Here at the Zoo, we have Seri, a 17-year-old female Malayan tiger. Up until 1940 there were nine living species of tiger.  Today there are six.   The Bali tiger, the Caspian tiger and the Javan tiger have all gone extinct.   The six surviving species are all endangered.  Tigers play a vital role in the environment and should be saved to maintain healthy ecosystems. Tiger habitats overlap with watersheds that provide water to more than 800 million people. Tigers help protect forests from deforestation, which stores carbon and helps mitigate climate change. 

The El Paso Zoo is a member of the Malayan tiger Species Survival Plan, and to support its conservation efforts last year we sent our male tiger Olan to the Palm Beach Zoo in Florida so that he can reproduce and increase the numbers and genetic fitness of this species in conservation care, and serve to aid the last-remaining breeding populations of Malayan tigers.

Today our focus is to support tiger conservation in Malaysia where Seri’s ancestors are from. Seventy years ago, an estimated 3,000 Malayan tigers roamed the forests of Peninsular Malaysia. Today it is estimated that 150 or fewer of these majestic top predators remain.

How you can help today

The Tiger Conservation Campaign is seeking funding with the help of our partner, WCS Malaysia. This campaign is part of the AZA Tiger Species Survival Plan and aims to rally support from zoos and the public for vital efforts to prevent wild tigers from going extinct. The Zoo’s Conservation Committee hopes to continue our support of this campaign, and you and your family can help by making an online donation to our Conservation Fund.

We focus on long-term support for tiger conservation projects that involve AZA member institutions and are executed by those who live near wild tigers. Since we started in 2012, zoos have raised nearly $2.5 million from over 80 zoos, AAZK chapters, and private donors. We distribute these funds directly to projects that tackle the main threats to Malayan, Sumatran, and Amur tigers.

Recently the zoo received a request from the Tiger Species Survival Plan for continued support of a campaign dedicated to raising awareness about the Malayan tigers. By 2050, the SSP envisions populations of tigers, elephants, and orangutans living in connected forest areas with strong protections and effective management. The SSP believes in partnering with indigenous peoples and local communities to achieve these goals.

SSP efforts aim to elevate the populations of target species to sustainable levels in key strongholds, ensuring their long-term survival in Malaysia. The current funding request to the El Paso Zoo is specifically for an essential tiger conservation initiative within the Endau Rompin Landscape, located in southern Peninsular Malaysia. This area is recognized as one of the country’s primary tiger source locations, where a modest recovery in tiger numbers is observed despite broader global and national trends showing declines. The Endau Rompin Landscape holds significant ecological value, home to endangered species like the Malayan tiger, Asian elephant, and other vulnerable wildlife often victimized by poachers and traffickers.

As apex predators, tigers play a vital role in maintaining ecological equilibrium, stabilizing prey populations, and preserving the integrity of the forest ecosystem, which in turn supports climate regulation and water security for the surrounding communities. The primary objective of this project is to enhance the tiger population within the Endau Rompin Landscape, in line with Malaysia’s National Tiger Crisis Action Plan and the global commitments outlined in the Global Tiger Initiative.

To accomplish this goal, the SSP is adopting a comprehensive strategy built upon four key pillars: OneHealth, counter wildlife trafficking, forest and climate change, and rights and communities. While all these strategies are vital for effective conservation, this funding request will focus especially on the counter wildlife trafficking aspect, which is critical for the immediate survival of tigers and other species in the Endau Rompin area.