1,914 wild animals killed in road accidents since 2011

PUTRAJAYA: Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pix) said today man, who has the responsibility of protecting wildlife, has killed 1,914 wild animals such as civets, wild boars, marbled cats and tapirs in road accidents since 2011.
Mammals among the wildlife were the most number of animals killed in these accidents, and they totalled 1,110, he said.
These protected species were killed on federal, state and municipal roads involving 61 road and highway networks in the whole country, he said in a statement here.
"This conflict between man and wildlife can be averted if operators of development and utility projects have a high level of concern about the importance of wildlife and their conservation and protection.
"We have to understand that wildlife depend totally on us to protect them and that they too have a right to live on this earth," he said.
Of the 61 road networks, Wan Junaidi said, five had been identified as 'roadkill' hotspots, namely Jalan Kuala Lipis-Gua Musang, Jalan Kulai-Kota Tinggi, Jalan Gua Musang-Kuala Krai, East Coast Expressway and Jalan Taiping-Selama.
He said it was hoped that the authorities responsible for development and road construction would avoid building roads or highways traversing jungle areas.
In the event this was unavoidable, they should make room for wildlife crossing by having elevated roads, animal viaducts or tunnels to maintain uninterrupted jungle networks or links, he said.
Referring to the male tapir that was knocked down at Km25 of Jalan Kuantan-Gambang last Monday, Wan Junaidi advised road users to exercise greater caution in the area.
Besides, he also wanted the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to put up more wildlife crossing road signs at identified locations to prevent wild animals from being run over by vehicles.
Wan Junaidi said the department had taken several proactive measures to address the issue, among them installing 236 wildlife crossing road signs at 133 hotspots in peninsular Malaysia.
"These road signs remind motorists to slow down their vehicles at these spots," he said.
He also said that 37 transverse bar sets and 24 units of solar amber light had been installed at eight locations along the Central Forest Spine.
"The department has also build viaducts for wildlife crossing at three wildlife corridor locations, in Sungai Deka, Terengganu; Sungai Yu, Pahang and Gerik, Perak, to address the 'roadkill' problem," he said. — Bernama