Web
  www.wildlife.gov.my
 
 
 
  BACKGROUND  
 
 
Following federalization in 1973, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP/PERHILITAN) has been the leading federal agency under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) that is responsible for the conservation of terrestrial fauna biodiversity and its habitats in Peninsular Malaysia. The mandate to execute this role is derived from legislation passed by the Parliament, government gazettements, and the policy decisions that were made at higher levels such as the Federal Cabinet and NRE. These mandates that are entrusted to the Department are implemented through planning at the DWNP Headquarters and then implemented at State, District and Protected Area levels.

Historically, the DWNP was known as the Game Department that was created in stages since 1896 in the Straits Settlements, Federated Malay States and then in the Unfederated Malay States. On the other hand the designation of protected areas started in 1903 with the gazettement of Chior Wildlife Reserve at Kuala Kangsar District in the State of Perak. It is also the first protected area designated in Malaysia. Efforts to create a federal wildlife agency to coordinate conservation activities of the state DWNPs started in 1930 with the formation of the Wildlife Commission of Malaya. It was headed by T.R. Hubback, an ex Director of DWNP Pahang.

Two major actions were undertaken by the colonial government then based on the recommendations of the Wildlife Commission of Malaya Report of 1932:
 
i.
The formation of the DWNP HQ in 1936 with Captain Ritchie being appointed as the first Director General (Chief Game Warden); and
   
ii.
The formation of Taman Negara National Park in 1938/9 at the borders of Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu with an area 4,343 sq km
 

In 1955, the Federal Government introduced a new legislation, “Wild Animals and Wild Birds Protection Ordinance”, to strengthen the enforcement for wildlife protection in Peninsular Malaysia. However, the administration of state DWNPs were still under the respective State Governments. Between of 1972 and 1976, Federal Government after consulting with the State Governments, federalized the administration of State DWNPs following the enactment of the Protection of Wildlife Act in 1972. Later the National Parks Act was passed in 1980 to empower the DWNP to manage new national parks which were identified under the Third Malaysia Plan. Penang National Park is the first Protected Area which is gazetted under the National Parks Act 1980.

Malaysia being an active participant in international environmental issues, has led to the DWNP being appointed by the Federal Government as the state member to represent Malaysia at the World Conservation Union (IUCN) in 1968. Following that in 1977, the DWNP was appointed as the country’s representative to CITES, an international convention which is responsible for regulating the trade of threatened species of flora and fauna.