malaysia

Around the world, mammals, birds, fish and other species are disappearing before our very eyes. Habitat destruction, climate change, poaching, pollution and human-wildlife conflict are driving as many as three species to extinction every hour. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) manages a staggering list of over 44,000 species threatened with extinction. Five wild cats (one-eighth of all wild feline species) are officially listed as “Endangered”:

The dense, green, tropical jungles of Malaysia are under threat. On Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo, jungle landscapes home to orangutans, elephants and many wild cat species are teetering towards collapse. 

Although most attention and conservation funding are dedicated to big cats, there are 33 equally fascinating and striking species of small wild cats. Many are a mere fraction of the size of the largest male tigers, which can weigh over 600 pounds and take down prey as large as wild buffalo and even bears.

If you’ve been following Panthera’s blog this year, you know that there are many threats facing wild cats.

The serene pattern of raindrops reverberates on a giant kapok tree while tiny droplets sift onto the shaded forest floor. Colorful macaws and playful spider monkeys frantically scurry about, seeking shelter from the gathering thunderstorm. At a distance, a jaguar remains watchful, observing the turmoil as the storm's crescendo reaches a thunderous roar.