TANAH MERAH: The Kelantan Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) captured a male sun bear at Kampung Air Asahan Hulu, yesterday.
Its director Mohamad Hafid Rohani said the capture followed a complaint received by the department last Wednesday about the animal wandering around the village's farms.
He said that officers from the Jeli Perhilitan office went to the location and set up a trap, which saw a male sun bear entering the trap today.
"With this, it somewhat eases the concerns of the villagers and helps prevent ongoing losses due to the destruction of agricultural produce and property caused by the sun bear.
"This male sun bear is the second bear to be captured at the same location, following the capture of a female sun bear on Tuesday," he said in a statement today.
He added that the operation to relocate and release the sun bear into a more suitable and safe habitat will be carried out soon by the Jeli Perhilitan office.
He said to reduce conflicts involving bears; villagers, especially farmers, are advised to take measures such as always being accompanied when going to the farm, avoiding entering the farm at night, keeping the farm clean and turning on the lights around the house at night.
"At the same time, capturing and relocating bears that cause disturbances is not a long-term solution as this area is near the Air Satan Forest Reserve, which is the original habitat of the wild animal," he said.
He also urged the public to be more cautious if they encounter any wild animal and not to take actions on their own that could pose risks to themselves.
