SD Guthrie, Perhilitan join forces to strengthen Malayan tapir conservation efforts

SHAH ALAM – Efforts to protect one of Malaysia’s most endangered wildlife species are set to receive a boost through a new collaboration between SD Guthrie Berhad and the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) Peninsular Malaysia.

Announced in conjunction with World Tapir Day, the partnership aims to strengthen conservation initiatives for the Malayan tapir, a species increasingly threatened by habitat fragmentation, land-use changes and environmental pressures.

The Malayan tapir, scientifically known as Tapirus Indicus, is listed as endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, with fewer than 2,500 mature individuals believed to remain in the wild.

SD Guthrie chief sustainability officer Rashyid Redza Anwarudin said protecting the species required long-term cooperation between government agencies, private companies and local communities.

“The Malayan tapir is a unique and important part of our nation’s biodiversity, yet it faces growing challenges that require a more collective and coordinated response.

“We are excited to work together with Perhilitan by combining its technical expertise and policy leadership with our operational reach and community engagement efforts,” he said.

Under the collaboration, both parties aim to support habitat protection, strengthen ecological corridors and increase awareness among estate workers and surrounding communities.

The initiative will also include field-based conservation activities and mitigation measures to reduce risks faced by tapir populations within plantation and operational landscapes.

SD Guthrie said its broader biodiversity strategy currently adopts a landscape-level conservation approach integrating wildlife protection within its estates and surrounding areas.

As of 2025, the company has conserved and restored more than 51,000 hectares of land across its operations and nearby ecosystems to support wildlife habitats and ecological connectivity.

The group is also targeting to conserve and restore over 100,000 hectares by 2030 across Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Alongside habitat restoration, the company has expanded biodiversity monitoring efforts through the deployment of camera traps across plantation areas.

This year alone, 19 camera traps were installed to monitor wildlife movement and identify the presence of rare, threatened and endangered species, including the Malayan tapir.

Through its Conservation and Biodiversity Unit, SD Guthrie also intends to support the implementation of the Malayan Tapir Conservation Action Plan (Matcap), particularly in areas involving communication, education, public participation and awareness.

The collaboration is expected to evolve into a long-term strategic partnership, with the possibility of a formal memorandum of understanding in the future.