GEORGE TOWN: An adult Sunda flying lemur, found dangling from the base of a foldable chair near an apartment in Tanjung Bungah, likely wandered away from its natural habitat.
Penang Civil Defence Force (APM) public relations and documentation unit officer Lt Mohammad Fakhrullah Ali said it is rare for this species to venture out of its usual environment.
It may have strayed from a nearby hill, he added.
Residents were surprised to find the flying lemur, known locally as the “kubong”, hanging from a chair near the apartment foyer on Tuesday evening.
Following a call from the residents at around 9pm, APM dispatched four personnel, who took just five minutes to rescue it.
“We believe it was a wild lemur because it did not show signs of domestication,” said Lt Mohammad Fakhrullah.
He said that based on its size, the animal appeared to be an adult, though its gender could not be determined.
“It seemed healthy but was quite aggressive,” he said, adding that the lemur was handed over to the state Wildlife and National Parks Department.
Lt Mohammad Fakhrullah noted that this was the second time a flying lemur had strayed into the apartment complex.
“Last year, we received a report (about a lemur) too and we went there to rescue it. I believe they sometimes wander too far and end up in residential areas,” he explained.
The Sunda flying lemur (Galeopterus variegatus), also called the Malayan flying lemur, is native to South-East Asia. Despite its name, it cannot actually fly but instead glides.
A strictly arboreal species, the forest-dependent mammal is active at night and feeds on soft plant parts such as young leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits.
