Last September, farmers in the southern Negeri Sembilan province spotted a leopard near their homes. After a tiger killed one of their dogs, they contacted a wildlife management organization.
The organization set traps to catch the tiger. Initially, goats were used to lure the predator, but when that failed, small dogs were used.
Three tigers were captured
Three tigers have been captured in this way in recent weeks. When local media reported on the use of puppies, animal rights groups protested.
According to local animal welfare organizations, the government should have used raw meat to attract wild animals, instead of using live animals.
According to the director of the Wildlife Department, the trap is designed so that the dogs can escape once the tiger is caught, and thus the puppies are not in danger. The director said: “In this particular case, there was no indication that the leopard had previously attacked dogs, so we used puppies because they attract leopards with their barking and smell.”
Habitats under stress
Black panthers are found in the tropical rainforests of Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. The animals live alone and are active mainly at night. They rarely bother people.
According to researchers, they have recently become more common in Malaysia, because their habitats are under pressure and because poachers are actively hunting the animals.
