DUNGUN: A black panther sustained injuries and later on died, after it was hit by a car along the East Coast Expressway (LPT2) near Bukit Besi at about 6.30pm yesterday.
Nazaiwadi Mohamed who was driving at the time, hit the animal after failing to avoid it.
"The panther looked like it flew over the divider before falling on the hood of my car," he said.
During the incident, Nazaiwadi was heading home to Kampung Raja Besut from the Kuala Dungun toll plaza.
"I got out of my car to help the animal but it got up and tried to attack me," the 32-year-old project manager said, adding that out of fear, he went back into his vehicle.
According to him, the animal, despite being in pain, walked for some 35 metres from the scene of the accident before falling down.
When the panther did not move, Nazaiwadi said he gained the courage to at least check if the animal was dead but was shocked to find it still alive.
He said he did not lodge a police report over the incident.
"At the time, several highway patrolmen came by and I left the animal in their care because I had to follow the tow truck to Besut," he said.
Upon arriving in Besut, Nazaiwadi said he called one of the highway patrolmen who informed him that the panther had died.
"I was sad because the animal is a protected species, but what could I do, accidents happen."
Meanwhile, Terengganu Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) director Rahmah Ilias said they received a report that a panther, an endangered species had died at the location of the accident.
She said checks found that the Panthera Pardus died of severe injuries to several body parts including its head.
"Perhilitan officers who received the information rushed to the location to retrieve the animal's body," she said.
It was believed that the panther was attempting to cross the expressway, according to Rahmah, as the expressway is part of the animal's known movement area.
Rahmad advised those plying the LPT2 to be more careful especially where signboards have been put up to indicate animal crossing areas to avoid such an accident from reoccurring in the future.