Mating season reason for tiger aggression

16 Nov 2023 02:54pm

The tiger mating season is one of the main factors that the beast has been terrorising nearby areas of its habitat - FILE PIX

KOTA BHARU - The tiger mating season is one of the main factors that the beast has been terrorising nearby areas of its habitat, Kelantan Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan said.

On top of that, Mohamed Fadzli said the Kelantan Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks (Perhilitan) also informed him that the tigers have also been teaching their cubs to hunt.

"These are the contributing factors that has led to a lot of tiger attacks and four deaths in Gua Musang earlier this month.

"Perhilitan is taking the necessary steps to resolve the conflict between animals and humans. Another important factor is the clearing of the forests, which has caused tigers to come out and attack humans.

"Now since its the mating season, they are roaming around looking for a partner and food, some tiger families are also teaching their cubs to hunt, these are the reasons that these animals are attacking humans." he said.

"Although the clearing of the forests is one of the main factors, but the state government does it according to the correct process and we do it in consultation with the Environment Department and in accordance with the rules," he told reporters after the Exco Meeting in Kota Darulnaim here on Wednesday.

Mohamed Fadzli added, amendements to the proposal for Environmentally Sensitive Area (KSAS) is currently being examined.

"We will look first, not that we will change everything, the state government does not intend to disturb the environment's ecology," Mohamed Fadzli said.

It was reported earlier that an Indonesian man, Lalu Sukarya Yahya, 42, was found dead, believed to have been eaten by a tiger in the area of a rubber plantation in Kuala Wok, Pos Pasik on November 10.

A day later, Myanmar citizen Ahka Soe Ya, 22, died after being attacked by a tiger while tapping rubber at Meranto Farm on Nov 11.

Prior to those incidences, there was one case of injury and two deaths from the Orang Asli community due to tiger attacks on May 12 and Oct 4 this year.