Perhilitan culled over 14,000 monkeys, 1,000 wild boars last year, says Perak govt

IPOH: The Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) culled over 14,000 monkeys and over 1,000 wild boars last year to reduce disturbance by these animals at plantations.

State Health and Environment Committee chairman Mohd Akmal Kamarudin said for this year until March 7, a total of 2,256 monkeys and 267 wild boars were culled.

He said last year, a total of 36 operations were conducted to cull the animals.

He said the move to cull these animals was conducted as they often caused distress to farmers.

“Some feel that implementing such an operation can eradicate the enemy of the crops, and drastically reduce disruption.

“This can also reduce the number of the wildlife population that causes such disturbances,” he said in his winding-up speech at the state assembly sitting on Wednesday (March 30).

Mohd Akmal said for this year, several strategies have been planned to address the issue, which includes an increase in the number of firearms.

He said an application for the addition of 13 firearms has been sent to the Perak police firearms unit.

“In addition to that, the department has also proposed the abolishment of the moratorium on wild boar hunting from January to June which is still enforced.

“More operations to exterminate enemies of the crops, especially monkeys and wild boars, would be carried out more often with the cooperation from leaders and residents associations,” he added.

Mohd Akmal said the department has faced constraints, such as being unable to conduct such operations with other agencies, especially Rela, as such ops involved the use of firearms.

He said the department had no objection if the permit for Rela to use firearms is reinstated.

“The department had worked with Rela in such operations prior to the permit of the use of firearms to the agency being revoked,” he said.

Mohd Akmal also said irregular waste management collection allowed wild boars to get enough food for survival.

“Then we also have people who like to feed wild boars and monkeys, allowing them to enter the area comfortably.

“We also require cooperation from the people to put up fences or install barriers at their farms to reduce the risk of crop destruction,” he added.