Malaysian Tigers, Series 3 • Acrylic on canvas • 91.5 cm x 152.4 cm • 2019 • by artjamila
Interpretation:
There are 14 states in Malaysia, all of which are being represented by the 14 Malaysian tigers in this painting. The Malaysian Tiger has become well-known due to the nickname of Malaysia’s national football team, “Harimau Malaya”, which literally translates to “The Malaysian Tiger”. The tiger’s natural habitat is the tropical moist broadleaf forests of Malaysia. This species of tiger is very important to Malaysia because it protects plantations from wild boars that often thrash crops that have been planted in the plantations. Without the Malaysian Tiger, the amount of crop yield would reduce dramatically in Malaysia. Unfortunately, the forests have also become the hunting grounds for illegal poachers to hunt down this tiger. The Malaysian Tiger is currently in a critically endangered state with the lowest population estimated to be around 250 in the world. These tigers are at risk of being part of wildlife trade. We must protect the Malaysian Tiger and stand up against wildlife crime at all costs to protect this tiger from extinction