A Tapir Fell Into A Longkang In Kota Kemuning And An Adorable Rescue Mission Ensued
"I went outside to feed my cats and there was this huge 'panda' right before my eyes."
A stray cat. A neighbour's dog. A cheeky squirrel.
These are some animals no one would bat an eye at if found roaming in their backyard.
Here's one that you most definitely do not see every day - a tapir.
Since tapirs are typically found in tropical moist forests and jungles, the sight of one in the backyard of a Kota Kemuning home came as a shock to its owner
Albert Ling took to his Instagram to post a video of the adorable animal, believed to have wandered away from a jungle, making its way through his garden at 8.25am on Sunday, 3 March.
"I went outside to feed my cats and there was this huge 'panda' right before my eyes. I thought someone threw a panda soft toy into my backyard, but then it started moving," Albert told SAYS.
He quickly realised that it was actually a tapir. "It truly is a magnificent animal. Having a real life tapir right before us was a real privilege and honour," he added.
However, after roaming around the neighbourhood and munching on some bushes, the tapir's spontaneous adventure hit a snag
According to Albert, the mammal became increasingly frightened and "fidgety" after passersby began following it to take photographs.
When it tried to flee, the tapir fell into a nearby drain at Jalan Anggerik Eria 31/109 at 9am.
For hours, concerned netizens updated each other about the animal's condition on a Facebook group for Kota Kemuning residents.
Five hours later, help arrived in the form of several wildlife officers, a net, and a crane
The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) and Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) arrived and safely removed the animal from the drain at 2pm.
The rescue mission was celebrated by residents of the area who, invested in its wellbeing, had been waiting with the tapir since it got stuck.
Netizens who could not witness the rescue themselves were pleased to receive the good news on Facebook.
What a cutie! We hope that the tapir is safe, happy, and roaming freely in its home. <3
