ALOR GAJAH: The Melaka Civil Defence Force (APM) has rescued a Sunda flying lemur, also locally known as "kubong", after the animal got entangled in a barbed wire fence at Kampung Taboh Naning here.
Alor Gajah APM's chief Kapt (PA) Shahrulnizam Mad Shah said the wild animal, initially mistaken for a bat, was found with injuries.
"We received a call from a member of the public regarding the trapped animal at around 10am on Nov 2," he said on Tuesday (Nov 5).
Shahrulnizam said three APM members — L/Kpl (PA) Muhamad Norizat Md Yusoh, L/Kpl (PA) Abdul Samat Konglin and Private (PA) Muhammad Nor Iqhwan Zainuddin – were dispatched to the scene to carry out the rescue operation.
"It took the APM team approximately 10 minutes to rescue the animal, which was quite aggressive during the rescue process," he said.
Shahrulnizam acknowledged that this was the first time his men had rescued such a species.
The animal was later handed over to the Melaka Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan)
The Sunda flying lemur (galeopterus variegatus), also called Malayan flying lemur, is a native to South-East Asia.
Although it is called "flying lemur", it cannot fly but glides among trees and is strictly arboreal.
The animal is active at night and feeds on soft plant parts such as young leaves, shoots, flowers, and fruits.
It is a forest-dependent species.
