Perhilitan Still Investigating If Trapped Tiger Caused Two Deaths In Gerik, Jeli

KOTA BHARU, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- Kelantan’s Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks (Perhilitan) is still conducting a detailed investigation to confirm “the possibility that the tiger that was caught today caused the death of two men in Gerik, Perak and Jeli, Kelantan (three kilometres apart) recently”.

Its director Mohamad Hafid Rohani said the tiger will be taken to the National Wildlife Rescue Centre (NWRC) in Sungkai, Perak, for further action.

“When the capture was made, the tiger in question was in a healthy condition and based on preliminary observations, it was found that the wild animal is approximately eight to 10 years old.

“The operation to trap it was laid following a (second) tiger attack that caused the death of a Myanmar man at Thek Him Vegetables Resources Chili Farm Batu 18 along the East-West Highway (Jalan Raya Timur Barat) in Jeli on Wednesday,” he said in a statement today.

Earlier, media reported that a first attack happened on Tuesday when a local man Adnan Ismail, 54, died in a dawn tiger attack outside workers’ quarters in a forested area at KM79.2 JRTB Gerik-Jeli in Bersia, near Gerik.

Commenting further, Mohamad Hafid said that with the success of this capture operation, it is hoped that farm workers’ anxiety will be eased, however, they need to be vigilant and go out to work in groups and not alone.

According to records, there have been six cases of injury and death from tiger attacks in Kelantan in the past three years.

Earlier, Perak Perhilitan director Yusoff Shariff confirmed that a tiger today entered a trap installed by Perhilitan after photos and videos shared by the public via Facebook on the capture of the critically endangered beast went viral.

-- BERNAMA