Malaysia's Muslim preachers have been enlisted in the fight for wildlife conservation, using passages from the Koran to raise awareness and help protect some of the world's most endangered species. After a successful campaign last year, when more than 400 mosques in the state of Terengganu held sermons focusing on turtle conservation issues, WWF decided to extend the project to support efforts to tackle poaching. The conservation group is running workshops for local imams, explaining the importance of wildlife protection.
"There are several passages within the Koran which talk about the responsibility of humans in protecting our environment and wildlife," said Umi A' Zuhrah from the Tiger Conservation Programme at WWF-Malaysia.
"Religious leaders are very influential and greatly respected in this community, so they are the best people to carry this message across."
Malaysian Peninsula home to rhinos, tigers and elephants - all endangered
The Malaysian peninsula is home to some of the world's most amazing and threatened wildlife including the Sumatran rhinos, Malayan tigers and Asian elephants. But these, and many other species in the region, are under increasing threat due to poaching and the demand for their body parts in the illegal wildlife trade. More....