Perak State Parks Corporation
Equipping Royal Belum’s Guardians in Their Fight Against Poachers
Every sanctuary needs a protector. Deep within the jungles of Royal Belum State Park, a team of 12 patrollers—comprising dedicated local rangers and Orang Asli workers—navigate the dense foliage as they strive to protect the park’s precious inhabitants. Their main mission: to combat poaching and safeguard the endangered Malayan tiger.
YSD supports anti-poaching efforts by the Perak State Parks Corporation (PSPC) and has provided close to RM5 million in funding to transform and expand the park’s patrol teams. At its peak, YSD’s patrol team numbered 15 – and we are proud that a number of them have since been absorbed into PSPC where their expertise and knowledge has been invaluable in combatting illegal activities in the park.
In 2018, PSPC along with multiple enforcement agencies including the Malaysian Armed Forces, Royal Malaysia Police, and PERHILITAN arrested an illegal immigrant extracting agarwood in the state park. Meanwhile in 2021, a joint operation with key partners including the Forestry Department, led to the arrest of a poacher and the seizure of various trapping equipment and pangolin scales.
As the eyes and ears on the ground, wildlife rangers provide valuable information for anti-poaching investigations and enforcement operations.
Now into our fourth phase of funding, the focus has evolved from simply putting boots on the ground to enabling the deployment of high-end patrolling and monitoring equipment. What began as a team of five has grown into a coordinated force equipped with specialised training in navigation and survivability. They are now also equipped with advanced tools like the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) and camera traps to gather vital data on local wildlife.
This shift has not only expanded the monitoring efforts but also allowed for real-time updates and more efficient coordination. The establishment of the PSPC Enforcement Operation Room in 2021 has made communication easier for various agencies working within Royal Belum.
With these advancements, the Malayan tiger now has a fighting chance to flourish in the wild – reducing the risk of it being a mythical creature on our national coat of arms. As we look to the future, our continued support aims to strengthen these efforts, ensuring that the Royal Belum State Park remains a stronghold for Malaysia’s wildlife conservation.
The brave patrol teams of Royal Belum State Park.
767 patrolling days
and 91 blocks covered
51 tiger sightings along with 79 pugmark
7 local youths employed
as rangers, supported by 8 Orang Asli general workers
Orang Asli in the Royal Belum State Park play an active role in the conservation of the area.
