COMMENT | World Wildlife Day: How next generation can act on preservation

COMMENT | Today is World Wildlife Day, an international awareness day to celebrate and protect wild animals and plants in their natural habitats and is coordinated by the United Nations Environmental Programme.

Each year, more and more people are recognising the invaluable role wild animals, plants, and habitats play in maintaining the ecological balance of our planet. Yet, the fight for the conservation of wildlife and its habitats is far from over.

Malaysia has a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna, with 22,500 species of plants and 422 species of mammals. Unfortunately, this diversity is under threat due to overhunting, habitat loss, climate change, and pollution.

As a result, many species are on the brink of extinction, including the Malaysian tapir, the Sumatran rhinoceros, and the Bornean clouded leopard, to name a few...