Guest guest Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 Car rams into sun bear - New Straits Times 05 Jan 2007 Shahrum Sayuthi KUANTAN: A Malayan sun bear was killed on the East Coast Expressway early yesterday morning. Mohd Nasir Mohd Nor and a friend were driving to Putrajaya about 5.30am and had reached Km 209 of the highway. " It was dark, and the bear suddenly appeared on the highway less than 50 metres ahead, " said the 40-year-old civil servant. " I tried to swerve to the right but I couldn't avoid hitting it. " The adult male bear was thrown into a nearby ravine and died on the spot. Mohd Nasir and his passenger escaped unhurt, but his Proton Wira was badly damaged. State Wildlife and National Parks Department director Inche Ali Che Aman said the carcass was collected and sent to the Malacca Zoo for autopsy after police reported the accident to him about 9.30am. The sun bear is listed as critically endangered under the Wildlife Protection and National Parks Act. He said the two-metre bear was probably lost and trying to find its territory when it strayed onto the highway, which is fringed by a permanent forest reserve. An investigation will be conducted to find out how the bear could have passed through the security fence along the highway. MTD Capital Bhd, which operates the highway, says it will improve security. Public communications general manager Rijaluddin Salleh said the company will replace stolen or vandalised fencing immediately. Additional layers of fencing and cattle traps would be installed in accident and vandalism-prone areas, and patrols would be increased between 7pm and 7am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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