Rm250 000 That S The Black Market Price For A Malayan Tiger

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A single Malayan tiger can fetch at least RM250,000 on the black market, with each part of the critically endangered species carrying its own lucrative price tag, the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) said. NSTP FILE PICGet breaking news fast — follow us on WhatsApp and Telegram
KUALA LUMPUR: A single Malayan tiger can fetch at least RM250,000 on the black market, with each part of the critically endangered species carrying its own lucrative price tag, the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) said.
Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said traffickers could profit massively by cutting up the animal into components sold to different buyers.
"The pelt alone can fetch around RM100,000 while the tiger penis has been valued at RM20,000," he told the New Straits Times.
Kadir said their checks also revealed that tiger bones were traded on the black market at about RM5,000 per kilogramme.
"Fangs, claws and even whiskers can also fetch around RM500 each."
Previous seizures in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia show that tiger bones are often ground into powder and brewed as traditional medicine, falsely touted to strengthen bones and vitality.
The penis, meanwhile, is illegally traded as an aphrodisiac, while claws, fangs and whiskers are sold as charms or talismans to ward off evil spirits.
Kadir said these myths had no scientific basis and continued to endanger the survival of the Malayan tiger, already listed as "critically endangered" with fewer than 150 left in the wild.
Investigations suggest Malaysia remains both a source and transit hub for wildlife traffickers linked to wider regional networks.
Skins and bones smuggled out of the country are destined for markets in East Asia, where demand continues to drive prices higher.
Perhilitan has ramped up enforcement with the police and international partners, but Kadir said the battle against poaching and trafficking was far from over.
"Every tiger lost is a permanent blow to Malaysia's natural heritage.
"We must break the demand chain that values a tiger more dead than alive."
A report published in Mingguan Malaysia, citing data from the Khazanah Integrated Operation and Community Ranger patrols, showed that poachers were setting traps in forests within Taman Negara that spanned Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu — the hotspots.
Other known poaching hotspots include the Titiwangsa Range, Endau-Rompin Forest Reserve and forested areas near oil palm plantations.

- NST

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