Endangered animals in Malaysia

The population of these animals has been decreasing over the years and some are said to have become extinct. Many years ago, Malaysia is a rainforest country where all types of animals are able to live together peacefully. Now, some of these animals in Malaysia are under serious threat and are facing the possibility of becoming extinct.



Black Shrew
Suncus ater

The Black Shrew is a white-toothed shrew only known from Mount Kinabalu in the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo. It is listed as a critically endangered species due to habitat loss and a restricted range. It is the smallest shrew of its kind and lives in parts of middle Asia. It rarely been seen by human and there is no official record on its size. However, witnesses have estimated the size to be 20 – 100 mm. They tend to be aggressive towards each others and are mostly solitary creatures.



Sumatran Rhinoceros

Sumatran Rhino is the smallest rhinoceros measuring about 250 centimetres in length and 120-145 centimetres tall (shoulder). It is also much lighter than other rhinos, weighing about 500-800 kilograms. The 2-horned rhino can normally be found in swamps and rainforests of Asia countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and India. However, these solitary animals are facing the threat of extinction due to the poaching of their horns.



Malayan Tapir

Tapir is a pig-like animal with a short snout. They inhabit the forest regions of South America, Central America and South East Asia. Their closest relatives are the horses and rhinoceroses, and all 4 species have been classified as endangered. In Malaysia, only 1 of the 4 species of tapir exists. Tapir mainly survive on the forest’s resources such as berries, leaves and fruits. They have not many natural predators in the forest thanks to their thick skin and ability to run fast. As for Malayan Tapir, its strange body colour is often misunderstood as a large rock when lying down. This serves as a good camouflage for the creature. However, their numbers are fast declining due to their habitat loss (establishment of plantations, forest burning and logging), and the hunt for their meat and hide and it is now estimate 369 Malayan Tapir exists in Malaysia.

Mouse Deer

Mouse Deer or better known as Sang Kancil in one of Malaysia’s folklores, is a small creature about 70 centimeters long, 30-35 centimeters tall (shoulder), and around 5-8 kilograms in weight. That’s the estimated size of the Greater Mouse Deer while the Lesser Mouse Deer species is estimated to weight around 2 kilograms. Mouse deer’s can only be found in Malaysia, Borneo and parts of Indonesia. They survive mostly on fruits and leaves. They are also believed to be nocturnal creatures.


Orang-utan

There are basically 2 species of Orangutan – the critically endangered Sumatran species and also the endangered Bornean species. Both these species could only be found in the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. The name Orangutan is actually derived from the Malay language Orang Hutan which means “forest man”, due to the similarity between the Orangutans’ behavior and those of the human beings. Orangutans are very intelligent creatures, said to be the smartest creature on Earth after human. However, their numbers have been on a decline in the past few decades due to active logging activities and forest fires.