KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 – The Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Peninsular Malaysia has admitted culling seven dusky langurs or dusky leaf monkeys on May 19 at the Seri Sentosa Education Quarters, Batu 2 ½ Beach Road, Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan on May 19.
In a statement issued Tuesday to clarify its action following wide complaints from the public and non governmental organisations on the alleged shooting of 20 dusky langurs, the department said it only killed seven langurs that were identified as being wild and not 20 as claimed in social media postings and reported in the media.
The department said the culling was carried out following complaints from the public on the disturbances the primates were causing the people living in the vicinity.
There are 140 to 160 langurs of four different species living close to the Port Dickson Mile 2 to 11 shore area, it said.
There have been many incidents in the area where the langurs have attacked human beings and also one serious incident in January this year where a woman who was attacked ended in the Port Dickson hospital, it said.
Efforts were taken to capture and move the langurs, but the traps were not strong enough to capture them, the department said and hence the culling was carried out in line with Act 716 of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.
The Act provides for the protection, conservation and management of wildlife.
The department also said that the image of langur dangling on a tree was taken before the culling by the Perhilitan men were over. The empty bullet cases could have been also picked up before the operation was over.
The langurs were properly disposed in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures.