Malaysia: Sun Bear loses its bearings in Sungai Besar

DINA MURAD The Star 22 Apr 14;

PETALING JAYA: For one week, the villagers of Kampung Simpang 3 Logi, Sg Besar in Selangor played host to a very unusual guest - an adult Malayan Sun Bear.

The 70kg female had lost her bearings from her home in a nearby jungle and ended up wandering around the village for about a week.

The bear was spotted by villages in various locations and in a particularly melancholy snapshot, was pictured standing alone contemplating life in an open paddy field.

"We received a report on April 16 from a member of the public who informed us about the bear," said Selangor Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Abd Rahim Othman.

He explained that the bear was not aggressive and had mostly shied away from people.

"Wild animals would not act aggressively unless provoked. If it saw someone, it would run away," he told The Star Online.

On Tuesday, officers from the state Perhilitan successfully managed to subdue the bear at the aforementioned paddy field and released it back into the wild.

"At first, we tried to set a trap but after a few fruitless days, we used a tranquilliser instead," he said, and added that the bear was in good health and was sent to the Terengganu National Park on Wednesday.