“The red jungle fowl is generally considered as endangered due to encroachment of their habitats,” Malaysian Nature Society president Henry Goh was quoted as saying by The Star.
“The biodiversity loss is due to the development of roads, housing projects and agriculture,” he said. Another reason, he said, was that the red jungle fowl was being hunted for cross-breeding.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature “Red List”, which tracks threatened species worldwide, has classified the red jungle fowl population as “decreasing”.

Goh said the numbers were dwindling, although he admitted there were no available statistics on its population here.

“These jungle fowl can still be spotted in some parks and along some forest fringes here,” The Star quoted him as saying.
There are jungle fowl in Taman Negara, Pahang, and these are protected.

Under conservation laws, Goh explained, wildlife in national parks were protected and hunting was prohibited.

Other than Malaysia, the fowls are also found in India, China and in some Southeast Asian countries, the report said.

“The wild rooster is said to be more brilliantly coloured than its tame relatives. The main distinguishing feature is the red or white ear patches on the sides of the head,” Goh said.