A recent decline in direct experience with nature, particularly among urban residents, can lead to disaffection towards natural environments and wildlife, and public indifference with biodiversity conservation. However, our understanding of public attitude toward biodiversity is largely biased toward developed Western countries though the attitudes can vary among cultures and levels of urbanization. Malaysia is a rapidly developing country with drastic urbanization and degradation of natural landscapes despite being recognized as one of the 12 mega bio-diversity countries in the world. We surveyed 357 adults in Malaysia on their preferences and willingness for coexistence toward 22 animal species and childhood experiences with nature. We found that Malaysian people liked butterfly, dragonfly and firefly while disliked monkey, crow, civet, bat, rat and wild boar. Structure equation models showed that willingness for coexistence toward animals were directly affected by socio-demographics such as gender and age while indirectly by childhood nature experience via preference toward the animals. These results were similar to previous studies in developed countries. A loss of childhood nature experience will become a major conservation issue even in tropical biodiversity-rich countries.