M'sians Urge For Wildlife Crossings After Bear Cub Found Seemingly Rolling In Pain On Road
Distressing footage of a baby bear in apparent agony has sparked widespread concern among Malaysians about wildlife safety.
By Tamara Jayne — 06 Nov 2024, 11:06 AM
A heartbreaking incident occurred when a young bear cub was found on Kuantan-East Coast Highway, seemingly rolling in pain from injuries caused by an alleged vehicle strike
The cub was discovered around noon on Sunday, 3 November, struggling in the middle of the highway, surrounded by vehicle debris.
Heartbreaking footage of the black sun bear quickly went viral, causing drivers to slow down.
TikTok user @wnurulhusna shared a clip of the bear, while dashcam footage was also posted by Facebook user Khairul Nizam.
Viewers tagged PERHILITAN, Malaysia's wildlife department, urging them for updates on the situation
According to the New Straits Times, Khairul Nizam reported the incident to authorities.
Later, Terengganu PERHILITAN director Loo Kean Seong confirmed that six PERHILITAN officers arrived at 1.30pm to search for the bear, but it was not found.
Many have criticised the government for focusing on large-scale developments that endanger wildlife, especially in areas where highways cut through animal habitats.
As a result, calls for wildlife crossings — currently nearly non-existent in Malaysia — are growing louder.
One user commented, "Shouldn't highways like this have special passages for wildlife to cross? Like a tunnel or bridge, similar to those on the North-South Expressway, and it must be fenced off."
Roadkill has become a frequent issue in the country
In May, a tiger was killed in Bentong after being struck by a vehicle while crossing the highway.
This marked the third reported incident of vehicle collisions involving Malayan tigers, with another tiger hit by a trailer near Gua Tempurung in November 2023.
Malayan tigers are critically endangered, with fewer than 200 remaining in the wild.
In July, a sun bear was killed when it was hit by two cars along KM299, East Coast Expressway Two (LPT2), in Kuantan. The New Straits Times reported that the bear was trying to cross the road to enter a nearby forest when it was first struck.
After attempting to get up, it was hit by a second vehicle, suffering severe injuries.
Just last month, a wild elephant in Perak was seen tapping a car as if warning the driver to turn off their headlights while its herd crossed the road at night, highlighting the sensitivity of animals to human activities.
