KUANTAN: A tapir rescued by the Pahang Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) after falling into a drain in Gambang near here on Wednesday has died.
State Perhilitan director Rozidan Md Yasin said the adult male tapir died an hour after it was lifted out of the drain due to kidney infection and serious injuries inflicted by a sharp object.
He said a plantation worker who spotted the animal in a weak condition in the drain had alerted the department at about 10.15am, before a team was deployed to conduct rescue efforts.
"Four Perhilitan staff and five Civil Defence Force personnel helped to lift and bring the animal out of the drain. Checks revealed that the tapir, weighing 320kg, could no longer stand and experienced breathing difficulties.
"The tapir had an open wound measuring about 5cm in length on its back, which had affected its kidney.
We believe the cut was inflicted by a sharp object used by irresponsible individuals about a week ago," he said today.
Rozidan said Perhilitan had sought assistance from the state Veterinary Services Department to treat the animal, but the endangered animal died before treatment could commence.
He said the carcass was sent to the Jenderak Selatan Wildlife Conservation Centre for a post-mortem to determine its cause of death.
Rozidan said the death yesterday was the second involving the protected species in Pahang after the first incident in February when a tapir was killed after it was hit by a car along Jalan Gambang- Muadzam Shah in Rompin.