Sunday, July 20, 2008

Villagers living in fear of roaming tigers

Again, another conflict between man and beast.
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Sunday July 20, 2008
Staronline

KOTA BARU: Villagers in Kampung Kolam in Bachok near here are worried over their safety after some of them spotted three tigers roaming on the fringes of the jungle near their homes.

To date, some 10 villagers including two children, have seen the animals. Some have even claimed that it was a female tiger and two cubs.

Kampung Kolam is predominantly a farming and fishing village.

Villager Zaidi Yunus, 35, urged the authorities to trap the animals as schoolchildren used the path on their way to SK Kolam.

District OCPD DSP Yahya Sale said police had roped in wildlife rangers, Rela members and Village Development and Security members to trap the tigers.

State Wildlife department assistant director Zaharil Dzulkasly said it was rare to spot tigers in Bachok since it was a coastal area.

Zaharil said that the traditional habitat of the “Malayan” tigers was in places like Jeli, Gua Musang and Kuala Krai.

“We can only speculate that the tigers probably fled from these areas into the forest reserves in Machang which is near Bachok,” he added.

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