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Form SOS14

SOS PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT

1. Project Information

Project Title: Citizen Conservation: public engagement and empowerment to

save Malaysia's threatened wildlife

Organization: Malaysian Nature Society

Grant code: 2011A-014

Report Author: Ashleigh Seow, Kae Kawanishi and Wong Pui May

Project Dates: 1 March 2012 – 31 March 2013 (with one month extension)

SOS Grant Type: Threatened Species

Grant Amount: $65,359

SOS Strategic Direction: Threatened Asian and African Mammals

Focal Threatened Species: Tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni)

Table of contents:

No Content Page

1. Project Information 1

2. Project Components 2

3. Species Conservation Impacts 5

4. Lessons Learned 14

5. Additional Funding 15

6. Sustainability/Replicability 16

7. Safeguard Policy Assessment 17

8. Additional Comments/Recommendations 18

9. Information Sharing and SOS Policy 18

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2. Project Components

Project Components

2A. Report on results by project component. Reporting should reference specific

products/deliverables from the approved project design and other relevant information.

Component 1: Deter poaching

Product /Deliverable Planned Actual

CAT* WALK

to walk in the Sungai Yu Tiger

Corridor

CAT* TRAILBLAZER

to maintain the Taman Negara

National Park boundary with

wildlife rangers

CAT* BORDER WALK (NEW)

to walk border areas along the

western side abutting the Corridor

180 man-days, 36 trips

280 man-days, 8 trips (amended mid-

term to 140 man-days, 4 trips)

140 man-days, 4 trips (added mid-term)

TOTAL: 460 man-days, 44 trips

415 man-days, 26 trips

78 man-days, 3 trips

85 man-days, 7 trips

TOTAL: 578 man-days, 36 trips

Component 2: Elicit reliable information on crimes against wildlife from the public to aid law enforcement

Product /Deliverable Planned Actual

Wildlife criminals arrested based

on reports made by the public to

the hotline.

No. of reports to the

hotline/action taken by the

authorities, nationwide and during

CAT* activities, respectively

>1

50 reports/40 actions taken nationwide

10 reports/8 actions taken during CAT*

0

88 reports/

63 actions taken nationwide

18 incidences reported during CAT*/

18 actions taken

Component 3: Cultivate wildlife stewardship among the Malaysian public

Product / Deliverable Planned Actual

Increase in the number of

volunteer citizen

conservationists (particularly

CAT* volunteers) and

Malaysian public reached through

Outreach (accumulated figure)

600 (100) and 40,000

730 (188) and 38,482

* CAT = Citizen Action for Tigers

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2B. Were any components unrealized? If so, how has this affected the overall impact of the project?

Component 1

CAT Trailblazer targets were not met. The reasons were mentioned in the interim Performance Tracking

Report and are recapitulated below, with approval from SOS in the change of plan. This did not affect the

project significantly as the most important component – CAT Walks, that take place in the critical Sungai

Yu Tiger Corridor, over-achieved its target by 230%.

The aim of Trailblazer is to assist the Taman Negara National Park rangers with border maintenance,

while the rangers also gather intelligence and conduct law enforcement activities. Dates are set a month in

advance but are subject to sudden changes, such as wildlife officers and rangers being called to perform

their other duties. This affects recruitment of volunteers who have to take leave from work and make

other domestic arrangements. Many volunteers also cannot easily take a week’s leave.

Recently, in recognition of the poaching menace, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP)

conducted joint armed patrols with the Malaysian Army in remote areas of Taman Negara. While this is

much needed for improved protection of the Park, it further depletes their manpower to conduct border

patrols. By way of comparison, the Park has only one 14km-long road but is half the size of Yellowstone

National Park. The jungle terrain prevents effective vehicular or air patrols, so DWNP is reliant on foot

patrols which places a huge burden on manpower and other resources.

Another reason for the fewer Trailblazer trips conducted is operational security. In order to minimize the

risk of patrol routes being leaked outside

DWNP, the routes are disclosed to us on the day

of the patrol itself. Even the rangers on duty only

learn the route a day before the trip. Since the

patrol area and evacuation routes are not known

in advance, it is important to select only

experienced volunteers because there is no

turning back once the trip is underway.

Accordingly, our criteria for Trailblazer

volunteers are stringent, requiring fitness and

considerable prior jungle experience, but these

qualities are not readily available among the

public. It is no exaggeration that parts of the

border are difficult and trackless terrain which

are not normally encountered even by

experienced hikers. Risk assessment suggests an

unacceptable level of risk unless we could

establish evacuation routes in advance.

MYCAT RESPONSE:

We introduced Border Walks, which involves

trail clearing and “eyes and ears” walks along

the western border of the Park, north of the

Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor. Walks were extended

to the area based on a request by the previous

Superintendent of Taman Negara. In the area, oil

palm plantations and state land forests flank the The pink lines mark trails walked by CAT volunteers.

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park border, making it prone to encroachment by local villagers. The Border Walks do not involve

rangers and are shorter in duration, providing us with the flexibility to conduct walks of varying lengths

according to need or conditions, and allowing for employed volunteers to participate.

The criteria for participation is not as stringent as we go into a “known” area, where a route has already

been plotted and evacuation routes identified and checked beforehand. This enabled us to achieve similar

results as the Trailblazer. Accordingly, half of the Trailblazer targets were allocated to Border Walk.

However as six months had already passed and as each Border Walk is of a shorter duration than

Trailblazer, only 85 man-days of the 140 targeted were achieved (61%).

Component 2

The number of reports made to the 24-hour MYCAT Wildlife Crime Hotline and the subsequent action

taken by the authorities exceeded the targeted figures.

Component 3

The targets for the increase in the number of volunteer citizen conservationists were exceeded.

For the number of people reached via outreach programs, only 96% of the target was achieved. This was

partly because two major community outreach programs were conducted within the project period in rural

areas – Gua Musang (located 30 minutes away from Sungai Yu) and Hulu Langat (in the state of

Selangor), where the population densities are much lower compared to urban cities. We targeted these

communities because they are the key stakeholders in efforts to reduce the poaching and illegal trade of

wildlife. These intensive programs, lasting up to four days, encompassed Tiger Roadshows at the local

markets, house-to-house or shop-to-shop visits and school education components (see Section 2C). The

overall impact of the project was not compromised.

2C. Please describe and submit (electronically if possible) any tools, products, or methodologies that

resulted from this project or contributed to the results.

