KOTA BARU: Danger came unheralded for Hafiruz Hasan when he tried to recapture a male pig-tailed macaque which had escaped for the past three days.
The 29-year-old's efforts resulted in him being bitten on the right hand and leg yesterday.
Hafiruz from Kampung Melur, here, sustained a deep bite on the sole of his right foot and right hand after being bitten by the primate which belonged to his father in the incident at 6.30pm.
His wife, Rohana Daud, 40, said that the incident took place at Kampung Kedai Melor, Jalan Gunong when her husband tried to catch the macaque after looking for the animal at several nearby villages.
"My husband came home with his hand and foot soaked in blood but he did not tell me that he had been bitten by the macaque.
“I thought he was involved in an accident or had fallen off his motorcycle. He only told me that he had been bitten by the macaque after I asked him," she told Bernama when met at the Raja Perempuan Zainab 11 Hospital (RPZ11H), here, today.
Rohana said that her family took Hafiruz to the Mahligai Health Clinic and, as his condition was serious, he was warded at RPZ11H.
Meanwhile, the owner of the macaque, Hasan Ahmad, 74, said he had to leave his macaque "Mat" with Hafiruz as he had an appointment at the Selayang Hospital in Selangor for a colon problem.
"I left the duty of looking after Mat to Hafiruz while I am away in Selangor, furthermore he had been looking after Mat all these while.
"I think Mat, which is 20-years-old, wanted to mate. That was why he was fierce and got angry when approached, and subsequently, escaped from his leash," he said.
Hasan said that an angry macaque, or one that is looking to mate, must be coaxed.
Rushing at them would be a no-no while a piece of long pole would be an insurance to ward off an attack by a jumpy primate.
“I will return to Kelantan tomorrow. We will pull out Mat’s fangs to prevent a repeat of the incident," he added. — Bernama