Tell Ranger Safri you care, send a postcard today!
Safri Muhi'yuddin, ranger, Royal Belum State Park, Malaysia
Safri Muhi’yuddin is one lucky ranger. On his first time out in the Belum forest, 3 days after reporting for work there in 2008, he spotted a tiger in the wild.
Even luckier are his colleagues who saw a tigress with 3 cubs crossing the highway that connects Belum to the Temengor forest at 2 am.
Such sightings are rare and Safri now sees mostly the footprints of tigers as well as that of elephants. It is common though to see the Malayan gaur, known locally as seladang.
These days he tracks the forest in search of illegal hunters, taking a different route each day. On days when he does the highway patrol, he would take the 4x4 vehicle, park at a spot and continue on foot. There are 3 hotspots that he monitors.
For him, conservation must take precedence over ecotourism. Any development must have low impact so that the wildlife can remain in Belum for a long time to come.
Lucky, close encounters
It was amazing he said, very different from seeing tigers in the zoo, where they mostly looked sleepy. That first encounter made him want to see tigers in the wild even more and has kept him on the job.Even luckier are his colleagues who saw a tigress with 3 cubs crossing the highway that connects Belum to the Temengor forest at 2 am.
Such sightings are rare and Safri now sees mostly the footprints of tigers as well as that of elephants. It is common though to see the Malayan gaur, known locally as seladang.
Rooted in the forest
Safri, 24, has an affinity for the forest that came from accompanying his dad to collect honey from the jungle or to go fishing. “We would go to places people don’t frequent,” he said.These days he tracks the forest in search of illegal hunters, taking a different route each day. On days when he does the highway patrol, he would take the 4x4 vehicle, park at a spot and continue on foot. There are 3 hotspots that he monitors.
For him, conservation must take precedence over ecotourism. Any development must have low impact so that the wildlife can remain in Belum for a long time to come.
Safri WOULD LOVE A POSTCARD FROM YOU!
The rangers have limited access to the internet, so a postcard is preferred over an e-card. Thank you.
MAIL A POSTCARD
Buy or make a card and mail it to:
Safri Muhi'yuddin
Rangers of Royal Belum State Park
c/o WWF-Malaysia
49, Jalan SS23/15, Taman SEA 47400
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Malaysia
c/o WWF-Malaysia
49, Jalan SS23/15, Taman SEA 47400
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Malaysia