CAT Walk Manual*

Trailblazer Manual*

MYCAT Safety and Emergency Procedures Manual* (to be emailed, not for circulation)

Pictorial report on Gua Musang Outreach Program

Pictorial report on Hulu Langat Outreach Program

Pictorial report on Sungai Yu Outreach Program (Appendix 1) – this program was conducted just

after the end of the project period but is a continuation of our ongoing efforts to engage local

communities in Sungai Yu in tiger conservation

Video on CAT Walks

Article in New Straits Times, a national English daily newspaper

Two feature articles in The Star, a national English daily newspaper (Mar ’12, Jan ’13)

Article in Nanyang Siang Pau, a national Chinese daily newspaper

Feature article in Let’s Travel, a Chinese-language travel magazine (to be emailed)

Radio interview on BFM, an English radio station, that mentions the CAT Walks

Radio interview on Ai FM, a Chinese radio station, on CAT Walks (not available)

Webpage showing trails and routes for the public to use for recreational hiking (in the pipelines)

* These manuals are living documents which will be constantly improved based on feedback by

volunteers, MYCAT partners, government partners etc.

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3. Species Conservation Impacts

3A. Planned Impacts:

The goal of this project is to reduce poaching, trade and consumption of threatened wildlife species.

Objectives in furtherance of this are to:

1. Deter poaching and encroachment in and around the most important conservation area in

Malaysia

2. Elicit reliable information on crimes against wildlife from the public to aid law enforcement

3. Cultivate wildlife stewardship among the Malaysian public

3B. Actual Progress towards Impacts at Completion:

Component 1

Poaching at the project site had been suppressed as indicated by the fewer number of snares found. In the

last six months, no recently set snares have been discovered. The tiger population inside Taman Negara

will continue to be monitored at selected sites. With the increased level of protection resulting from this

project, in addition to patrols and enforcement by the authorities, we anticipate the tiger numbers to

recover in the next three years (see Section 3.1.b).

We also encountered poachers at Park border areas outside the Corridor and they ran off upon seeing

CAT volunteers. The vigilance of the CAT Walkers and the raised awareness among the locals of

MYCAT’s presence were likely causes of the apparent decline in poaching.

No known poaching was detected at the project site during the project period, although in the second half

of the period we found skeletal remains of a juvenile elephant, sun bear, wild pig and a porcupine, all of

which had perished at least a year or two before. These findings coincided with journalists accompanying

CAT trips and resulted in good media coverage (see Section 2C) that prompted more people to join the

program.

Component 2

Before each CAT Walk begins, volunteers are briefed by either MYCAT staff or trained volunteer

leaders. The content of the briefing includes the objectives of CAT, safety measures and also the Wildlife

Crime Hotline. All volunteers store the hotline number in their mobile phones so they can instantly report

any signs of illegal activities detected during the CAT Walks. The hotline is publicized at all Tiger

Roadshows and through various efforts by MYCAT partners, for example setting up billboards at wildlife

trade hotspots, promoting the hotline in radio interviews etc. Around the Sungai Yu area, the hotline was

publicized during community outreach programs conducted in 2009, 2010 and 2013.

Reports to the hotline came in from all over Malaysia and also included reports of illegal activities

discovered during CAT trips. Between May 2012 and March 2013, we received reports from CAT

Walkers almost every month. These included information on snares, illegal logging or animal carcasses

discovered, possible gun shots heard, suspicious men and vehicles seen near the forest, etc. The reports

were channeled to DWNP or other relevant enforcement authorities.

Among others, the reports resulted in the removal of snares in the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor, as well as

the confiscation of illegal wildlife products. Traders who were reported selling illegal wildlife products

are being investigated and the cases are ongoing, and MYCAT will continue to follow up on the outcomes

of the reports.

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A standard operating procedure (SOP) has been developed between DWNP and MYCAT for the hotline.

The SOP outlines MYCAT’s role as a third party between informants and the authorities. As MYCAT

notifies informants on the actions taken by DWNP, this provides for transparency and accountability in

enforcement actions resulting from the reports.

Component 3

At the start of the project, the number of MYCAT volunteers was 525 (30 CAT volunteers) and the

number of people reached through outreach programs was 31,651. The response to the CAT program has

been phenomenal and there has also been a crossover effect where volunteers acquainted with us through

CAT also facilitated outreach programs and vice versa. Some were repeat volunteers, which showed that

they find fulfillment or simply have fun on MYCAT programs, and are returning to share their time and

energy with us.

3C. Describe the success or challenges of the project toward achieving its short-term and long-term

impact objectives. How could it have been improved?

Component 1

The public response to CAT Walks at the beginning of the project period showed that there is a strong

level of interest in participating in conservation. We got off to a good start with CAT Walks being

conducted almost every week, and have sustained a high frequency throughout the year including the

Muslim fasting month (Ramadan) and subsequent festivities. During such periods, it is crucial to increase

on-the-ground protection, particularly for tiger prey species that are often targeted by local hunters as a

delicacy to be served during the celebrations.

Despite often walking in degraded state land forests

instead of the lush greenery of the Park nearby,

volunteers have expressed satisfaction in participating

in CAT Walks as it provides them with the

opportunity to protect wildlife on the ground. Very

often when concerned members of the public read

about threats to wildlife, they feel helpless and

detached from the issues, but CAT empowers them to

become part of the solution.

We have produced a number of manuals for volunteer

leaders to refer to, covering procedures to participate,

emergency action plans, safety while moving and

living in forests, evacuation procedures, minimal

impact camping and hygiene (see Section 2C).

We have also sought active involvement from the

public and private sectors, civil society, private

companies and nature-oriented groups. We have

leveraged on congruent interests with other

organizations such as gap year or overseas

community service organizations like Ecoteer

Responsible Travel to encourage participation in CAT

Walks while volunteers are in the Corridor area to

conduct community-based improvement programs.

More information about the Tiger Trail can be

found here.

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Their participation serves to advance our agenda while providing alternative income streams (rather than

poaching) for local inhabitants as well.

Communities near the project area were also reached directly through outreach programs sponsored by a

leading local bank (Appendix 1). We extended an invitation to local residents to join us on conservation

walks, and discovered that many did not know how important the Sungai Yu forests were and were keen

to participate. Some have already joined, and we intend to conduct more walks with members of the

immediate local community this year.

