Malaysia’s Wildlife Department defended its use of puppies as dwell bait to seize black panthers .
MGN
The division resorted to utilizing puppies after makes an attempt to lure the panthers with a goat failed. It’s normal process to make use of dwell animals, Wildlife Department Director General Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim mentioned in remarks revealed Wednesday, the puppies weren’t bodily harmed within the course of.
“In this particular case, there was indication that the panther had attacked dogs (before), so we used the puppies for their barking and scent to attract the panther,” he advised the Free Malaysia Today on-line information portal.
Farmers in a village in Negeri Sembilan had been terrified after recognizing a panther close to their home. Villagers lodged a grievance with the wildlife division after a panther mauled their canine at a fruit orchard on Sept. 4, in line with a Facebook put up by Negeri Sembilan Chief Minister Aminuddin Harun.
Aminuddin mentioned the division instantly put in a lure for the cat, which was believed to have come from a forest reserve close by. The division trapped three panthers on Sept. 18, Sept. 27 and Oct. 1, Aminuddin mentioned.
The operation sparked controversy after native media reported that puppies had been used as bait to lure the panthers. Malaysian Animal Welfare Association slammed the transfer as surprising, saying it would be extra moral for the division to make use of uncooked cattle meat. Animal Care Society additionally appealed to the federal government to cease utilizing dwell animals in such operations.
Abdul Kadir mentioned the lure, which is a cage with a separate compartment to carry the puppies, is ready to launch the canines swiftly after a panther is caught. He mentioned the pups had been unhurt and officers adhered to working procedures.
The division has caught a dozen panthers within the state in 2023, together with three caught in September. Aminuddin beforehand mentioned the panthers have been handled and appeared wholesome, however didn’t say whether or not they had been launched into the forest. The Wildlife Department additionally is utilizing drones to decide why the panthers had strayed into the village.
Black panthers, present in tropical forests in Africa, Asia and Central and South America, are solitary animals that hunt at evening and infrequently hassle folks.
Conservation researchers mentioned panthers are a protected species and face threats of habitat loss and poaching in Malaysia.
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