Malaysia: Tapir hunted for its meat?

R.S.N. Murali The Star 3 Feb 12;

MALACCA: An injured Malayan tapir that strayed into a Bukit Katil village here could have been hunted for its meat.

State Housing, Local Government and Environment committee chairman Datuk Mohd Yunos Husin said that based on feedback, unlicensed hunters were often seen entering the secondary jungle surrounding the Kampung Tun Abdul Razak village in search of the endangered species.

“We don't know how many of these endangered species were trapped over the past year but the injured tapir found with its left hind leg severed has prompted us to act,” he said.

Mohd Yunos said he would get the relevant authorities to check if endangered species hunted in forest reserves here were ending up in restaurants serving exotic meats.

On Wednesday, the injured 200kg male tapir caused panic among some 300 village folk when it turned aggressive.

Meanwhile, State Wildlife and National Parks director Abdul Rahim Othman in an e-mail to The Star said the department did not discount the possibility that the tapir was hunted for its meat.

He said the tapir was first spotted in December last year at a jungle fringing Kg Bukit Bayan in Bukit Katil here, an area filled with traps to capture wildboars.

He said the tapir could have strayed from its natural habitat at Asahan Forest Reserve, some 40km away from where it was rescued.

Related link
Malaysia: Tapir captured after two hours New Straits Times 2 Feb 12;