In the case of the aboriginal community living near the Corridor (outside the Park), we found that the

CAT program was well received. While engaging with them through an anthropologist who spoke their

language, we learnt that the tiger and several other large mammals played an important part in their

religious mythology and they are very much against the killing of these species. Poaching is a matter of

concern to them and they saw the act of poaching these species and destroying their habitat as bringing

calamity upon the world. We are working with them to better identify poaching areas and learn poacher

behavior through their tracking skills and knowledge of the forests.

Batek aboriginal (in pink and green) and volunteer tracking tiger pugmarks on a streambed during a Border Walk.

Component 2

Urgent reports to the Wildlife Crime Hotline, for example those involving sightings of possible poachers,

need to be channeled to DWNP as soon as possible. It is sometimes difficult to contact the authorities

immediately as the closest DWNP office to the project area is located at the western entrance to Taman

Negara (Sungai Relau, Merapoh), where the mobile phone signals are not strong and even fixed phone

lines are occasionally unstable. In addressing this issue, Park officials advised us that the current best

option is to contact the DWNP office during working hours, even on weekends. This generally coincides

with the time when the CAT volunteers are on the move. Additionally, DWNP has informed us that a

telecommunications transmission substation is being erected in the area, which will improve the mobile

phone coverage substantially.

Component 3

Volunteers learn much about the wildlife conservation efforts and poaching threats in Malaysia by

participating in MYCAT programs. They then serve as ‘ambassadors’ of wildlife to their friends and

family, where word-of-mouth serves as a powerful tool to increase awareness on CAT and conservation in

general, thus increasing the number of volunteer sign-ups. One volunteer has produced two videos, one on

CAT Trailblazer in 2011 and one on CAT Walks in 2012, so that potential volunteers will know what each

of the programs entails. Another provided a cash contribution to MYCAT to sponsor financially

challenged volunteers to participate in CAT.

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At the end of September 2012, we trained 20 volunteers to lead CAT Walks. As expected, there was

attrition but we have retained five over the project term. Two of them, the most eager to learn (Maimunah

Mohd Noor) and the youngest (Harrison Ooi Zhi Jun, aged 19), were jointly awarded MYCAT

Volunteers of the Year 2012 as they were the most active volunteers for the year. Two volunteers

(Maimunah Mohd Noor and Helen Johnny) have emerged as strong CAT Walk leaders. Below are brief

profiles of both women:

Helen Johnny

Helen is from the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. As a child she followed her policeman father

into the Borneo forests, often spending the night there. Later, her thirst for adventure led her to

qualify as a Combat Medic in the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army, one of very

few women to do so. She is full of ethno-botanical knowledge and is very comfortable in the

forest, so she is a reassuring influence on the young university students she often leads. After

five years as a soldier, she joined the Education Ministry’s videography department and works

on educational videos. She is also a canoe instructor and amateur caver.

Maimunah Mohd Noor

Maimunah, usually known as Muna, is the Corporate Communications Director of a listed

media conglomerate. Once or twice a month, she leaves her cat and husband and drives her 4x4

to the Corridor to lead CAT Walks. When she is in the city all she can think about is the jungle.

In her words: “I just keep thinking that every week, if I don’t do it, there could be poachers out

there. Every time we go into the forest, we make a difference. What we do, it really counts.”

As a limiting factor for increasing CAT Walks is the number of trained leaders, another workshop will be

held in the second half of 2013 to train local guides and potential volunteer leaders in MYCAT protocols,

methodology and safety.

3D. Were there any unexpected impacts (positive or negative)?

A pleasant and unplanned positive impact was the recruitment of a freshly graduated biology student and

CAT volunteer by one of our partner organizations, Ecoteer Responsible Travel (see Section 3C). Her

family lives in one of the villages once known for poaching activity. She will facilitate their program,

which will enable international volunteers to participate in CAT Walks as well as conduct conversational

English classes for local residents.

As a result of this project, the profile of MYCAT and specifically our programs, have increased among

the local community. Support for the programs is hence more forthcoming, for example, in assisting with

transport services.

There were no unexpected negative impacts.

3.1. Did you stabilize or improve the conservation status of a species or important species

population (state whether global or target population)?

a. Global or target population:

Our targets are the most threatened species, confirmed present locally: Tiger (Panthera tigris), clouded

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leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), dhole (Cuon alpinus), sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), Asian elephant

(Elephas maximus), sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), gaur (Bos gaurus), serow (Capricornis sumtraensis),

and tapir (Tapirus indicus).

As all target species are large mammals and MYCAT research ended in 2011, it is unrealistic to

determine the population change within the project period. This project was a follow-up action to the

research project.

b. Indicate type and level of improvement or decline within the context of the following parameters:

(i) numbers of individuals (use quantitative assessments, if available, otherwise state increasing,

decreasing, or remaining the same over project period, with justification and methods);

The population size has been estimated for tigers only in

the year 1999 and 2011, using camera traps in the mark-

recapture framework. Over the 12 years, the estimated

population of 7 adults (Kawanishi and Sunquist 2004) had

declined to only one animal in a 200km2 study area in the

western part of the Park (MYCAT 2012). We named this

tiger in the area Bujang (meaning ‘bachelor’ in Malay). In

the past few months, we have not captured Bujang’s

image at the three camera-traps locations along the only

road in Taman Negara, where he had been captured in the

past.

However, as we are utilizing camera traps that are 5-6

years old from the previous research project, a number of cameras malfunctioned during the monsoon

rains at the end of 2012 and this could have caused Bujang to elude capture. In addition, the construction

of a banteng (Bos javanicus) enclosure and the presence of earth moving machinery from January-April

2013 in the lowland section of the road, where all the cameras are installed, could have caused him to

avoid the area for the time being. In March, a Park ranger reported tiger tracks in the forest north of the

construction site. We are seeking funds to purchase new cameras to extend the camera-trap coverage to

forested areas that were part of his home-range as shown in the

previous research.

Recently, we detected tracks of a tiger in the north western border

of the Park where Bujang had never been camera-trapped. Although

the identity of this individual tiger is undetermined, any evidence of

tigers in a new area is encouraging. At a few kilometers south of

that site, CAT Walkers also detected sambar deer pellets on two

separate occasions. This area is now regularly covered by CAT

volunteers and monitored by DWNP.

(ii) population trajectory over a 5 year period from monitoring date as increasing, decreasing, or

remaining the same (with natural ranges of variation taken into consideration; give quantitative

estimates, if available).

See above for the past trend. We envision that the local tiger population size will recover as the protection

increases. Coinciding with the CAT project, since mid-2012, DWNP has increased the patrol efforts

inside the Park and is currently in the process of acquiring more law enforcement staff for the Park.

