PUTRAJAYA, Aug 2 (Bernama) -- The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, today graced the "Run For Tigers: The Long Run" event held in conjunction with the 2026 World Tiger Day at Padang Semarak, Taman Wetland, here.
Accompanying him was the Raja Permaisuri of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim.
Upon their arrival at 7 am, the royal couple were welcomed by Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin, WWF-Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar and Maybank chairman Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa.
Sultan Nazrin, who is the patron of WWF-Malaysia, flagged off the 10km and 5km run before taking a leisurely walk and visiting the conservation exhibition booths and activities at the venue.
More than 4,000 participants, including the Raja Kecil Besar of Perak, Raja Azlan Muzaffar Shah, and runners from abroad, took part in the event, making it one of the country's largest World Tiger Day celebrations.
The run served as the flagship event for this year's World Tiger Day observance. It marked a decade of collaboration between WWF-Malaysia and Maybank to protect the critically endangered Malayan Tiger.
Besides the 5km and 10km races, the programme featured conservation-themed activities, interactive exhibitions, and family-friendly events aimed at raising public awareness and encouraging greater support for efforts to conserve the Malayan Tiger and its forest habitat.
Themed "The Long Run”, the event symbolised the enduring commitment required for wildlife conservation, underscoring the importance of perseverance, collaboration, and sustained action.
The programme also commemorated the 10th anniversary of the WWF-Malaysia–Maybank partnership, which has supported tiger protection, wildlife monitoring, community engagement, and public awareness initiatives, particularly in the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex.
Meanwhile, WWF-Malaysia Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Sophia Lim said that while the Malayan Tiger continues to face significant threats, encouraging signs of recovery show that sustained conservation efforts can yield positive results.
"Run For Tigers provides an opportunity to recognise the collective efforts of rangers, the Orang Asli community, government agencies, partners, and supporters who have kept hope alive for the survival of this iconic species," she said.
Observed annually on July 29, World Tiger Day is an international initiative to raise awareness of tiger conservation. This year's celebration, themed “Roar for the Future”, received strong support from various sectors in the ongoing effort to protect the critically endangered Malayan Tiger.
-- BERNAMA
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