Malaysia: Injured tapir wanders into fish pond

Michael Murty New Straits Times 14 Aug 12;

A SURPRISE: Fish breeder helps send animal to zoo

Workers at Malacca Zoo providing the tapir with care and medication after it was rescued from the fish pond.

SEREMBAN: A TAPIR, believed to have lost its way, fell into a fish pond belonging to Azli Md Mokhtar, 42, here, yesterday.

Azli said at first, he thought it was a pig in the pond struggling to get out.

"Only when I approached the animal, did I realise it was a tapir," said the fish pond owner.

Azli said he discovered the 100kg female tapir at 10.40am when he went to feed the fish in the pond as part of his daily routine.

The five-year-old animal was struggling in the pond located at Kampung Kapal, Lenggeng, that was 3m deep.

Azli said he couldn't see the animal clearly at first, which was why he thought it was a pig.

"My father was the one who corrected me and told me what it was."

Azli said he was saddened to see that one of the legs had been badly wounded by what he believed to be an animal trap.

"Some villagers tried to bring the animal out of the water but failed because the animal was in such a weak state."

He then reported the incident to the Department of Civil Defence which later brought the animal back to Labu before sending it to the Malacca Zoo -- where it is receiving treatment.