Furthermore, starting May 2013, the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor will be regularly patrolled by DWNP.

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MYCAT research in 2011 monitored the tiger population in

only 200km2 of the western Park where one tiger was

documented. This area is the most threatened site in the entire

Park due to easy access to the Park via the highway and the

absence of aboriginal population (Kawanishi et al. 2006). But

in other parts of the 4,343km2 Park, DWNP has documented

tiger presence at higher densities. Much of the remaining area

is remote, far away from a major highway and lack road access.

In terms of the prey populations, although the large prey

species such as sambar, serow and gaur continue to be rare, the

data indicate that medium-sized prey such as barking deer and

wild boar are relatively abundant and remained stable at 100% occupancy over the past 12 years

(MYCAT unpublished data).

3.2. After project implementation, can the species globally be considered for a change of Red List

status, either positive or negative? If shifts of status within a category are applicable, describe

relevant Red List metrics used to support assertion. Provide quantitative data, if available.

The tiger is a highly conservation-dependent species and will continue to be endangered everywhere in its

range as long as the demand and protection remain at present levels.

The tapir is classified as Endangered in the Red List. At the

project site, it is one of the most frequently camera-trapped

large ungulate species and the occupancy estimate

(Psi+Standard Error) remained high: 0.80+0.09 in 1999 and

0.87+0.09 in 2011, compared to the sambar deer, 0.54+0.19

and 0.19+0.10, respectively. A meta-analysis of 23 camera-

trapping studies conducted between 1997 and 2008 in

Peninsular Malaysia shows a similar result and concludes that

among large tiger prey species (>100kg body size), the tapir

was the least threatened species and the sambar requires much

greater conservation intervention (Kawanishi et al. in press).

Red List classifies the sambar deer as Vulnerable.

3.3. Did your project improve the quality or condition of a threatened species’ critical habitat

within the project target area? Present in terms of the following parameters, where relevant:

(a) the total area (that is, the suitable habitat available to the target or global population);

The total area remains largely unchanged. A road-widening project threatened the East-West access

across the Corridor but MYCAT research and advocacy resulted in the construction of elevated viaducts

(Kawanishi et al. 2012). We anticipate that these viaducts will be used by wildlife based on observation of

target species behavior in other areas where viaducts have been built. The construction will soon be

completed and we are working to secure the adjacent forests against poaching and other threats. The

Malaysian government invested MYR80 million (USD27 million) on the construction of three viaducts

for the benefit of wildlife, and this Corridor continues to be a high priority in national policies and

conservation agendas. In addition to CAT Walks, the viaduct design permits the placement of

CCTV/camera traps to monitor the area.

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The Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor with the foot hills of the Main Range on the left and the lowland forest abutting

Taman Negara on the right side of the road. The cleared land is for the realignment and widening of the highway.

The image on the right shows a section of the 1km elevated highway under construction.

(b) condition (note, this must be defined for suitability for each target species; for example, degree

of fragmentation, edge effects, impact of invasive species, etc.); and

Fragmentation remains a continual threat in the Corridor but the greatest threat from the highway

development has been reduced by the construction of wildlife viaducts, as stated above.

(c) estimated trajectory (that is, increasing, stable, decreasing) of critical habitat required by the

population of the target species within the area addressed by the project.

The trajectory remains stable for the medium term as long as the state land surrounding the new road

remain forested as planned in the National Physical Plan and Central Forest Spine Master Plan for

Peninsular Malaysia. Both plans include proposals to connect and maintain linkages between

Environmentally Sensitive Areas or forests to form a long green spine from northern to southern

Peninsular Malaysia.

3.4. Did your project stop or reduce important direct threats to a threatened species within the

target area? Please state if the direct threats are for: (i) the target species; (ii) its critical habitat, or

both. Present in terms of the threats’:

(a) intensity (that is, high, moderate, low with criteria tailored to threat);

HIGH to MODERATE

With the habitat fragmentation threat from the highway mitigated, poaching remains the greatest threat to

the target taxa in the project area particularly to the tiger and sambar deer.

The project has increased the presence of conservation-minded people alert to poaching and

encroachment during weekends when Park rangers do not conduct patrols. This scarcity of active wire

snares remained the case over the 2012 Ramadan period when historically the poaching of deer increased

in anticipation of demand for wild meat at the end of the fasting month. Discreet inquiries at local outlets

known for selling wild meat indicated that it was not available on the menu in 2012.

The trend announced in the Performance Tracking Report at the mid-way point of the project has

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continued to the end of the period and beyond. CAT teams do not find active wire snares and only

abandoned/disused snares in the project areas adjoining the Park border. At the mid-point, it was not clear

if the scarcity of the new snares was due to increased volunteer presence or a temporary shift in poachers’

target area or a mixture of both.

From our recent 4-day outreach program (Appendix 1), we found that more and more locals are aware of

MYCAT’s presence in the area and some signed up to walk the Corridor with us. On the other hand, from

conversations with local adults at the night market and children during school programs, it was also

apparent that the poaching and consumption of wildlife is still a way of life for many. There is much to be

done in terms of changing the mindsets of the locals, which is a long-term process. But effects from the

previous MYCAT school programs held in 2010 can be felt as students who participated previously came

up to us, and they could remember the gist of the messages we imparted three years ago.

Most encouraging is the news that a major wildlife poacher/trader who resided in the area for some years

has now moved to another town south of the Park. This points to the Corridor no longer being a source of

wildlife supply to him, and suggests that the project was relatively successful in reducing the poaching

threat temporarily.

(b) distribution (that is, widespread, common, localized); and

Poaching activity historically was widespread and took place in most areas of the Sungai Yu Tiger

Corridor and border areas of the Park. However, there seems to have been a reduction in poaching on

weekends as stated above.

(c) area affected over time (that is, expanding, decreasing, stable using defined boundary) of 1-3

major, direct threats to the target species within the projects’ target areas.

It appears to be decreasing.

