Govt considering special funds for victims in conflict with wild animals

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is considering the setting up of a special fund to assist victims of human-wildlife conflict, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pix) said the ministry was discussing the matter with the Wildlife Department, on the type of assistance to be provided, including to those whose crop or houses were damaged by wild animals.
"We are also coordinating with the state government for information on the condition of those involved in the conflict with wild animals," he said during the question and answer session in Parliament today.
He said this in response to a supplementary question from Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid (BN-Kota Tinggi) on the matter.
In response to the original question, also by Noor Ehsanuddin, on measures by the ministry to resolve the human-wildlife conflict, Wan Junaidi said they included capturing and relocating, as well as chasing away the animals, and monitoring of the area where the wild animals were spotted.
For the long-term measure, he said, the ministry had implemented the electric fencing system, covering 302 kilometres in Pahang, Johor, Perak, Terengganu and Kelantan.
"Installation of satellite collar has also be carried out to monitor the movement of elephants, and there is also the elephant conservation action plan," he added.
He also said that the Wildlife Department received 30,786 complaints from the public on disturbance by wild animals. — Bernama