PUTRAJAYA, March 5 — A total of 2,444 cases of accidents involving 36 species of wildlife was recorded between 2012 and 2017, according to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

As such, he said various initiatives had been taken by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) to reduce the number, such as by putting up 280 wildlife crossing signboards, 24 units of amber lights, and 37 sets of transverse bars at selected locations nationwide.

Besides, he said tunnels, viaducts and wildlife crossings had also been built at wildlife accident hotspots and government project sites that disconnected the Central Forest Spine.

"The extinction of wildlife can occur drastically if wildlife roadkill continues,” he said in his message in conjunction with the World Wildlife Day 2018 celebrated last Saturday.

Wan Junaidi said the celebration, themed "Big Cats: Predators Under Threat” focused on the extinction threats of big cat species, such as lion, tiger, cheetah, clouded leopard, puma, jaguar and leopard.

It is estimated that the current tiger population in the peninsula stands between 250 and 340 at the main wildlife habitat like the National Park or the Wildlife Reserve, he said. — Bernama