3.5. Did your project contribute to improving, no impact on, or worsening enabling conditions that

facilitate successful conservation for threatened species? Present in terms of the degree (that is,

favorable, neutral, unfavorable) to which local socio-economic, political, and cultural conditions

(that is, ‘enabling conditions’) contribute to the probability of success for conservation of the target

species with the project area. Protected area tracking protocols are required, where applicable

(consult with the SOS Secretariat on the appropriate PA tracking tool to use). Applicable metrics

include:

(a) legislative tools associated with species’ protection (poor, fair, good, very good);

GOOD

MYCAT had already contributed significantly towards the declaration of a 6-year hunting moratorium of

the sambar and barking deer in 2009 and the new and much stronger wildlife legislation (Wildlife

Conservation Act) that came into effect in 2010 (Kawanishi et al. in press). Although this project does not

make any direct contribution to legislative tools, we are using our data from research to push for the

highest protective status for the sambar deer under the Wildlife Conservation Act, which would not allow

any hunting or trade whatsoever of the species.

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(b) financing for conservation (poor, fair, good, very good – based on available resources for

conservation, sustainable financing mechanisms are developed and in place, public-private

partnerships, positive benefits for community livelihoods, etc.);

GOOD

The Malaysian Government was recently awarded USD10.6 million from the Global Environment

Facility for the implementation of the Central Forest Spine Master Plan. With the Sungai Yu Corridor

being Primary Linkage 1 identified in the master plan, we anticipate the financial prospect for future

conservation at the Corridor to be good. But that project is still in the inception stage, and it will take

some time for actual implementation.

We are engaging with corporations, public organizations and citizen groups with an interest in Corporate

Social Responsibility programs to send their staff or members to support a continued presence in the

corridor and the Park border areas. We anticipate that involvement in active conservation on their part

will lead in some cases to a longer commitment to the project goals in financial terms. There is a demand

for active “boots-on-the-ground” conservation projects and for adventure eco-tourism at the site.

Capitalizing on both, MYCAT seeks to secure sustainability through the inclusion of new partners while

continuing to work with existing stakeholders. We aim to build an inclusive and enduring framework for

wildlife conservation by generating economic opportunities for local communities in outdoor and

conservation activities through homestay programs, nature guiding and local tourism.

We engaged an experienced Canadian canoeist / author

and a New Zealander kayaker who carried out a pro

bono feasibility and risk assessment of the jungle rivers

with a view to increase water-borne recreational

activities. MYCAT will seek to interest conservation-

minded organizations and companies in the Sungai Yu

Tiger Corridor and western Taman Negara area’s

potential. Such activities may boost the local economy

through the need for certified guides and transport

services.

CAT has attracted participation from international

volunteers from Australia, Canada, France, Singapore,

the United Kingdom and the United States and seeks long-term collaboration with conservation volunteer

organizations to set up volunteering opportunities for international travelers. We are pursuing Earth

Watch-type volunteer programs where international volunteers support themselves financially for the

opportunity to participate in this citizen conservation program.

Communities in our project areas include settlers and smallholders relocated to oil palm plantation

“development projects” in the 1980s, conservative rural communities and aboriginal people from a recent

nomadic past. Each presents unique challenges and ethical considerations for engagement. On the advice

of Prof. Luigi Boitani, Chair of the SOS Working Group, we have sought to engage them in dialog

through our outreach program but progress in stakeholder involvement has been incremental. Cultural

factors need to be addressed and too direct an approach may be counter-productive.

We will continue to build relationships with the local community and plan to conduct CAT Walk training

for local nature guides so that they can begin to take over some of the guiding of CAT Walks.

14

(c) wild land or protected area management effectiveness (poor, fair, good, very good – based on PA

tracking tool indices applied to target area); and

N/A

(d) existence of robust conservation strategy or Action Plan for the species or critical habitat (poor,

fair, good, very good – based on important features such as priority areas identified and ranked,

representation analysis complete, thresholds of habitat and species population size and condition

identified, conceptual model and conservation action plan developed, actions prioritized and results

chains elaborated, monitoring program).

VERY GOOD

This project implements two national policies on biodiversity conservation, namely the National Tiger

Conservation Action Plan and Central Forest Spine Master Plan. MYCAT was involved in developing

both policies and continues to be involved in their monitoring and implementation.

4. Lessons Learned

Describe any lessons learned during the design and implementation of the project, as well as any

related to organizational development and capacity building. Consider lessons that would inform

projects designed or implemented by your organization or others, as well as lessons that might be

considered by the global conservation community.

a. Project Design Process: (aspects of the project design that contributed to its success /

shortcomings)

The critical part of the design was the correct identification of the problem, namely opportunistic

poaching principally by local people during weekends when DWNP resources were stretched thin.

Our initial assumption that local poachers would be disturbed by the presence of other people in their

favorite hunting spots appears to be correct, and this is what makes the CAT program work. Animals, on

the other hand, face much less pressure from a passing CAT volunteer rather than a poacher.

An important caveat to others who may study this project’s success is that this assumption may not apply

to professional poachers from Indochina who are likely to have factored the risk of being spotted into

their calculations. This is why CAT leaves the Park interior to the Park authorities and military to patrol,

not citizen conservationists.

b. Project Implementation: (aspects of the project execution that contributed to its success

/shortcomings)

As far as implementation is concerned, the key to the successful implementation of CAT lay in the

appreciation, sometimes contested, that conservation is a political activity in which science mainly plays

an informing role. The role of MYCAT has been to facilitate the implementation of this project, as well as

provide project leadership and guidance.

A potential problem was that the authorities could have branded CAT as a form of vigilantism, or the

general public attempting to do work that only the authorities are legally empowered to do. To address

this, we altered the initial protocol for CAT Walks with regard to the discovery of snares and traps.

15

Instead of destroying, volunteers deactivated or disarmed them, marked the location with tape, and passed

the location coordinates to the authorities. DWNP would then conduct a sweep of the area to remove and

destroy snares. Our actions enabled DWNP to perform their enforcement duties in a targeted manner and

to a certain extent, allowed them to gather intelligence on poaching hotspots. We also emphasize to

volunteers that CAT trips are not patrols in the forest and cannot substitute enforcement patrols by the

authorities.

c. Other lessons learned relevant to the conservation community:

CAT aims to protect the tiger from poaching and human encroachment into its natural habitat. By

targeting this umbrella species the project helps conserve tiger prey and other commercially-traded

protected species – saving one to save all.

CAT Walks are a non-confrontational anti-poaching activity to supplement the stretched resources of

DWNP. CAT brings together citizen conservationists – local and international, large and small

businesses, indigenous communities, local communities and city dwellers, in a web to conserve the

wildlife and habitats of the primary linkage between the two largest tiger landscapes in Malaysia. The

CAT story is that conservation is too important to be left to the authorities only and that local

communities, the private sector and civil society need to be included as well.

