International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

First frozen zoo in Malaysia – Rescuing endangered wildlife species

The death of the last Sumatran Rhinoceros underscores how essential collaborative efforts are in the preservation and conservation of the endangered species. The Malayan tiger is another endangered species as classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Only 200 of them are left and the number is decreasing. Therefore, PLANETIIUM is taking an initiative in conserving the Malayan tiger using cellular technology approach. Previously, we managed to derive cell lines from the late rhinos and established the first frozen zoo in Southeast Asia. The researchers are on track to start the cellular technology approach, namely induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) or somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) cloning using the derived cell lines. The initiative is to sustain the extinct animals in the world or amplify the number of endangered species.

This project is the first one done in Malaysia with the collaborators from Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) Peninsular Malaysia, the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Sabah Wildlife (SWD), Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA) and other public universities and from foreign parties such as Indonesia, Thailand and Taiwan. The initiative will contribute to the edu-ecotourism sector.

Annual carbon savings: 

• CO2t savings 2022/2023: 5% (Estimated).    
• CO2t savings over the life cycle of the project: 15% estimated over 3 years.          

Top 3 Learnings

1. We find plausible solutions for planetary survival by exploring science and technology.
2. We contribute to balancing the ecosystem through biodiversity conservation.
3. We collaborate with multi-level stakeholders for high and long-term impacts.