Tiger! Tiger! clarifies tiger on its premises

THE management of Tiger! Tiger! Langkawi refers to “Stop permits for zoos” (The Star, Jan 14). As managers of captive animal programmes, we recognise that even the best efforts by the best zoos will have their detractors. Therefore, we welcome criticism of our programmes.
However, we feel somewhat aggrieved by misleading information in the letter by Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), and would like to clarify several points, as well as to add.

Tiger! Tiger! opened on Feb 14, 2010, as a private initiative towards increasing awareness of the Malayan Tiger and highlighting the plight of the 500 remaining wild Malayan Tigers.
Tiger! Tiger! is open to the public on a free admission basis, although guests are welcome to contribute donations towards the upkeep of the tiger. Tiger! Tiger! does not conduct photography sessions with the tiger.
Subsequently, Bolaven Cafes commenced operations on May 1, 2011. As such, Tiger! Tiger! brought the cafe to its premises, and not otherwise as implied by SAM. Bolaven Cafes was selected on the back of its humanitarian initiatives helping coffee farmers break the cycle of poverty in Laos, where the coffee is grown.

Tiger! Tiger! has never claimed to be conservationists. However, as owners of wildlife, we fully recognise that our primary duty is to provide responsible care for our animals. Furthermore, we primarily work with tame wildlife (and not “wild” as suggested).
While guests are often excited at the prospect of our finding a mate for our tiger, we do not harbour captive breeding programmes for the sole purpose of having more tigers.
However, if SAM were to initiate a programme to re-introduce captive tigers into the wild, for example, we would throw our full support behind the initiative by conditioning tigers for the purpose of release.
The question that really begs asking – considering that the estimated 500 wild tigers in 2010 in Malaysian jungles meant that there were 100 fewer tigers than there were in 1998 – is how many tigers will there be in 2022, the next Year of the Tiger?
No tiger country, except Russia, has recorded an increase in wild tiger populations. Ultimately, like SAM, we would like to see wild tiger populations in Malaysia increase, and we would also like to contribute towards this.

However, until SAM or other similarly chartered NGOs succeed at protecting our forests and tiger habitats, zoos will be the only safe haven for our tigers: captive or wild.
Meanwhile, we keep to our primary duty of caring for animals to the best of our abilities.
Lastly, the origins of our permits date back to 1997. In all fairness to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, we do not believe any new zoo permit or special permit has been issued by it.

THE MANAGEMENT,
Tiger! Tiger! Langkawi.

Full letter here.

 AL :-
The best thing to do now is both party sit down & discuss the way forward. With reference to applicable laws. Both have present the case & its not a good thing to discuss in public. 

Stop permits for zoos

SAHABAT Alam Malaysia’s attention was drawn to an e-mail from a tourist diverted to us for follow-up action on a tiger exhibited in a small area at a cafe in Burau Bay, Langkawi.
A visit by SAM revealed a tiger on display at a cafe in an enclosed area, with a natural setting of grass and bamboo plants, while another exhibit next to the tiger enclosure displayed a marmoset.
There is intent to bring in a pair of tigers some time this year.
There are already zoos in theme parks and resorts.
Such being the case, it won’t be long before cafe outlets move in with plans for mini zoos, aviaries and/or aquarias.
The cafe claimed that the wild female animal presented by a zoo was not a hybrid.

S.M. MOHD IDRIS,
President,
Sahabat Alam Malaysia.

Full letter here.

p/s: Agree with SAM. This is not a good way to make profit.

Please email me if you need any info with regards to your travel to Langkawi & also if you need any advertising enquiry. ( anaklangkawi@gmail.com )

Cat at Langkawi Skull Beach

Cat at Skull Beach

Picture of the day. Nice shoot. I wonder who owns the cat. It's quite beautiful cat for a stay cat. Someone please take her home. Great looking cat..

Thanks Raymondtan for sharing.. More of his lovely pictures here.

Cotton Hopper - Insect of Langkawi

Cotton Hopper by Samantha Craven

Picture of the day. Cotton Hopper taken behind by Samantha. Very rare picture. I never know this beetle even existed. Anyway, i'll find it out one day. I suggest Biology teacher make site trip to the place. More picture by her here.

Comment by Samantha

Hi,
The cotton hopper is a beetle. I don't know much about it except that it can jump very far and have cotton like camouflage over their bodies.

I saw these at the rainforest behind book village.