KUALA LUMPUR – The recent revelation by a Kota Damansara resident of the purported ill treatment of monkeys in the area highlights the urgent need for amendments to laws dealing with animal rights, said an activist.
A report by The Vibes yesterday quoted an occupant of D’Rimba Apartment – which is located adjacent to a forest reserve – as saying the residents’ association has set up a monkey trap in a bid to get rid of macaques.
The resident, who wanted to be known only as Cik Kiah, said she is convinced many of the primates have been shot dead by Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) officers.
She claimed that she and some neighbours have heard gunshots from where the trap was set up, while another unit owner once witnessed a Perhilitan officer opening fire on macaques in the forest.
Animal rights advocate Wani Muthiah, who founded Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better, said if these claims are true, it proves that government agencies often take an inhumane approach to handling wildlife.
“Just like in cases involving stray dogs, they always take the easy way out. To them, why should they waste their time and resources to relocate the animals when they can just be put down?
“The onus is on the authorities to have a heart, because whatever’s said and done, humans are the ones encroaching on wildlife habitats.”
Prohibit all animal killings
Wani said the latest incident calls for a prohibition on the killing of wildlife except under certain, very strict conditions.
“At the moment, if an animal is a protected species, under the law, it can’t be killed. But macaques are not considered protected,” she said, adding that a lack of oversight means existing provisions are open to abuse.
Under the Animal Welfare Act 2015, the killing of animals is permitted if it is to prevent danger to human life or for the purpose of animal population control, with the latter to be done only by authorised parties.
The Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 similarly grants power to appointed officers to hunt and kill wildlife that poses a danger to humans or properties.
Selangor Perhilitan director Haidar Khan Mokbolhassan told The Vibes that officers are authorised to kill aggressive, “alpha-sized” monkeys to avoid risks to the community.
In cases where the ape population is huge and action is required, he said, Perhilitan may cull the primates to reduce human-primate conflict.
Neuter apes to control population
On concerns about the growing monkey population, Wani said a better and more humane solution is to neuter the animals to stop them from reproducing.
“Of course, we can’t neuter the whole macaque population, but at least, those that have been trapped. Then, release them back into the jungle or relocate them.”
Commenting on the majority of D’Rimba Apartment residents wanting to get rid of primates in the area, she said it is perplexing that people would want to live by the forest, but not expect contact with wildlife.
“Go and buy a condominium unit in the city then. These people are just ridiculous. Malaysians have become a very cold population of late. Please have a heart.”
To avoid being disturbed by monkeys, Wani suggested that residents leave food for the hungry animals in allocated areas near the forest, similar to the proposal made by Cik Kiah to the building management that got shot down.
Selangor Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals senior volunteer Ee Lynn said while the association advocates neutering and releasing macaques that live near human habitation, the feeding of wildlife should not be encouraged.
Doing this would cause the animals to lose their instinct of being cautious around humans, putting them at a higher risk of being trapped, killed or involved in collisions with vehicles, she said.
“Feeding wildlife is not an act of kindness. Also, the macaque population explosion is due to the availability of food being given (by humans).” – The Vibes, April 25, 2021
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