GERIK: A tiger was killed after being hit by a truck at Km67.1 of the East-West Highway between Gerik and Jeli, near the Titiwangsa Rest and Recreation (R&R) area, today (Nov 9).
Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Yusoff Shariff said his department received information about the accident at 9am.
Yusoff said the tiger's gender had yet to be identified, and its weight was unknown due to the carcass being severely damaged in the accident, which reportedly occurred at 5.30am.
"The carcass is in pieces, so we haven't been able to determine if it was male or female, nor can we estimate its weight, but we believe it was an adult tiger.
"Perhilitan staff from Gerik went to the scene to investigate and confirmed the incident.
"Investigations revealed that the tiger was struck by a truck travelling from Gerik to Jeli at 5.30am," he said when contacted today.
Yusoff added that the tiger's remains would be sent to the Biodiversity Institute (IBD) in Lanchang, Pahang, for taxidermy, especially the head, which was mostly intact.
"We would typically be able to identify the tiger by its markings, but since the body is heavily damaged, identification is challenging.
"However, we believe it came from either the Temenggor Forest Reserve, Gerik Forest Reserve, or Royal Belum," he said.
A video showed the tiger carcass on the road, with only the head intact after reportedly being struck by a truck. Another video displayed parts of the tiger's body, with most of its skin missing.
Native to the jungles of peninsular Malaysia, the majestic feline subspecies is critically endangered, with fewer than 150 believed to be left in the wild due to habitat loss, illegal poaching and a decline in prey.
They are classified as critically endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.