gallery


malaytapir.org

conservation project

 July 5, 2014

CONSERVATION PROJECT

In 2002 the Malay Tapir Conservation Project (MTCP) began its activities in Krau Wildlife Reserve as collaboration between Copenhagen Zoo and Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP). The project’s overall objective is to develop a tapir conservation plan but a critical prerequisite for a conservation plan is thorough ecological information of the Malay tapir, which is currently almost completely lacking. In Krau, the MTCP team and DWNP are engaged in behavioural ecology research of the Malay tapir, which includes camera trapping at strategic sites and extensive radio-telemetry studies in order to estimate the tapir population in Krau Wildlife Reserve and assess the home-range and habitat needs of the species. Furthermore, the MTCP is engaged in tapir micro-habitat studies, which is led by research officer Ms. Nor Zalipah from DWNP and looks into possible reasons for why Malay tapirs are not homogenously distributed in a seemingly homogenous habitat. Finally, the MTCP is involved in a DNA-study that looks into tapir’s genetic makeup through DNA fingerprinting. This study is led by DWNP research officer, Mr. Jeffrine Rovie Ryan, and will look into the relationship between Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatran tapir populations. MORE

Tapirs in the wild are extremely shy. Behavioural observation is difficult and
only on few occasions the team has managed to capture wild tapirs on film.
© Carl Traeholt / Malay Tapir Conservation Project

CONSERVATION CENTRE

The Malay Tapir Conservation Centre (MTCC) is situated within Sungai Dusun Wildlife Reserve. MTCC is operated and managed by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Malaysia, and the objectives are to provide refuge for displaced tapirs, breed tapirs in captivity, conduct research on tapirs and to become a “reference centre” for the Malay tapirs. MORE

Regional Symposium Report

Read the Regional Symposium report here.

© Carl Traeholt / Malay Tapir Conservation Project

NEW

October, 2009
New Team Member
The Malay Tapir Conservation project has grown to include Australian Boyd Simpson. Boyd is an accomplished conservation biologist with more than 15 years of experience. He has worked extensively with crocodile and marine turtle conservation in his home country as well as most of South East Asia. MORE

September, 2009
Testing new camera traps
The team has purchased three new Moultrie IR-40 camera traps. Since we are looking at replacing all existing film cameratraps with new digital units we decided to test the Moultrie model because the specifications appeared favourable in relation to the price of it. MORE

September, 2009
Using GSM/GPS transmitter
During the past year the team has made use of a new generation of radio transmitters. They are manufactured by Swedish Televilt, which was taken over by British “FollowIt” in 2009. The transmitters work by downloading waypoints to an internal GPS in the transmitter along with many other abiotic data. MORE

18th December, 2007
1st Regional
Malay Tapir Symposium
3-4 April 2008
The Malaysian Department of Wildlife and National Parks, (DWNP) in collaboration with Copenhagen Zoo, will be organizing the 1st Regional Malay Tapir Symposium in Malaysia in 2008. The Symposium will take place over three (2) days from 3-4 April 2008 (See programme). The date has been chosen so that it is possible to share some of the Regional Symposium results with colleagues at the 4th International Symposium in Mexico in April/May, 2008.. MORE

12th july, 2007
World’s first twins of a Malay tapir

On the 27th of May, 2007, a female Malay tapir gave birth to a single female calf at the Malay Tapir Conservation Centre in Sungai Dusun, Read more