Protected Wildlife of Malaysia - Series 3

Protected Wildlife of Malaysia - Series 3

Date of Issue: 1987-11-14
Denominations: 15 cents, 20 cents, 40 cents, and $1.00
Stamp Size: 28mm x 38mm
Paper: SPM watermarked phosphor coated
Printing Process: Lithography
Printer: Security Printers (M) Sdn. Bhd. Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Sheet Composition: 100 stamps
Designer: Ong Soo Keat

Stamps in the Series:

First Day Cover:


The Felidae in Malysian Forests
Malaysia’s tropical rain forest is a complex and diverse ecosystem. One way in which this diversity shows itself is through richness in plant and animal species. This richness of species is seen in the number of members of the cat family (Felidae), in our forests.

Wildlife scientists have identified a total of eight species in Malaysia. Seven of these species have been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia. They are the Tiger, the Leopard (Panther), the Clouded Leopard, the Leopard Cat, the Flat-Headed Cat, the Marbled Cat and the Golden Cat. The eighth species, the Bay Cat, however is found only in Sabah and Sarawak along with four other species, namely the Clouded Leopard, the Leopard Cat, the Flat-Headed Cat and the Marbled Cat.

Like the majority of animal species on the rain forest, the wild felids are seldom observed, a fact compounded by their retiring cryptic and nocturnal behavior. Moreover being predators the numbers would not be numerous. Thus, it would appear that with one or two exceptions the wild felids may be considered uncommon or even rare. They are thus considered threatened to the point of extinction and therefore all Felidae are protected by law in Malaysia.

The four species illustrated on the Special Issue of Postage Stamps have been selected because they are relatively unknown. They are also strikingly handsome animals and are good examples of the diversity of, and different adaptations within the cat family.

15c – Depicts the Golden Cat that has been suddenly startled while walking through scrub.


20c – Depicts the Flat-Headed Cat disturbed while eating a fish.


40c – Depicts the Marbled Cat ambling along a large bough.


$1.00 – Depicts a young male Clouded Leopard in his prime sunning himself in an open dry patch of ground away from the forest edge.