KOTA KINABALU, Sept 13 — Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew will be meeting with the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) to discuss the future of the otters that were recently involved in an attack on a jogger at Perdana Park in Tanjung Aru.
Liew said that she will consult with the department to see if there is a need to take action, such as relocating the family of otters.
“There are many of them now, and they multiply quickly. We may need to relocate them, but it won’t be an easy task,” she told reporters at a press conference for the national-level Malaysia Day celebration.
Liew said that relocating animals was very costly and required extensive expertise, not only for the relocation itself but also for researching the new habitat.
“That’s why I need to sit down with the SWD director to discuss the matter further,” she said.
Following the attack last Wednesday, the recreational park was temporarily closed to visitors while efforts were made to ensure visitors’ safety.
One of the victims, 40-year-old Mariasella Harun, sustained deep cuts across her entire body in the 6.30am when she was on her morning jog. Two other joggers who tried to help her were also injured in the attack.
Sabah Wildlife Department director Roland Niun said this was the first otter attack reported in Sabah, saying that it was unusual for these generally harmless animals to behave aggressively.
However, he explained that otters can become aggressive when they feel threatened or provoked.
Otters, classified as protected wildlife under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, have been spotted recently in several other recreational parks in the city, particularly those near rivers and lakes.
