A total of 112 Malayan tapirs were killed in road accidents nationwide between 2020 and last year, says natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Nik Nazmi said the latest data from the wildlife and national parks department shows only about 700 to 800 Malayan tapirs remain in their natural habitats.
He said the ministry has implemented various initiatives to address this issue.
“We have installed yellow transverse bars, LED wildlife crossing signboards, and solar amber lights in Gerik, Perak and Kedah.
“We are also open to expanding these measures to other areas, including in Selangor, where cases of tapir deaths have been reported,” Bernama reported him as saying at the Wildlife Conservation Centre at Sungai Dusun in Kuala Kubu Baharu, Hulu Selangor, today.
On attempts to breed the Malayan tapir, Nik Nazmi said the ministry will continue to intensify conservation efforts through both in-situ (in natural habitats) and ex-situ (outside natural habitats, such as conservation centres) approaches.
“In addition, habitat protection will be strengthened through the construction of wildlife crossings at the Sungai Deka Ecological Corridor in Terengganu, the Sungai Yu Ecological Corridor in Pahang and the Gerik Ecological Corridor.
“We have already begun work on the construction of the National Tapir Conservation Centre at the Kenaboi Forest Reserve in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan,” he said.