5. Additional Funding (MYR3=USD1)

Provide details of any additional funding that supported this project and any funding secured for the

project, organization, or the region, as a result of the SOS investment in this project. Use the

following categories:

(i) Project co-financing (Other donors or your organization contribute to the direct costs of this

project)

MYCAT partner NGOs contributed MYR5,000 to support the Wildlife Crime Hotline, Selangor State

Government MYR10,000 for the Wildlife Crime Hotline, Maybank Foundation MYR70,000 and the

Selangor State Government MYR80,000 for the outreach programs.

(ii) Grantee and Partner leveraging (Other donors contribute to your organization or a partner

organization as a direct result of successes with this SOS funded project.)

As a result of success with this project, we secured additional MYR7,300 from the Malaysian public,

GBP10,000 from the 21st Century Tiger (Zoological Society of London), JPY300,000 from Japan

Tiger and Elephant Funds, and MYR50,000 pledged by a Malaysian corporation for the continuation

of CAT and the Wildlife Crime Hotline.

The unique feature of the project was the building of a web or a conservation community by bringing

in corporations, not just as donors, but actively through their participation in CAT Walks. A

contribution in deeds and not in dollars is just as valuable, if not more so, in terms of project

sustainability because patterns of mutually supportive behaviour continue after the dollars run out.

More and more firms are starting to participate in the project as a result of the impetus given by SOS’s

2012 grant. The staff of three companies participated in CAT Walks during the project period, and two

more have joined trips since the completion of this project. We are currently in talks with more

corporations, with three more already signed-up for future trips.

16

(iii) Regional/Portfolio leveraging (Other donors make large investments in a region because of

SOS investment or successes related to this project.)

Through this project, SOS invested in the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor project that initially started in

2009. The greatest financial leverage gained so far has been the MYR80,000,000 from the Malaysian

Federal Government for the construction of the wildlife-friendly green infrastructure to ensure the

connectivity of the Corridor. However, that decision was made before the SOS-funded component of

the project started in 2012.

6. Sustainability/Replicability

Summarize the success or challenge in achieving planned sustainability or replicability of project

components or results. Summarize any unplanned sustainability or replicability achieved.

We seek to achieve short to medium term sustainability through including as many sectors of Malaysian

society as possible. Besides engaging members of the general public, the CAT program builds on this

collaborative approach (but at a participatory rather than financial level) with the inclusion of the private

sector by companies, such as Royal Selangor, the world’s largest pewter manufacturer, that “donates”

their staff regularly to participate in the CAT or Border Walks. This gives them the opportunity to support

conservation initiatives and gives their staff a chance to build rapport outside the office. Apart from the

already converted conservationists and other NGOs, we are starting to receive more “boots on the

ground” support from the corporate sector. Volunteers obtain a deeper understanding of the conservation

problem and challenges while providing DWNP and MYCAT with the vital manpower to boost our

capacity to suppress poaching in the Corridor and Taman Negara border areas.

Complete sustainability will occur when the Corridor and adjacent areas are seen and used by local people

as a natural heritage resource and when the public will come not just for CAT Walks but for recreation

and enjoyment and, by so doing, deter illegal activity. Eventually, we intend to “outsource” the activity to

the public and are in the process of sharing our routes, photographs and GPS data with the public through

our website. We have named trails and campsites for notable events or people who have contributed

significantly to the program. Some examples are:

Feather Trail

This is the first trail we walked on the eastern side of the Corridor. It was

once an old logging road high above a jungle river which you can see from

the trail. It is a shady walk over two small hills through some lovely tall

timber in a mature secondary forest. The trail is periodically visited by

elephants that browse the banana trees and bamboo groves which line part

of the trail, and other animals which frequent the area include sun bear and

leopard. The wide trail goes on for about 3km and ends at the Tanum River

where there is a sandbank suitable for a lunch stop with a picnic and a

swim. It gets its name from the feather of the Great Argus pheasant which

MYCAT Senior Program Officer Suzalinur Manja Bidin found during a

recce here. Later we found that this was part of a dark secret. Read more

here – Bird Valley.

17

Bird Valley

This is the valley between the Feather Trail and Lagi Loop. One day some

Universiti Malaysia Kelantan students on a CAT Walk went into it, along

the stream slopes and found many small snares designed to capture large

ground birds like the Great Argus pheasant, Malayan Peacock pheasant,

Crested Fireback and Crestless Fireback. We have walked this valley many

times since then clearing out scores of snares including wire snares for large

mammals, and now we no longer find any new snares. On one of the earlier

walks, we came across the remains of a sun bear which had died a tragic

death in a wire snare. Read more about this trip in The Star.

For more details on project sustainability, see Section 3.5.b.

7. Safeguard Policy Assessment

Provide a summary of the implementation of any required action toward the environmental and

social safeguard policies within the project.

CAT Walks are low impact activities which are not expected to have any significantly adverse effects on

wildlife or the environment, as protocols call for minimal disturbance consistent with personal and group

safety. In particular, care is taken that CAT Walks limit the creation of new routes into the forest that may

be exploited by poachers or others involved in illegal activity.

The principal risk revolves around the safety of staff and volunteers in a demanding wilderness or near

wilderness environment. We have developed or adopted best practice safety and emergency protocols.

Teams receive pre-trip safety briefings. Teams are equipped with a satellite locator beacon and two levels

of redundancy for electronic navigation devices on all multi-day trips and one level for day trips.

Reconnaissance walks over one or more days have been taken to identify suitable evacuation and

extraction sites and routes. Contact has been made with specialist care providers, for instance in case of

snake envenomation, to ensure that evacuation to specialist treatment is carried out seamlessly. No new

environmental risks have emerged but we intend to constantly improve communications and rescue

protocols.

We are aware of the social, cultural and health risks of exposing the indigenous community to external

cultures and do not bring outside food, toys and electronic artifacts as presents. Outreach and visits to

indigenous people are undertaken with a view to informing local communities of the project’s aims and to

recruiting local support. The Wildlife Crime Hotline we implement do not name individuals to protect

them against any possible repercussions. No new risks have been identified that affect staff, volunteers or

local inhabitants.

Project risk centers on maintaining a close working relationship with the relevant regulatory agencies and

departments, therefore project staff regularly meet with senior officials. It is hoped that regular contact

will forge a closer relationship between wildlife officers in the field, project staff and volunteers.

18

References: Kawanishi, K., C. A. Yeap, E. John, M. Gumal, and S. Sukor. 2011. Malaysia, a leading country for green

infrastructure. Cat News 55:38-40.

