Find Sun Bears Enjoying Durian Eating, Residents In Agam West Sumatra: I Am 40 Years Old, This Is The First Time

KSDA Agam Resort Officer and residents are installing trap cages in the durian orchard (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Natural Resources Conservation Agency (KSDA) of Agam, West Sumatra (West Sumatra) has set traps to evacuate a sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) from a resident's durian garden.

A resident, Muhammad Aziz (40) said his party was afraid to leave the house looking for durian in the garden located in Jorong Pincuran Gadang, Nagari Bayur, Tanjungraya District after finding the sun bear.

"I met the bear directly with a distance of about 10 meters last Wednesday at around 17.00 WIB and immediately ran away because I was afraid of being attacked. All my durian harvest and other equipment I live in the location," Aziz explained as quoted by Antara, Friday, August 6.

Aziz said that his gardening activities are carried out almost every day. "I'm 40 years old, this is the first time I've seen a bear and I usually go to gardens where no one is around," he said.

Separately, the Head of the Agam KSDA Resort, Ade Putra, added that the trap cage installed was 90 centimeters wide and 200 centimeters long. The trap cage was placed where traces of durian were found.

"The installation was assisted by local residents," said Ade in Lubukbasung. These animals are protected by Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems.

The trap cage was baited with durian fruit and three camera traps were installed at the location. "Installation of the trap cage was carried out for the next few days," he said.

If caught, he added, he will be observed at the Agam KSDA Resort Office as well as to see the bear's health condition. After that the sun bear will be released into the conservation area if the animal is healthy.

"We will release the animal if it is in good health," he said.

He added that the installation of the traps was carried out after the animal appeared several times on the durian plantation land owned by residents who were bearing fruit. The animal entered the plantation location allegedly to look for food, because the residents' durians were in ripe condition.