MUAR Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) head Mohd Faizal Moin has warned of stern action against anyone caught sabotaging the monkey relocation programme at the Tanjung Ketapang recreational park near Sungai Muar.
| A group of monkeys feasting on food inside the trap that was broken recently. |
He said the relocation programme was jointly conducted by the Muar Municipal Council and Perhilitan.
The programme is for the safety of residents and the protection of monkeys.
Faizal was annoyed that "someone" had released about 20 to 30 monkeys that were earlier caught in the trap after the programme was launched.
"We inspected the trap at 3pm and found the monkeys inside.
"But when we came back two hours later to relocate the animals to Bukit Maokil forest reserve in Pagoh, we found the door opened with its trap-lock damaged and the monkeys set free.
"I do not know the motive of those who released the animals. We are serious in saving the monkeys as food supply in the two-hectare mangrove swamp which has a total of 1,500 monkeys is depleting," he said
"The monkeys survive on food given by visitors and tourists.
"As its population increases, these monkeys run wild in search of food in nearby houses, which is a cause for concern," he said at Tanjung Ketapang recently.
Also present were Muar Municipal Council deputy whip Fong Soh Lan and councillor Goh Kim Huat.
He said he would direct his officers to monitor the trap to ensure that other people do not sabotage it.
Faizal said he was also surprised when informed that the monkeys were sold to foreign workers for food. Each live monkey was sold for RM20 and a dead one for RM10.
He said it was an offence to sell the animal, whether dead or alive, adding that he welcomed any information to put an end to the purported illegal trade.
Faizal said Perhilitan had a special vehicle to transport the monkeys before releasing them at Bukit Maokil, adding that he had released the first batch of nine monkeys to the forest reserve recently.
He said the programme needed the support and cooperation of the people.
"When they are hungry, they will look for food in the trap.
It is a simple way to capture and relocate them," he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment