Illegal trading of the Malayan Tiger is the most crucial threat these extraordinary animals face now. Poaching is the main threat they face as it is one of the most lethal methods of decreasing the tigers’ already low numbers. They are endangered due to massive illegal hunting for their skin, bones, and other body parts in the name of creating traditional medicines.
Due to the many cultural beliefs of Southeast and East Asian countries, tiger body parts are considered highly beneficial in terms of health. It supposedly contains precious medicinal properties, the bones being treasured even more so than the skin. Many of the tigers’ body parts, like skin, canine teeth, skulls, and claws, are treated like trophies and are traded or purchased at a high cost. Horrifically, the Malayan Tigers’ meat can be cooked and served at exotic restaurants.
There has only been an average of less than one case of poachers being caught illegally hunting the Malayan Tigers or owning illegal tiger body parts. Still, this number is not thought to be accurate. The number of poaching cases is suspected to be significantly higher, mainly due to the dwindling number of tigers. Tigers are now endangered due to a large amount of “covert” illegal poaching.
Aside from this, in a sad turn of events, the tigers are sometimes killed simply because they have killed and eaten some farmers’ livestock. Some experts on the subject even go so far as to suspect that these people who kill the tigers in retaliation for them hunting their livestock are in cahoots with the poachers who conduct the illegal trading of tiger body parts.