Singer Who Kept Endangered Sun Bear In Her Condo Said She Initially "Thought It Was A Dog"
She found the animal in a weak state by the roadside in Bukit Ampang two weeks ago.
By Katrina Khairul Azman — 10 Jun 2019, 12:09 PM
On 6 June, an injured and endangered sun bear cub was found to be kept in secret in a condominium unit in Kuala Lumpur
The six-month-old cub caught attention of residents after it poked its head through a window and roared loudly.
The tenant was later discovered to be Malaysia singer Zarith Sofia.
She was arrested by the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) for keeping a protected animal under the law, New Straits Times reported.
Since her arrest, the former reality show contestant has come out with her side of the story.
"At first, I thought it was a dog," Zarith said.
After realising that the animal was a bear, the singer decided to only surrender it to Zoo Negara after it recuperated
"I was worried about sending Bruno to the zoo (while it was ill) because the animals there look skinny," she said.
"I know the bear cannot be reared, it can't be kept as a pet. I only wanted to save the bear, I had no intention of exploiting it," she added.
While Zarith was back in her hometown for Hari Raya when the cub was discovered, she explained that she had left enough food for it
In Malaysia, sun bears are listed as an endangered species and protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010
This makes it an offence to simply possess any specimen of the species, Malay Mail reported.