KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Environment (KePKAS) will meet the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) to discuss the future of the otters that have been appearing in recreational parks.
Its Minister Datuk Christina Liew said the otter population had increased rapidly and efforts were needed to find a suitable location for the protected species.
“There are many of them now, and they multiply quickly. We may need to relocate them, but it won’t be an easy task,” she told reporters at the national-level Malaysia Day celebration press conference on Friday (Sept 13).
Liew admitted that relocating animals is “very expensive,” adding that they needed to determine the best techniques for moving the otters to a new habitat.
“That’s why I need to sit down with the SWD director to discuss the matter further,” she said, also expressing concern about the recent otter attack on three joggers at Perdana Park, Tanjung Aru, on Wednesday (Sept 11).
Following the attack, the recreational park was temporarily closed to visitors for safety reasons, based on advice from Kota Kinabalu City Hall.
One of the victims, Mariasella Harun, was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital after being attacked by a group of otters while jogging along the park's tracks.
Two other joggers tried to help her, but they too were attacked.
Sabah Wildlife Department director Roland Niun said this was the first otter attack reported in Sabah, noting that it was unusual for these generally harmless animals to behave aggressively.
However, he explained that otters can become aggressive when they feel threatened or provoked.
Otters, classified as protected wildlife under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, have been spotted recently in several other recreational parks in the city, particularly those near rivers and lakes.
