Sun Bears Seen Roaming In Terengganu Days After Tigers, Whales Appear

Well, it seems like the meme may hold water.

That’s because now, sun bears are appearing out of nowhere in the state.

According to a report by Bernama, three sun bears were seen roaming around at Felda Belara, prompting residents to get help from the Terengganu Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan).

Perhilitan reportedly managed to catch one of the bears by laying traps in the area.

One of the residents in the area, 76-year-old Mustaffa Tahir, was the first to discover the trapped bear, after hearing noises behind his house.

“The loud sounds of the cage trap rattling and snorts from the animal discouraged us from checking it out for fear that the animal could turn aggressive.

"So, very early the next day, my son and I went over and we saw a bear fast asleep in the trap,” he was quoted by the news agency as saying.

Mustaffa said the bears had destroyed 19 stingless bee (kelulut) hives and six coconut trees belonging to him worth a total of RM12,000.

“The trap was laid the evening before. Perhilitan moved it from the back of my neighbours’ house to mine after it failed to trap the bears.

“Maybe the bee hives used as bait did the trick,” he said.

State Perhilitan director Dr Abd Malek Mohd Yusof told Bernama that the captured bear will be released into its natural habitat in Taman Negara as soon as it was certified healthy by the Veterinary Services Department.

Weird animal things have definitely been happening in Terengganu this week.

On 16 July, a pair of Orca whales, or more commonly known as killer whales, appeared for the first time in Terengganu waters near the Pelantar Dulang Petronas oil drilling platform off Kerteh.

Then, two days later, a video showing two ‘tame’ tigers roaming in Kampung Besul Lama in Bukit Besi went viral on social media.