, and scorpion fish. Manta ray
Manta ray
The manta ray is the largest species of the rays. The largest known specimen was more than across, with a weight of about . It ranges throughout waters of the world, typically around coral reefs...
s can be found.
Issues and response
With Malaysia's wildlife being some of the most diverse on earth, and it being a Megadiverse country, the Malaysian government is interested in protecting it. The government aims to balance economic growth with environmental protection, but has been accused of favouring big business over the environment. Smoke haze from Indonesia occasionally causes problems further north, and fires caused from forest burning in 1997 obscured large parts of Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
in smog.
At current rates of forest lost the rainforests will disappear within a generation. Over 80% of Sarawak has been cleared, and these clearing has caused animals traditionally in lowland forest to retreat into the upland rain forests
Borneo montane rain forests
The Borneo montane rain forests are an ecoregion, of Cloud forest, within the Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Biome, of the island of Borneo in south-east Asia .-Location and description:...
inland. Logging, along with cultivation practices has devastated tree cover, causing severe environmental degradation in the country. Floods in East Malaysia have been worsened by the loss of trees, and over 60% of the Peninsular's forest have been cleared. With current rates of deforestation, the forests are predicted to be extinct by 2020. Deforestation is a major problem for fauna such as tigers, as the forest is cut to make room for plantations, mostly for Palm oil and other cash crops. The Orangutan population has dropped 40% in the last 20 years. Hunting has also been an issue. Animals such as the Asian Elephant have been forced out of their habitat due to its loss, often forcing them to starve. Once so common that complaints existed of them trampling peoples gardens, Sumatran Rhinoceroses are likely to go extinct in Malaysia. Hornbills are steadily declining in numbers. Most remaining forest is found inside national parks.
Habitat destruction has proved a threat for marine life. Illegal fishing is another major threat, In Sabah alone, almost 3000 turtles are killed as by-catch per year. Illegal fishing methods such as dynamite fishing and poisoning have also depleted marine ecosystems. Leatherback Turtle numbers have dropped 98% since the 1950's. Overconsumption and the use of animal parts for profit has also endangered marine life, as well as Tigers, whose meat can be found in restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. Tigers received official protection in 1976, when they numbered a mere 300. Marine life is also detrimentally affected by uncontrolled tourism. Shoreline erosion in places has reached 10 metres (33 ft) a year.
Some state governments are now trying to counter the environmental impact and pollution created by deforestation; Sabah has developed sustainable forest reserves, and the government is trying to cut logging by 10% per year. 28 national parks have been created, the first in 1938 by the British. There are 23 on East Malaysia and 7 on the Peninsular. The Malaysian government is also trying to preserve marine life, creating a joint project with Indonesia and the Philippines to look after the Sulu Sea, as well as limiting tourism in areas such as Sipadan Island. Marine parks have banned fishing and motorised sports. To counter coastal erosion, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Malaysia)
The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation or MOSTI is the Malaysian ministry in charge of research, telecommunication and information technology. The current minister is Datuk Dr...
have installed artificial reefs around the country's shores. These reefs are also meant to revive marine ecosystems. Animal trafficking is a large issue, and the Malaysian government is holding talks with the governments of Brunei and Indonesia to standardize anti-trafficking laws. The government is aiming to double the wild tiger population by 2020.
External links
Database of Malaysian Marine Life2008 Report of Biodiversity in Malaysia