CNN's Mission Tiger goes deep into Southeast Asia's efforts to save an iconic predator

HONG KONG, Feb. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CNN's Mission Tiger, hosted by CNN's Senior International Correspondent Will Ripley, follows conservation efforts in Southeast Asia aimed at helping tigers rebound from past declines. The program spotlights the innovative strategies and unwavering commitment of individuals and organizations striving to safeguard these majestic predators and their habitats and reconnect fragmented tiger strongholds across the region.

Thailand's Western Forest Complex, a vast connected network of forests and protected areas, highlights how well-planned wildlife corridors and strengthened protection are enabling tigers to reclaim habitat. Ripley joins rangers as they patrol tiger country, check camera traps, and look for signs of big cats in territories once devastated by poaching, providing a closer look at the dedication and daily realities of frontline conservation teams amid challenging conditions.

Moving to northern Malaysia's Central Forest Spine, a critical rainforest chain for Malayan tiger survival, in Royal Belum State Park, conservationists including Dr. Dzaeman Dzulkifli and his team work on forest restoration and protection of endangered tree species to support a thriving ecosystem for tigers and their prey. Inhabiting roles once reserved for men, indigenous women rangers, Milah and Suzana, are breaking traditional gender norms by patrolling these same forests and showing how rebuilding the habitat and defending it from external threats must happen in tandem if tigers are to survive.

Established in 2023, Al Sultan Abdullah Royal Tiger Reserve (ASARTAR) is a crucial link in Malaysia's central forest spine that, until recently, had almost no data on the wildlife inhabiting the area. Previously, conservation photographer Sebastian Kennerknecht installed advanced camera traps to capture powerful wildlife imagery to help galvanize public support for conservancy efforts. After Kennerknecht's departure, local rangers and Panthera, an international wildcat conservation nonprofit, have taken over retrieving the data from the cameras which reveal a rich array of wildlife including tapirs, elephants, various smaller wild cats, and tigers – underscoring the reserve's importance as a connecting corridor for not only tigers, but for other diverse animal populations as well.

Mission Tiger celebrates the profound impact of human dedication and innovative conservation strategies that are securing a future for one of the world's most iconic and endangered species, highlighting the interconnectedness of nature and the shared responsibility of fostering a healthier planet.

Mission Tiger trailers: https://bit.ly/3OrzZeQ
Mission Tiger images: https://bit.ly/3M6udyJ
Mission Tiger microsite: https://edition.cnn.com/world/mission-tiger 

Airtimes for 30-minute special:
Saturday, 21^st February at 1:30am HKT
Sunday, 22^nd February at 7pm HKT
Monday, 23^rd February at 6:30am and 12pm HKT

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SOURCE CNN International