Crouching tiger, hidden danger at Felda area in Johor
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The tiger has already mauled three cows over the past two weeks, each weighing around 100kg.
PHOTO: PEXELS
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JOHOR BAHRU - A lack of prey in its natural habitat may have pushed a tiger from Kota Tinggi to roam into Felda Ulu Tebrau in Malaysia’s southern state of Johor.
There are reasons to believe it is searching for food, according to Malaysian Nature Society president Vincent Chow.
It has already mauled three cows over the past two weeks, each weighing around 100kg.
“The tiger might have come from the Panti forest in Kota Tinggi, which is the nearest jungle to Felda Ulu Tebrau,” Mr Chow said on Sunday. “We have been carrying out research at the Panti forest, known as the gateway to Malaysia’s tropical forests, over the past two years as it has a lot of flora and fauna.
“However, in our research, we noticed that the number of wild boars in the area has been dwindling since October last year, which could be due to African swine fever.”
This might have forced the tiger to search for food elsewhere.
The Panti forest area and Felda Ulu Tebrau – which is north of Johor Bahru – are about 50km apart. Felda is the Federal Land Development Authority.
“Felda Ulu Tebrau is an ideal hunting ground for the tiger as there are settlers rearing cows there... Hopefully, the big cat will leave the area soon and return to the forest,” Mr Chow said.
Based on the prey count, he estimates the tiger to be a large one, weighing between 180kg and 200kg.
He said he was concerned that poachers would take the opportunity to hunt the animal, and called for greater security within and around Felda Ulu Tebrau.
He urged the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) to invite non-governmental organisations and tiger experts to help locate the animal.
“Capturing the tiger and relocating it to a new environment will cause more stress to it, especially if there are other tigers in the area, as it is a very territorial animal,” he added.
On Saturday, the tiger’s presence in Felda Ulu Tebrau – the first time in almost 60 years – had settlers worried about their safety.
The Felda settlement where the three cows were found mauled is about 20km from Johor Bahru’s city centre.
Village chief Ab Jalil Sahlan said the first incident occurred five days before Hari Raya, when an adult cow was mauled, followed by another on April 20.
“The latest was discovered on Tuesday with its neck ripped apart,” he said. “This is the first time that such an incident has happened in the village.”
Mr Ab Jalil said before Felda Ulu Tebrau was opened in 1960s, there were tigers in the area as it used to be a thick jungle.
He said Perhilitan and the Civil Defence Force had deployed personnel to the settlement.
Johor Perhilitan director Aminuddin Jamin confirmed that the Felda Ulu Tebrau management had lodged a report about the tiger last Wednesday.
“Perhilitan has sent a team to carry out further checks. We are assessing the situation. If the signs show that the predator is lurking in the area, we will set up traps to capture the animal,” he said.
He urged the Felda settlers and those living nearby to take precautionary measures and avoid going to secluded places alone. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
