Spotted Critically endangered Malayan tiger in Southern Thailand

A rare Malayan tiger has been spotted once again in Thailand’s Bang Lang National Park, marking an exciting second sighting in just two years and a major step forward in the country’s fight to protect the endangered species.

The Malayan tiger, scientifically known as Panthera tigris jacksoni, was captured on camera as part of a long-term wildlife monitoring programme in the park, the Thai daily Bangkok Post reported on May 4.

The park spans approximately 261 sq km across the Bannang Sata, Than To and Betong districts in Yala province, located in southern Thailand near the Malaysian border.

Mr Chalerm Phoommai, director of the Wildlife Conservation Office, told the Bangkok Post that this is the second time the elusive predator has been documented in the area.

The first confirmed sighting of this species occurred in 2023, when a Malayan tiger, later nicknamed Bang Lang 01, was filmed in the same area using the park’s camera system.

Malayan tigers are a distinct subspecies found only in the southern forests of Thailand and the Malayan peninsula.

They are genetically and geographically separate from the Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti),which inhabits central and western Thailand – including protected areas such as Kaeng Krachan, Huai Kha Khaeng, and Khao Yai national parks.

“This discovery highlights the ecological richness of Bang Lang National Park and Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary,” said Mr Chalerm.

“These areas serve as critical habitat corridors, connecting protected forests across the Thai-Malaysian border.”

The sighting forms part of the ongoing Smart Patrol project, a robust ranger patrol and data-collection initiative designed to track threats and support ecosystem conservation.

In addition to the Malayan tiger, the park’s camera traps have captured images of several other rare species, including elephants, gaur (a large bovine native to South Asia and South-east Asia) and tapirs.