Good homes sought for cramped Malaysian tigers

October 22, 2002

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MALAYSIA: October 22, 2002

KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian zoo is seeking good homes for a surfeit of tigers

caught after a series of attacks on rubber tappers and farmers, a spokesman

said.

With only around 6,000 tigers left worldwide, Malacca Zoo is hoping safari

parks and zoos abroad will want to take some of the endangered species, a

Malaysian national symbol, off its hands.

The 18 animals are being held in cramped cages, due to lack of space and

fear that they will fight if kept together.

" We can't release them into bigger enclosures as the tiger population at

this zoo has increased dramatically this year, " zoo director Mohd Nawayai

Yasak was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.

So far Malacca has received offers from Munich in Germany and Yangon in

Myanmar, but other Malaysian zoos are unable to help out.

The World Wide Fund for Nature estimates there are between 500 and 600

tigers in Malaysia, where dwindling forests have brought the animals into

dangerously close proximity with humans.

In August, the Malaysian army was called in to the northeast state of

Kelantan to hunt and kill tigers after three villagers were mauled to death.

REUTERS NEWS SERVICE

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