Pos Bihai Orang Asli discover tiger footprints near homes

GUA MUSANG - The Orang Asli community at Pos Bihai, here, claims that tigers are still roaming around their settlement area since they were first spotted last June.

A resident of Kampung Tendrik Apek Asud, 39, said that several tiger footprints were recently found near the villagers’ houses yesterday.

"Almost every night the wild animals roam around our village. The next morning there will be footprints in the house compound and a dog has died after being attacked.

"At night we hear the sound of dogs barking but we are afraid to go out to see what is happening. So we stay indoors and only go into the forest as a group," he said adding that the Temiar tribe people in the settlement were terrified to go out of the house to do their daily activities.

"The tigers have actually been spotted roaming around for the past three months and footprints have been detected around Kampung Tendrik, Kampung Sau, Kampung Hak, Kampung Badak and Kampung Bihai Lama since last June," he said.

Village chief Tendrik Alang Segan, 50, said they have lodged a complaint to the Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks (Perhilitan).

"Perhilitan has already come to inspect our village area. We really hope that the tiger can be captured and relocated," he said.

Meanwhile, Galas assemblyman Mohd Syahbuddin Hashim hopes immediate action can be taken by Perhilitan because residents are now afraid to go out to work.

"The tiger population is quite high in this area and lately sightings have increased probably because their habitats have been degraded and destroyed,” he said while urging the parties involved to take measures to resolve human-wildlife conflict. - BERNAMA