DIVERSE WILDLIFE

 

Diverse Wildlife, acrylic on canvas, 2022. 31.5" X 24"

Malaysia is one of the world’s megadiverse countries. It is also ranked 12th in the world, according to the National Biodiversity Index, which is based on estimates of country richness of life and species endemism. The country is home to over 15,000 species of flowering plants, 1,500 species of terrestrial vertebrates and about 150,000 species of invertebrates.

The hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia. The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis species comes in a wide range of colors including red, orange, yellow, pink and even purple. The red-colored hibiscus is regarded as the national flower, as the color red represents courage and the five petals symbolize the five principles of the Rukun Negara. In the painting, four hibiscus flowers are depicted in the colors featured on the Malaysian flag: red, white, blue and yellow.

The tiger is Malaysia's national animal. Fewer than 150 wild tigers remain in Malaysia's forests, where 3,000 once roamed in the 1950s. Two tigers are depicted as supporters in the coat of arms of Malaysia and the coat of arms of Johor. Symbolizing bravery and strength among Malaysians, the tiger also appears in various heraldry of Malaysian public institutions such as the Royal Malaysia Police and Football Association of Malaysia (in which the team is nicknamed Harimau Malaya, meaning "Malayan Tigers") and even private institutions like Maybank and the country's local car company Proton. 

The Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus) is the only tapir species native to Southeast Asia, ranging from the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra. The Malayan tapir is easily identified by its markings, most notably the light-colored patch that extends from its shoulders to its hindquarters. Covered in black hair, its pattern is used for camouflage. The tapir is featured on the logo of the Malaysian Nature Society.

The Malayan gaur (Bos gaurus, Seladang in Malay) is a wild relative of cattle which lives in South and Southeast Asia. It is the largest species of wild cattle. The gaur became the symbol of the state football team of Perak. A gaur-cattle hybrid breed is nicknamed "Selembu", based on the Malay names of the animals.

The Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) is the smallest bear and can be found throughout India and Southeast Asia. It is named for its characteristic brightly-colored, crescent-like chest patch. Leading the most arboreal (tree-living) lifestyle among all bears, the sun bear feeds on a broad variety of items such as ants, bees, beetles, honey, termites and plant material such as seeds and several kinds of fruits.

Peninsular Malaysia is home to the mainland Asian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) and Malaysian Borneo is home to the so-called pygmy elephants (Elephas maximus borneensis). Historically, Malaysia had something of a domesticated elephant tradition based around the palaces of the Malay Sultans. However, this culture began to fade out in the 19th century. The elephant is made a state symbol in Pahang, where the tusks in its coat of arms represent the abundance of elephants in the state.

The masked palm civet (Paguma larvata, Musang Lamri in Malay) is a tree-dwelling mammal closely related to the mongoose which is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is a nocturnal solitary predator that is occasionally active during the day. The civet is an omnivore, feeding on rats and birds as well as fruits such as figs, mangoes, bananas, and leaves. It is a protected species in Malaysia.

The name orangutan has Malay roots: it is Malay for "forest man". This animal is a member of the great ape family and there are three species, in which the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus, pictured) can be found in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. Like the other great apes, orangutans are highly intelligent, displaying tool use and distinct cultural patterns in the wild. Orangutans share approximately 97% of their DNA with humans. The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre near Sandakan in the state of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo opened in 1964 as the first official orangutan rehabilitation project.

Malaysia is the only country in the world which contains both species of clouded leopard (Harimau Dahan in Malay). The mainland clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is found in Peninsular Malaysia, while the Bornean clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) only populates Sabah and Sarawak. Named for its cloud-like spots, it is a solitary and arboreal predator that hunts its prey from the tops of trees. Unlike leopards, which they are more distantly related to, clouded leopards have darker fur.

The reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) is a massive snake commonly found in India and Southeast Asia. It is the world's longest snake, reaching up to 10 meters from nose to tail, but is also the third heaviest behind the green anaconda and the Burmese python. It is named for the complex geometric pattern on its skin (which also leads to its Malay name, Ular Sawa Batik), which enables the snake to blend into its surroundings in order to protect it from predators and helps it catch its prey. Like all large snakes, the python does not carry venom and attacks its prey by coiling.

The rhinoceros hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros, Enggang Badak in Malay) is well-known in Malaysia as the state bird of Sarawak. It has an orange-and-red casque that curves upwards like a rhinoceros' horn. The Ibans, the largest group of Dayaks in Sarawak, believe it to be the supreme ruler of worldly birds that acts as a messenger from the spirit world. Carvings and statues of rhinoceros hornbills are made by the Ibans to welcome the god of birds, Sengalang Burong, to the rituals and celebrations of mankind. 

The lesser mousedeer (Tragulus kanchil, Kancil in Malay) is a close relative of the deer and one of the smallest known hoofed mammals. It became famous in Malaysian folklore as "Sang Kancil", a popular main character in the country's traditional animal stories. It is also the state symbol of Malacca. Legend has it that Parameswara (later Sultan Iskandar Syah of Malacca), the founder of the Malacca Sultanate, saw a mousedeer outwit his hunting dog when he was resting under a Malacca tree, the event leading to the establishment of the sultanate. The mousedeer is also featured in the logo of Malaysia's National Zoo.

The Malayan colugo (Galeopterus variegatus, Kubung in Malay) belongs to a unique family of gliding mammals which are distinct from other gliding mammals such as flying squirrels (which are rodents) and sugar gliders (which are marsupials). This colugo lives on the trees in the forests of Southeast Asia and has a gliding membrane (also known as a patagium) which connects from the neck and extends along the limbs to the tips of the fingers and toes, which it uses to glide across the tree tops. It is a herbivore that feeds mainly on leaves.

The Brahminy kite (Haliastur indus, Helang Merah (red eagle) in Malay) is a member of the eagle family which can be found in India, Southeast Asia (including Malaysia) and Australia. It is the symbol and namesake of Langkawi Island off the coast of Kedah, Malaysia, where a large statue of the eagle was located.

The Rafflesia is one of the largest flowers that have ever existed and is a native to Malaysia and Indonesia. With a unique pattern, texture and lifestyle, it is very iconic that it has also been pictured on the RM10 note of the current Malaysian Ringgit banknote series. Rafflesia is named after Sir Stamford Raffles, a British naturalist famous for founding Singapore, which was part of Malaysia until its independence in 1965.