Let’s save the tigers

Let’s save the tigers

 

Monday December 17, 2007

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Celebrities joined some 100 children at a tiger conservation campaign at the National Zoo here.

 

Singer Ning Baizura urged people to do their bit to preserve the animal that is facing extinction.

 

“Tigers everywhere are in trouble and the Malayan tiger is no exception.

 

“Forests are being cleared or reduced to small isolated pockets and this indirectly affects the tigers’ habitat.

 

“Save the forests and jungles to save the tigers,” she said at the event, which is part of the Race Against Time campaign, an urban outreach component of the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT).

 

The campaign aims to raise awareness and concern among Malaysians on the critical status of tigers.

 

There are less than 3,000 tigers worldwide and Malaysia has only an estimated 500 of the animals.

 

It was reported that over the last 70 years, three of the nine tiger sub-species have become extinct and Malaysia has one of the remaining six sub-species, the Malayan tiger.

Actress Susan Lankester said: “Tigers deserve to live in the world just like human beings. Imagine coming home and not finding your house there and feeling desperate to find food.

 

“The next thing you know, you get shot for trying to survive. It is the same with tigers.”

Actress and TV host Aishah Sinclair hoped that more people would come forward and join the cause.

 

She urged people to stop hunting tigers for traditional medicine and their meat.

 

Local celebrities like Maple Loo, Chelsia Ng, Rina Omar, Yasin, Corinne Adrienne, Vince Chong and Xandria Ooi were also present.

 

Those who want information can call the Tiger Crime Hotline at 019-356-4194.

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/12/17/nation/19785767&sec=nation