In northern Malaysia, Indigenous Jahai women , part of the Orang Asli community , are stepping into non-traditional roles to help protect the critically endangered Malayan tiger. Their efforts are part of broader community-based conservation aimed at saving the species from poaching and habitat loss.
The Malayan tiger, a national symbol of Malaysia, is on the brink of extinction with fewer than about 150 individuals estimated to remain in the wild due to illegal snares, forest fragmentation, and prey decline.
These women work alongside other Jahai patrol members in areas like Royal Belum State Park and the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex, using their deep local knowledge of the rainforest to remove snares, deter poachers, and log evidence of illegal activity for authorities.
The patrol teams , often called Menraq (meaning “people” in the Jahai language) , combine traditional ecological knowledge with modern conservation practices. Their involvement has been credited with significantly reducing active snares and boosting anti-poaching efforts.
Experts and conservation groups say engaging Indigenous women in frontline protection roles not only challenges gender norms but strengthens long-term wildlife conservation by rooting efforts in local stewardship and cultural ties to the land.
