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Wildlife appeal · Indonesia & Malaysia

Save the wild tiger

Fewer than 5,000 tigers cling on — hunted for skins and bone, squeezed from their forests. Help fund the teams on the front line in Indonesia and Malaysia.

A wild tiger walking through dry forest

In brief

Fewer than 5,000 wild tigers remain — Endangered and declining after losing most of their historic range. UK donors can fund anti-poaching, conflict response and rescue for tigers caught in snares, captivity and the illegal trade through WARN partners in Indonesia and Malaysia, its in-network focus.

<5,000

Wild tigers remaining (IUCN)

~400

Sumatran tigers left (est.)

Endangered

IUCN Red List — all living subspecies

2

WARN in-network countries

Figures: IUCN Red List tiger assessment. See sources below.

A century ago around 100,000 tigers roamed Asia. Today fewer than 5,000 survive. WARN funds partner anti-poaching, conflict response and rescue in Indonesia and Malaysia — home to the Critically Endangered Sumatran and Malayan tigers. Read our Sumatran tiger briefing and snaring crisis explainer.

What threats do tigers face?

Poaching & the parts trade

Tigers are killed for skins and bone destined for illegal markets. As wild populations shrink, every poaching loss matters disproportionately — especially for small subspecies like the Sumatran tiger.

Tiger listed CITES Appendix I since 1975

Habitat loss & fragmentation

Forests cleared for palm oil, logging and settlement isolate tiger populations. Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia have lost vast primary forest in recent decades.

Sumatran tiger Critically Endangered — ~400 remain

Human–tiger conflict

When tigers stray into villages or plantations, fear can turn quickly to retaliation. Rapid-response teams that safely manage conflict protect both people and cats.

Conflict is a leading cause of tiger mortality near forest edges

Snaring

Wire snares set for deer and pigs kill tigers indiscriminately across Southeast Asia. Snared tigers often walk on with crippling injuries until infection or starvation ends their lives.

Snaring crisis documented across Southeast Asian forests

Captive tiger facilities

Thousands of tigers live in captivity with no conservation value — bred for tourism, selfies or parts. These facilities add a welfare crisis separate from wild population decline.

Captive tigers outnumber wild tigers in some estimates

Tiger subspecies compared

Tiger subspecies at a glance
SubspeciesStatusPopulation (est.)WARN network
Sumatran (P. t. sumatrae)Critically Endangered~400Indonesia ✓
Malayan (P. t. jacksoni)Critically Endangered~150Malaysia ✓
Bengal (P. t. tigris)Endangered~3,000+Search context only
Siberian (P. t. altaica)Endangered~500Search context only

Quick tiger facts

Quick tiger facts
Historic population~100,000 tigers a century ago
Current wild totalFewer than 5,000 (IUCN)
Largest catTigers are the largest living cat species
Gestation~103 days; usually 2–4 cubs
WARN focusIndonesia and Malaysia — Sumatran and Malayan tigers
Symbolic adoptionAdopt a tiger from £5/month
CITESAppendix I — commercial international trade banned
What WARN does not fundTiger tourism venues offering riding or contact

What does WARN fund?

Partner-led patrols, conflict teams and sanctuary rescue — see the tiger wildlife guide.

Focus 1

Anti-Poaching Support

Patrol kit, monitoring and ranger capacity keeping poachers out of tiger forests.

Focus 2

Conflict Response

Rapid-response teams when tigers stray into villages — protecting people and cats.

Focus 3

Rescue from the Trade

Partner sanctuaries taking in tigers seized from traffickers or grim captive conditions.

Focus 4

Habitat & Corridors

Protecting and reconnecting fragmented forests tigers need to survive.

Choose your gift

Donate £75

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WARN is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation, not a charity, so it cannot claim Gift Aid. The donation case is transparency: low fixed costs and partner-led delivery in the countries where help is needed.

Tiger appeal FAQ

How many wild tigers are left?

Fewer than 5,000 tigers remain in the wild, down from around 100,000 a century ago. The tiger is classed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Where does WARN's tiger work happen?

WARN's in-network focus is Indonesia and Malaysia — Sumatran and Malayan tiger context. India, Nepal, Thailand and Russia appear as wider search context only.

What threatens tigers most?

Poaching for skins and bone, habitat loss, prey depletion, snaring and human-wildlife conflict. Captive facilities with no conservation value add a further welfare problem.

Are Sumatran tigers different from Bengal tigers?

Yes. Sumatran tigers are smaller, darker and critically endangered with roughly 400 left — found only on Sumatra, Indonesia. Bengal tigers are larger and mainly in India.

Does WARN run its own tiger reserve?

No. WARN funds established anti-poaching teams, rescue groups and sanctuaries through grants — it does not run WARN-branded facilities.

Can UK donors help tigers abroad?

Yes. WARN welcomes UK supporters for partner-led tiger work in Indonesia and Malaysia. WARN cannot claim Gift Aid as it is not a registered charity.

How does my donation help tigers?

Your gift funds patrol kit, conflict response, rescue from the trade and corridor protection through vetted partners.

Can I adopt a tiger symbolically?

Yes — WARN tiger adoption from £5/month funds frontline rescue. See /adopt/tiger.

Is the tiger bone trade still a threat?

Yes. Despite CITES bans, illegal trade in tiger parts continues, driving poaching across range states.

Why focus on Indonesia and Malaysia?

These are WARN's five-country partner network. Sumatran and Malayan tigers face acute habitat loss and poaching pressure — and partner-led programmes there are where donor gifts reach the field.