How Deforestation Is Pushing Malaysia's Wildlife to the Brink

The recent death of Malaysia's last Sumatran rhino, Iman, has focused public interest on the fate of the country's endangered species. Most of the discussion has been about poaching, but an in-depth look at the impact of deforestation on animal extinction is missing.

This project aims to explore how an estimated annual loss of 250,000 hectares of forest has impacted wild-animal populations.

The project aims to collate the disparate data from various agencies about the state of endangered animals in Malaysia, to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic.

The reporters aim to produce a multimedia long-form feature article, which will use the struggles of a particular animal to tell the bigger story of how deforestation is endangering Malaysia's wildlife.

It will include an interactive map of the locations and conditions of animal populations. The functions will also allow readers to learn about lesser-known, yet endangered, species.

It will be published on a purpose-built "special page" distributed through the Malaysiakini website and social media platforms. Malaysiakini is Malaysia's most-read news website.

The project is also part of a series on deforestation, to be co-published with Malaysian environment journalism website Macaranga.