IPOH: The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has no objection to reopening the popular Bukit Bangkong trail for recreational purposes, says Teh Kok Lim.
The Perak environment committee chairman said while it was open to the idea, there had been objections from the Tanah Hitam New Village Development and Security Committee to reopen the hiking trail.
"Perhilitan does not object to the reopening of the trail, provided that people only use the main route to the top, while other alternative routes are to remain closed.
"Hiking activities are also to be done between 9am and 5pm," he said in a statement on Tuesday (July 14).
"During the meeting that was held at the Tanah Hitam police station on June 10, it was also agreed that a warning sign should be put up at the entrance of the hill," he added.
It has been reported that the trail has been closed off since early December last year following reports of attacks on livestock by a tiger near the area.
Following the complaints, Perak Perhilitan has installed two traps and cameras in the surrounding area.
A male tiger was captured in January this year, but it is said to be different to the one that killed the livestock.
Teh said the camera traps, installed at an alternative route near the top of the hill, have captured images of another tiger in the area on March 13 and April 20 this year.
"The tiger is also not the same as the previous one.
"Based on the images, it is about three years old and has a 12cm-long paw," he said.
"The stripes on its shoulders are also different," he said, adding that the area where the cameras were installed are known to be a roaming area for the tiger.
"Apart from tiger tracks, we also found carcasses of cattles, footprints of deers, wildboars and claw marks on a tree by a bear," he added.
Teh said the people are advised to remain vigilant and not to venture to farms or the hiking trail alone.
"We called on farmers to keep their livestock in pens and not allow them to roam outside their farms, especially in the evening or at night.
"Do not light up fireworks or make noise indicating one's presence and also do not provoke any wildlife," he said, adding that villages in the area are not at risk of attacks.
"If you do happen to encounter one, do not panic and back away slowly.
"If the locals adhere to the advice by Perhilitan, then the risk of conflict is low," he added.
