SUSTAINING HABITATS
FOR WILD TIGERS
MYCAT is calling for more ecotourism
in the region—to help the tigers.
They say that more visitors
engaging in low-impact hikes and
photography expeditions will deter
poachers with their presence.
MYYCAT-MAYBANK
PARTNERSHIP
Formed in 2003, MYCAT’s mission is to find solutions to the multi-faced
challenges of tiger conservation in Malaysia. The
foundation, a coalition of
the Malaysian Nature Society, TRAFFIC Southeast
Asia, Wildlife Conservation
Society-Malaysia
Programme and WWFMalaysia believe that
conserving the member
BY ANURADHA VENUGOPAL
In recent years, Maybank
has doubled our efforts
to support the cause
of environmental
conservation. Since
2010, we have
contributed close to
RM1.5 million to support
conservation efforts.
TELLING THE TIGER
STORY IS IMPORTANT
TO US
wild perpetuity in 22nd
century Malaysia, the
tiger loving association
is united in the goal of
recovering tiger populations through collaboration and cooperation.
Thus the collaboration with Maybank is one
that is desired and welcomed, with a strategy
that includes research,
education and mitigation. Most of Maybank’s
contribution goes into
field research, as it provided MYCAT a grant to
fund dedicated scientific
research and social out-
of the cat species requires
an integrated conservation methodology.
Supported by the Department of Wildlife and
National Parks Peninsular Malaysia, MYCAT is
a unique initiative that
consists of the joint implementation of the National Tiger Conservation
Action Plan for Malaysia
programme.
Armed with the vision
to realise a viable population of tigers thrive in the
reach programmes to get
communities involved in
conservation efforts.
Among the significant
results of the funding is
the construction by the
government of a flyover
and two eco-bridges at
critical areas of wildlife
crossings in the Sungai
Yu Tiger Corridor near
Taman Negara, Pahang,
with
locations
determined based on research
findings. Thanks to the
bridge, the foundation
was able to alleviate the
effects of human infrastructure on wildlife.
In 2013, Maybank
once again made its
stance on tiger conservation by supporting the
first run for the Malayan
tiger. Organised by MYCAT, the Maybank Wild
Tiger Run aimed to increase awareness on the
plight of the Malayan
tiger and to raise funds
for conservation efforts
by MYCAT. The inaugural
event also celebrated the
partnership between the
four environmental associations in Malaysia.
Maybank’s Head of
Corporate Affairs, Eliza
14
Mohamed had an interesting point to make – the
significance of tigers in
a cultural context is reflected in our country’s
emblem.
“Tigers play a critical
role in our ecosystem. As
the top predator, it controls the population of its
prey species and when its
numbers face a dramatic
change, it throws the entire ecosystem out of balance. Since humans are
a part of this ecosystem,
any changes will inevitably affect us as well, Eliza
said.”