Update (19 Jul, 8.04pm): 1 of the tigers was found at 3.30pm. The hunt for the 2nd tiger is ongoing.
Malaysia sounds like a wildlife wonderland, what with recent sightings of black panthers and killer whales all within a week.
In fact, just last week, netizens were pretty sure that Malaysia is where Wakanda is located in real life, thanks to this cameo appearance by Black Panther himself.
This time, it seems like Jungle Book may be another relevant reference to our neighbour because tigers have apparently, come out to lepak openly too.
On Thursday (18 Jul), 2 tigers were found roaming in a village in Terengganu state, shocking many people despite their seemingly tame behaviour.
Here is a video of it.
In this 20-sec clip, a tiger is seen walking around in broad daylight. A day after this viral video made headlines, Terengganu’s Wildlife Department announced that these tigers could actually be lost pets.
According to New Straits Times, a Facebook user spotted the tigers when he was travelling around the village on a motorcycle.
He uploaded some photos he took of the tigers, one beside a car and another resting under a tree.
He was quoted as saying,
They appeared before my eyes and I now know the experience of trying to escape from a dangerous animal on a motorcycle.
Authorities soon confirmed the sighting of the tigers, and officers were deployed to the scene to monitor the situation.
On Friday (19 Jul), authorities revealed that the tigers’ tame behaviour could mean that they were set free by their owner to roam the jungle.
They could have ended up getting lost and entered the village by accident.
Terengganu Wildlife Department director said,
We also believe that the tame behaviour displayed by the tigers is probably due to an illness as they appeared less energetic.
But, they were still unable to confirm this seeing that the tigers were still at large.
Authorities are still in the process of trying to capture the tigers, with traps already set.
In the meantime, villagers should stop any outdoor or jungle activities to prevent tiger attacks. They’re also advised not to get close to the tigers if they encounter them.
We also learnt that this is the 3rd such incident in the Malaysian state. We hope authorities will find the tigers soon.
In the meantime, will Lion King be set in Malaysia next? Only time will tell.
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Featured image from Twitter.
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