Kawanishi, K., G. R.Clements, M. Gumal, G. Goldthrope, Y. Mohd Nawayai, and D. S. K. Sharma. In press.

Using BAD for good: how best available data facilitated a precautionary policy change to better protect tiger

prey in Malaysia. Oryx.

Kawanishi, K. and M. Sunquist. 2004. Conservation status of tigers in a primary rainforest of Peninsular

Malaysia. Biological Conservation 120 (3): 329-344.

Kawanishi, K., M. E. Sunquist, and A. Jasmi. 2006. Effects of human activities on the tiger-prey community in

Taman Negara National Park, Peninsular Malaysia and their implications for conservation. Chapter 15, pages

175-198 in Management and Status of Resources in Protected Areas of Peninsular Malaysia. Eds by Sahir O.,

Siti Hawa Y., Sivanathan E., Shukor M. N., Norhayati A. , and Shahrul A. M. S. Department of Wildlife and

National Parks. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers. 2012. MYCAT TRACKS: Malaysia’s progress towards 1000 wild

tigers. MYCAT, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

8. Additional Comments/Recommendations

We are grateful for the financial support from SOS to this project. Although CAT Walks started in late

2010, this grant brought CAT to a new level, involving not only the Malaysian public but global citizens

from over 20 countries, Malaysian corporations, aboriginal people, and local universities in saving

wildlife at Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor. As a direct result of this support, the volunteers detected 24 snares

and traps in 2012 and all active snares were deactivated, thus saving many wild lives.

The road ahead is challenging, but we at MYCAT believe in citizen conservation. We will continue to

work with the policy makers and support law enforcement, but citizen conservation remains our

hallmark project. The next phase of CAT, to involve the local community as wildlife stewards, has

begun.

9. Information Sharing and SOS Policy

SOS is committed to transparent operations and to helping Civil society groups share experiences,

lessons learned, and results. Final project completion reports are made available on our website,

www.saveourspecies.org, and publicized in our newsletter and other communications.

Please include your full contact details below:

Name: Kae Kawanishi

Organization name: Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers

Mailing address:

Unit 3, Ground Floor, Jalan SS23/11,

Taman SEA,

47400 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor, Malaysia.

Tel: +6.03.7880.3940

Fax: +6.03.7882.0171

E-mail: mycat.so@malayantiger.net

Number of people reached:

- at Sungai Yu

- since 2005

Tiger Roadshow Counter

2013 marked MYCAT’s third programme with the

local community in the Sungai Yu area (Sg. Yu).

First in 2009, MYCAT and the Department of

Wildlife and Na�onal Parks Peninsular Malaysia

(DWNP) reached out to the villagers at Sg. Yu and

in 2010, we returned to reinforce the

conserva�on messages and to raise awareness

among the school children. This �me, both adults

and children were targe�ed.

Text by Wong Pui May. Layout by Suzalinur Manja Bidin.

Loca�ons of MYCAT Tiger Roadshowsin Peninsular Malaysia since 2005

Working with the local community to protect the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor, Pahang.MYCAT Tiger Roadshow, 7�� to 11�� April 2013

Harimau Untuk Selamanya

1

To know is to love

The Ci�zen Ac�on for Tigers (CAT) programme was developed

at the end of 2010 to directly involve members of the public in

conserva�on on the ground. As volunteers trek in and around

the Sg. Yu Tiger Corridor enjoying the great outdoors, they

also keep an eye out for snares and other illegal ac�vi�es.

The volunteers have saved many animals by deac�va�ng 24

snares and currently, CAT Walks are conducted almost every

weekend. The team of volunteers for this outreach

programme went on a CAT Walk to experience first-hand the

Sg. Yu forests that we are working to save.

At Sg. Yu, an 11km stretch of forest links the forested Main

Range (Banjaran Ti�wangsa) and Taman Negara to form a

huge forest complex – the fi�h largest �ger landscape in

the world. This is the Sg. Yu Tiger Corridor, the most

important �ger corridor in Malaysia.

However, this link would have been permanently severed

by the upgrading of Federal Route 8 (the stretch from

Kuala Lipis to Kota Bharu) from a two-lane road to a

four-lane highway with guard rails and dividers, had it not

been for a model conserva�on partnership.

DWNP, the Malaysian Public Works Department and MYCAT

have worked closely since the onset of the earthwork for the

new road. This led to the incorpora�on of three special

crossings for wildlife including a 1km-long flyover, at the total

addi�onal cost of RM80,000,000 (approx. USD26 million) to

the Malaysian Government.

In 2009, the first phase of the Sg. Yu Tiger Corridor Project

which included wildlife research and community outreach

began. The ul�mate goal of the project is to secure the

Corridor for wildlife.

While the research component has ended in 2011, we have

con�nued to work towards the goal by suppor�ng

DWNP in enforcement efforts and engaging the local

community and Malaysian public to protect

wildlife at the Corridor. Knowledge gleaned

from the research project has been

instrumental in guiding the focus

of MYCAT projects in Sg.

Yu.

What’s so special about Sungai Yu?

2

Selling a no�on

The outreach programme began with the se�ng up of a

booth at the weekly night market in Kampung Merapoh.

The wave of yellow swept across the market as volunteers

spread out, talking to vendors and visitors about how

poaching threatens our wildlife, and encouraging locals

to report poaching incidences and illegal wildlife trade to

MYCAT’s 24-hour Wildlife Crime Hotline (019 356 4194 /

report@malayan�ger.net).

Some 56% of the people spoken to saved the hotline

number into their mobile phones and received a free

MYCAT reusable shopping bag in return. Compared to

previous Tiger Roadshows in the same market where

many villagers seemed frightened by the thought of

providing informa�on on illegal on-goings in the

community, this �me round saw less hos�lity towards our

conserva�on messages.

Perhaps over the years they have become accustomed to

MYCAT’s presence and the conserva�on mindset.

Some remembered us from the previous

programmes, and a good number

signed up to join future CAT Walks.

One even joined a CAT

Walk that very

weekend.

Take ac�on!

