KUALA LUMPUR: A male Malayan Tiger named 'Awang Rasau' must have endured great suffering and pain when he was shot after five shotgun pellets were found in his body during an operation yesterday.
The 160-kilogramme 'Awang Rasau', aged 15, was rescued from a palm oil plantation in Felda Kerteh 3 in Terengganu after it was spotted by residents on Feb 21.
Wildlife and National Parks Deartment (Perhilitan) director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said 'Awang Rasau' was rescued by 15 personnel from the Dungun and Kemaman branches at 11.30am on Feb 22.
It was then transferred to the National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Perak for treatment.
Kadir said the shots fired by alleged illegal hunters had paralysed the tiger's hind legs and caused other severe injuries.
However, Kadir said 'Awang Rasau' was showing positive developments where its appetite increased and it was able to lift its head and change its body position when touched.
"Our early checks showed that one shot fired by an individual or illegal hunter had hit its spinal cord. That could have possibly caused its nerves to fail and paralyse both its hind legs," he told Harian Metro.
Kadir said 'Awang Rasau' had to be temporarily caged as part of the quarantine process.
He explained it was part of a necessary procedure before an X-Ray scan and an operation could be conducted at 10.30am yesterday.
It was also to enable Perhilitan doctors and personnel to inject tranquiliser before performing the operation and to treat 'Awang Rasau'.
"The X-Ray scan revealed that there were five bullets in its body, one which was successfully removed during the operation.
"The other bullets were buried deep in its body and required special operation tools.
"It was also found that 'Awang Rasau' had been shot several times before. Fortunately, the old wounds were not serious," he said.
Perhilitan, he added, will bank on its expertise and do all it can to save 'Awang Rasau', which may possibly suffer permanent disability.
"Before this, it was only able to lie down and drag itself. We sympathise with its condition.
"Perhilitan will give our all to save it apart from seeking the assistance of nerve specialists from the Universiti Putra Malaysian Veterinary Hospital," said Kadir.
After 'Awang Rasau' was rescued, preliminary investigations found that it had been shot in its chest, stomach and back by irresponsible parties.
Perhilitan also hoped the people would pray for 'Awang Rasau' to recover before it is released to its natural habitat.