There are growing concerns among conservationists and wildlife experts over the many Malayan tigers that have died in recent times, with some sounding the alarm about a “state of emergency” for the iconic animal.

The Malayan tiger is a species endemic only to the country’s jungles, but the alligator is in danger of extinction, with an estimated 150 or less left due to habitat loss, illegal poaching and declining prey, CNN reports.

Malaysian tiger numbers have plummeted since the 1950s, when about 3,000 tigers lived in the Southeast Asian country.

Perginya seekor lagi khazanah negara. pic.twitter.com/Emk0deCL0O

— Hezeri Samsuri (@HezeriSamsuri) June 28, 2024

Against this already grim backdrop, photos and videos of a dead Malaysian tiger went viral on social media in late June. The carcass, found bloated and floating in a stream in the rural northern state of Kelantan, was discovered by forest rangers. There were no signs of trap or gunshot injuries and state forest officials are conducting a post-mortem examination.

The images sparked strong reactions from many in Malaysia, who noted the urgent need to save their national symbol from disappearing.

“The plight of Malaysia’s tigers is a national crisis that requires the full attention and commitment of all Malaysians,” Henry Chan, conservation director of the World Wildlife Fund Malaysia (WWF), told CNN. Stronger conservation efforts are needed, he added, such as stepping up patrols of critical tiger habitats and using advanced technology such as camera traps and drones for monitoring and surveillance.

On July 6, authorities in the western state of Perak were alerted to a dead tiger found in a storm drain near a major highway. It was estimated to be about 4 years old and had been hit by a car. In addition, a month earlier, the body of another adult tiger was found next to a highway in Pahang state. Officials believe the tiger, believed to be 5 years old, had been swept away by a vehicle while trying to cross the road from a nearby forest reserve.It was the fourth Malaysian tiger killed in a vehicle collision between November 2023 and May 2024, according to authorities.

Wildlife NGOs working with Malaysian officials have published an eight-year National Tiger Conservation Action Plan from 2020 in an effort to conserve the species.