Report crimes involving �gers and �ger prey to the

Wildlife Crime Hotline at 019.356.4194 / report@malayan�ger.net

Learn about �gers and �ger prey from reliable sources and share about it

Request legal herbal alterna�ves to tradi�onal medicines

which can contain endangered species

Do not eat the meat of �gers, other endangered species and �ger prey

Voice your opinion on issues like indiscriminate development, illegal logging and poaching

Do not support zoos or theme parks with illegally acquired wildlife

Boyco� all wildmeat restaurants Pay more for wildlife-friendly products

Support conserva�on organisa�ons3

The excitement was raised a notch once the students

returned to their respec�ve classrooms. Led by trained

facilitators, through games and ac�vi�es, the children

learnt about the natural wonders right in their backyard

and how special the Sg. Yu area is. The focus of the

ac�vi�es was on the basic needs of wildlife, the

importance of sharing resources and the

inter-connectedness of the web of life.

At SMK Merapoh, students who par�cipated in our

programme three years ago are now 16-year-old

teenagers. Although their memory of the exact

programme might be vague, the few that we spoke to did

remember the key conserva�on messages, which was

extremely encouraging.

Inves�ng in the futureWe visited two primary schools and one secondary

school – SK Merapoh, SK Teluk Gunung and SMK

Merapoh, reaching out to 456 schoolchildren. Children

from SK Merapoh who happened to be at the night

market were clearly excited about the school

programme the next day, which was definitely

contagious!

The school programme began with an introductory talk

in the school hall on the threats faced by �gers. The

students were also shown a video on the poaching crisis

at Belum-Temengor Forest Complex in Perak, a threat

faced by wildlife all over Malaysia, and the trailer of

WWF-Malaysia’s “Wira Rimba”, a documentary on the

work of Malaysian wildlife rangers.

Personal messages for Taman Negara rangers*. The cards will serve to

mo�vate and encourage wildlife rangers in their line of duty, and to

remind them that their efforts are much appreciated by the li�le ones.

*Inspired by the WWF Cards4Tigers ini�a�ve.

Pledges for wildlife that will decorate the classrooms for the

rest of the year. Some children pledged to stop se�ng

snares, some wanted to become wildlife rangers, and others

wanted to take up similar career paths as their facilitators.

4

Bravehearts

Volunteers are the driving force and unsung heroes of

MYCAT outreach programmes. And this was our largest

team ever. As much as our programmes seek to impart

awareness and knowledge to both children and adults in

the communi�es, it is also a great learning experience for

our volunteers, many of whom did not know much about

wildlife conserva�on before the training provided by

MYCAT.

The Tiger Roadshow forces them out of their comfort

zones to approach and speak to strangers, as well as to

facilitate programmes for a classroom full of excited

children. We are encouraged that there are many

Malaysians game for the challenge and are humbled by

those who sacrifice their �me, their jobs, university

assignments etc. to join us in spreading the word. We also

greatly appreciate our corporate partner, Maybank, for

promo�ng volunteerism among its employees.

Addi�onally, we were pleased to welcome three

volunteers from within the community, namely Kampung

Kubang Rusa, a village with a long history of bush-meat

consump�on. It was heartening to see young Malaysians

being part of the change needed in their own community.

They were warmly received at the schools by their juniors

with grinning faces as they could speak the local dialect

and knew some of the children personally.

Keeping the faith

Through interac�ons with locals, including children, it was painfully apparent that poaching is s�ll very much a way

of life for the local community, from children se�ng snares in the nearby forests to adults hun�ng protected

species on special occasions and even immigrant planta�on workers turning into opportunis�c poachers.

A�tudes and habits cannot be changed overnight and community outreach programmes, especially with

school children are a long-term effort. It must be con�nued and for now, the smiles and enthusiasm of

the children make it worth our while.

It is important that outreach and awareness be coupled with strong enforcement of

wildlife laws by the authori�es, and MYCAT will con�nue to support DWNP in this

arena. With our persistent presence and reinforced messages, when ac�on

has to be taken against the local poachers, at least they cannot say

that they didn’t know and they will have to face their

children who know be�er.

5

MYCAT Secretariat’s Office, Unit 3, Ground Floor, Jalan SS 23/11, Taman SEA, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.T: +6 03 7880 3940, F: +6 03 7882 0171, E: mycat.so@malayan�ger.net, FB: www.facebook.com/themalayan�ger

The programme could not have been possible without

the sweat and tears of our dedicated team of volunteers,

half of whom braved a bout of food poisoning to

successfully run the first school programme. Three cheers

for Arina Mahirah Zulkifli, Hafeaza Harun, Haniza Jais,

Lavaniadevi G., Lim Mei Yi, Mohammad Noor Hakimi

Ha�murrudzi, Nor Hajaratul Hidayah Saari, Nurul A�kah

Mohd Nazir, S. Darmaraja, Satria Putra Kamarudzaman,

Si� Munirah Juri, Si� Muniza Juri and Si� Safiah

Mohammad, and also WWF-Malaysia Communica�ons

Officer Chong Ai Lyn. Special men�on is due to Maybank,

which in true spirit of Corporate Social Responsibility,

enabled nine staff members to join in and facilitate this

programme during the workweek. The merry bunch

includes Adli Hadi Sabaruddin, Asiyah Wahidah Razali,

Hamzah Mohd Ali, Md Shahri Md Alwi, Najat Nasiha

Hairul Anuar, Nazarull Ariffin Mohamad, Nik Hasnah Syara

Nik Anuar, Si� Rahmah Asri and Zainal Abidin Abdul Aziz.

Thank you!

This MYCAT joint project was financially supported by the Maybank

Founda�on and the Associa�on for Bri�sh Women in Malaysia.

Addi�onal thanks to Maybank for providing ac�vity books for

the students; Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund for sponsoring the

Wildlife Crime Hotline flyers; 21�� Century Tiger for sponsoring

the CAT Walk; the Department of Wildlife and Na�onal Parks

Peninsular Malaysia for providing the use of a training hall and

other in-kind support; and SK Merapoh, SK Teluk Gunung,

SMK Merapoh for their par�cipa�on.

Credits for the photographs used in this report are due to Abraham

Mathew, Chris R. Shepherd, Nazarull Ariffin Mohamad, Satria Putra

Kamarudzaman, Suzalinur Manja Bidin and Wong Pui May.

“Recently, Maybank’s

President, asked MYCAT if we could

measure the direct impact of

Maybank-sponsored outreach

programmes on the �ger popula�on.

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Not all that

count in our lives are countable in a

conven�onal manner. Nevertheless, with our

convic�on of its importance, reinforced by the

growing number of Malaysian volunteers and

the shine on children’s faces, MYCAT will

con�nue our roadshows for a more

sustainable Malaysia, shared by her

people, forest, and wildlife.”

– Kae Kawanishi, MYCAT

General Manager.

6