GEORGE TOWN: The Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) recorded about 140,000 emergency cases involving snake captures nationwide in 2025, making it one of the agency’s most frequent operations.
Its deputy chief commissioner (Operations) Ghazali Abd Rahman said the increase was mainly due to prolonged hot weather and rapid development in residential areas, which have forced wild animals out of their natural habitats.
He said most calls came from landed residential areas located near forests, green zones and new development sites. States with high numbers include Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
"When habitats are disturbed, animals look for food elsewhere and enter residential areas. Penang alone recorded 8,193 snake-related cases last year, with another 669 cases reported in January, showing the trend is continuing.
"On average, each state records between 8,000 and 10,000 cases. Nationwide, the total reaches about 140,000 cases a year. This shows snake capture operations are not a small issue and are directly linked to public safety,” he said.
Ghazali said this to reporters after officiating the Penang APM opening parade here on Wednesday (Feb 3). Also present was director Lokman Hakim Abdul Rahman.
He said snake capture operations should not be taken lightly, as removing a single snake could potentially save one or several families in a residential area.
On personnel safety, Ghazali said injury statistics during snake capture operations remain low, with fewer than 10 cases recorded annually in each state.
"Most personnel comply with standard operating procedures, but improvements will continue, particularly in the use of personal protective equipment and specialised training during animal relocation to prevent incidents,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said APM has established a special committee to strengthen operational capabilities through a comprehensive organisational review covering structure, staffing, logistics, training and personnel safety.
Ghazali, who chairs the committee, said APM is preparing a long-term blueprint to guide the organisation’s future direction, adding that the review is crucial to ensure operational readiness keeps pace with the increasing workload, including cases involving venomous animals.- Bernama
