‘Yong Choh’ akan dilepas ke habitat asal bulan depan

Harimau Malaya, Yong Choh, will be released from Kuala Lumpur's National Wildlife Rescue Centre (NWRC) to its native habitat in early next month, announced Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Arthur Joseph Kurup. The decision comes after a thorough assessment of Yong Choh's health and aggressive nature that makes him suitable for independent life post-capture from Sungai Choh, Ulu Kinta last month.

Speaking at a media briefing after a field visit to NWRC, Minister Kurup stated, "We are planning to release this animal (Yong Choh) to its native habitat possibly around early September."

In July, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) successfully captured a female Malayan tiger named Yong Choh after it entered a trap near the Institute of Teacher Education (IPG) Kampus Ipoh. As part of the MyBIT program initiated in 2023, 13 cubs have been successfully born, nine of which have survived and are growing in NWRC.

The program has made a significant achievement in 2026 with five cubs born between January and July, a reproductive breakthrough as it resulted in births twice in the same year - in January and July. Youngsters are currently under close observation, provided with proper nutrition and constant care, with emphasis on ensuring their good health.

Once deemed fit, a comprehensive evaluation will be conducted to determine if they can be acclimatized to their natural habitat before considering their release. Overall, MyBIT has recorded four sets of births from three different mother pairs - Cindai and Bobby (on April 12, 2025), Mek Santong and Yeop Kuang (three on January 2, 2026 and five on July 28, 2026), and Queen and Awe Jeli (four on March 7, 2026).