ITS acrid smell filled the air long before the "offender", dressed in his regal coat of reddish-orange fur overlaid with dark vertical stripes, showed itself.

Joe (not his real name) was trekking in Taman Negara with colleagues when an adult Malayan tiger strayed into their path.

The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) officers watched in awe as the magnificent creature strode by.

"I never imagined that I would see Pak Belang in the wild. The sheer size and its beauty ..."

Although he was terrified, he counts that fleeting encounter as his most memorable experience as a Perhilitan law and enforcement division officer.
He has also heard wild elephants trumpet, caught glimp- ses of sunbears and seen signs of rhinoceros in his many trips into the jungles of Peninsular Malay- sia.

"Nothing beats seeing these animals in the wild. The difference is amazing. Just look at the brightness of their eyes.

"They're clear and alert, unlike the animals you see in zoos."

Joe, who has worked for Perhilitan for more than two years, feels "right at home" in the rainforest. He spends about five days every month looking for poachers and smugglers.

"That is only part of my job. I do a lot of paperwork when I file my cases and accept complaints. We carry out investigations, too."

He says there are similarities between Perhilitan officers and journalists as both parties rely on intelligence sources, carry out investigations and, not uncommonly, receive threats.

For fellow worker Randy (not his real name), the threats have become part and parcel of his life. "I get calls almost every time there is a new case. My car windows have also been smashed."

But Randy takes these threats in his stride.

So what does it take to be a Perhilitan enforcement officer?

"You must love wildlife and be stout-hearted," says Randy. "I've seen some of my colleagues cry when poachers and wildlife smugglers get prosecuted.

"One must have hati kental (be tough) especially when it comes to taking action. There will be threats and begging from wrongdoers but you must never falter."