MIRI: A long-tailed macaque has been rescued by the Civil Defence Force (APM) Miri after being trapped in a sauna and it was surrendered to Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) on Wednesday.
SFC chief executive officer Zolkipli Mohamad Aton, who is also the Controller of Wildlife, said that long-tailed macaque habitats had been fragmented by human habitation and that was the reason they were around such places.
“I have instructed my staff to release the macaque into the wild where it belongs and I believe it will soon be able to roam freely in an area at Lambir Hills National Park,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Meanwhile, he extended his gratitude to APM Miri for their assistance in rescuing the macaque.
“SFC will continue to work together with other agencies to carry out operations to rescue wildlife and combat illegal wildlife trade,” he said.
The long-tailed macaque is a protected species under the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998. Anyone in possession of any protected animals without a licence issued by the Controller is liable to imprisonment for up to one year and a fine of RM10,000.
Members of the public with information on similar cases are encouraged to report through Sarawak Forestry hotlines – Kuching (019-8859996, 013-8110150), Sibu (019-8883561), Bintulu (019-8223449, 019-8332737), or Miri (019-8224566, 019-8290994).
