Owner of the plantation Rici (32) was surprised to find a sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) trapped by the snare he had installed to catch wild boars and reported the matter to the local authority.
"The snare was intended to catch wild boars that often destroy plantations," Rici said.
Chief of Pasaman Resort Police Office Adjunct Senior Commissioner Indro Sasongko said that the sun bear was tranquilized before it was released from the snare around 12:30 pm local time.
"After being tranquilized, the sun bear was tied and brought to the Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Office of Pasaman," Sasongko said.
The right foreleg of the bear, estimated to weigh 40 kg, was injured by the snare.
The bear has been kept at the BKSDA office of Pasaman.
Previously, in May, another wild animal was also accidently trapped in a wild boar snare.
A Sumatran tiger was rescued after being trapped for around three days in a wild boar snare in a hilly forest in Nagari Mandeh Village, West Sumatra.
Chief of the Nagari Mandeh Village of Koto XI Tarusan Sub-district Jasril Rajo Basah expected the tiger to be returned to its habitat near the village since it had not disturbed the day-to-day life of the villagers.
In fact, the village chief and the locals acknowledged that the tiger had, several times, helped locals who had lost their way in the forest.
Moreover, it had become a natural predator of wild boars, which ravaged agricultural areas.
"We live side by side with the tiger, therefore we hope the big cat will be returned here soon," Basah added.
However, the right forepaw of the tiger was severely wounded by the snare and the team doctor had to amputate it on June 1.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
