KLANG: There are several possible reasons why a lorry driver was attacked by a panther at Bukit Tangga near Jelebu, Negri Sembilan recently, says an expert.
Wildlife veterinarian Dr P. Lohanthira Kumaar said the first possibility could be that the panther was hungry and looking for prey.
“As the lorry driver was just standing there, it must have perceived him as easy prey.
“Wildlife has very sharp instincts and can sense the presence of humans even kilometres away (but) the animals would generally keep their distance.
“So the encounter between the man and the panther may not be accidental," he said when contacted.
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He said that unlike tigers, which usually run away when encountering people or anything unfamiliar, panthers were curious by nature and would venture near to "investigate".
“Another scenario could be that since panthers are arboreal (tree-dwelling), its litter may have been on a nearby tree and it perceived the victim as a threat to its cubs," he said.
In the April 3 incident, A. Suresh, 54, was attacked when he stopped by the roadside to check his lorry and to ease himself.
The father of two said the panther’s loud growl when it pounced on him still resounds in his mind.
“It is something I may not be able to forget. I still feel jittery whenever I think about the incident," said Suresh, who is being treated at a private hospital for severe headache and eye pain.
He was given 30 stitches on his head upon admission at Hospital Tuanku Jaafar in Seremban after the attack.
According to Suresh, he had been using the same route for the past five years and never noticed any wildlife in the area.
“My lorry had broken down around the same area before. I had stopped there several times and even sat by the roadside.
“This is the first time something like this has happened," he said, adding that he did not notice any signs warning of the presence of wildlife in the area.
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Dr Lohanthira said predatory animals generally observe potential prey and wait for the right moment to pounce.
He said the panther may have been in the shadows quietly watching Suresh before attacking.
Dr Lohanthira said the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) usually puts up signboards to warn people of the presence of wild animals and prevent untoward incidents such as Suresh’s encounter.
He also advised road users not to stop at remote and lonely road stretches if they are travelling alone.
Dr Lohanthira said the wildlife database shows that panthers are endangered, but their numbers are not as critically low as those of the Malayan tiger.
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