Main image via Malay Mail
Villagers of Kampung Besul in Dungun, Terengganu had a shock of their lives when two tigers were spotted casually strolling around the village. Videos and pictures of the wandering tigers went viral on Twitter, as the locals suspect that the deforestation and mining activities nearby were what caused the tigers to leave their natural habitat.
While locals certainly panicked at the sight of these wild animals, they managed to successfully coax the tigers back into the forest reserve as they weren’t acting aggressively.
However, given the tame behavior of these tigers, Terengganu Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Dr Abdul Malek Mohd Yusof suspects that these tigers might be kept as pets. Furthermore, Dr Abdul Malek adds that the tigers might be ill as they do not appear to be very energetic. But nothing can be confirmed until these tigers are caught and examined. 20 Perhilitan staff have sinced been deployed in the village to catch the tigers should they appear in the vicinity again.
Perhilitan reminds the public that these tigers are a protected species and should not be provoked or harmed as it would be a punishable offence.
It must’ve been quite the exhilarating experience for the villagers, but we’re glad that both the villagers and the tigers were unharmed!
