THE Terengganu Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) captured a male tiger at the Felda Kerteh 4 oil palm plantation in Dungun today.

Peninsular Malaysia Perhilitan director-general Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the tiger, estimated to be one-and-a-half years old, was found in a trap set by the department around the plantation 10 days ago.

“We had set nine traps using goats as bait. We believe the tiger is from a group that was detected by camera nearly two months ago,” he told reporters after inspecting the rescue operation in Dungun today. Also present was Terengganu Perhilitan director Abdul Malek Mohd Yusof. 

“Until now, checks revealed that the 70kg tiger has no injuries. It is healthy and will be sent to the Sungkai National Wildlife Rescue Centre (NWRC) in Perak for further observation.”

Tiger attacks, which plagued livestock breeders in Dungun, have become more frequent since late 2019 and Perhlitan has undertaken various efforts to capture the animal.

So far, 240 heads of livestock owned by 309 breeders at Felda Kertih 4 oil palm plantation have fallen prey to the tiger, which is believed to have wandered out of the Rasau Forest Reserve.

It has caused breeders several hundred thousand ringgit in losses and put their safety at risk as the animal was wandering more frequently on plantation land.

In February, Terengganu Perhilitan, with the assistance of NWRC, managed to save a male tiger in Felda Kerteh 2, which was injured after being shot by poachers.

The animal, however, died while receiving treatment at the veterinary hospital in Universiti Putra Malaysia due to nerve complications, digestive system failure and bacterial infection in its rear leg. – Bernama, August 7, 2021.