BKSDA Illegal Animal Clarification Seen In Jorong Data Bungo West Sumatra Binturong Bukan Bear Madu

The West Sumatra BKSDA identified reports from Nagari Aripan residents, Solok, after seeing wild animals considered sun bears.(ANTARA/HO-BKSDA West Sumatra)

West Sumatra (West Sumatra) Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) revealed that wild animals that were seen by residents of Jorong Data Bungo, Nagari Aripan, Solok Regency, were binturong or binturung. Residents previously thought the wild animal was a sun bear.

"The report on the verification of the sighting of wild animals in Nagari Aripan, X Koto Singkarak District, Solok Regency, which according to reports from residents is a sun bear with its cubs, turned out to be three binturongs, including one female mother and two children," said Head of the West Sumatra BKSDA Ardi Andono in Padang, West Sumatra, Friday, December 16, confiscated by Antara.

He mentioned on Thursday, December 15, there were reports of entry at the WhatsApp group of the West Sumatra KSDA Center that there were wild animals in the form of sun bears and their cubs in Nagari Aripan.

Based on the report, the Barisan Solok Resort officer went straight to Nagari Aripan to verify and identify the report.

Resort Barisan officers along with Wali Nagari Aripan, Hariri, and several residents headed to the location of the sighting of an animal which is an Other Use Area (APL) which is a community cultivation.

At the site of the sighting, he said, officers did not find any traces of the animal that the bear reported.

Furthermore, he added that the officer asked wali nagari Aripan some questions about the characteristics of the animal.

From the characteristics described, he said, it leads to Binturong (Arctics binturong) animals and is believed to show Binturong images.

"Information from Hariri, there are three appearances of Binturong consisting of one female mother and her child," he said.

Then the officer asked the nagari guardian for help to appeal to the community around the site of the sighting to be aware of threats from Binturong animals against community pets.

Ardi Andono said Binturong, a type of large civet, is an animal that spreads seeds, so it is important in forest regeneration.

"The number of binturong is still large and important for the ecosystem. These animals are not very dangerous for humans," he said.