Puppies Used as Baits to Trap Black Panthers in Malaysia, Country's Wildlife Department Defends Action

Puppies were used by wildlife authorities as live bait to lure and trap wandering black panthers in Malaysia, according to reports in recent days.

The move went viral on social media and has since then drawn various criticism from the public and other organizations, including animal rights groups.

Amid the backlash, the country's wildlife department reportedly defended its action, with the Malaysian wildlife officials clarifying that no puppies were harmed during the process.

In the field of Zoology, bait is a term used to describe food with the sole purpose of attracting animals to capture them.

Conventional methods are used both in marine and terrestrial ecosystems; as seen during fishing in freshwater and oceanic habitats, as well as trapping land predators in the wild.

However, live animal baits have also been used in the past, with worms, amphibians, and fish being the most common.

Black Panther Puppy Bait

The issue about Malaysia's black panther puppy bait started in September 2023 when villagers complained to the country's Wildlife and National Parks Department, locally known as Perhilitan, regarding a black panther attacking a dog in the area.

As a response, the wildlife department carried out an operation that involved the use of puppies as live bait to capture the big cat in the town of Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

According to local sources, Perhilitan Director-General Abdul Kadir Abu Hassan revealed that no live puppies were harmed during the operation and stress all standard operating procedures were followed.

In fact, the Malaysian wildlife government agency initially used live goats serving as baits to capture wild tigers and panthers.

However, the said method did not merit any success, Abu Hassan added.

Live Animal Bait

Due to previous failures to capture the predatory wild cats, Perhilitan reportedly resorted to using other live animal baits like puppies, wherein their barks and scents successfully attracted a black panther.

It was on September 18 when the wildlife officials reported that the panther frequented the Kuala Pilah's Kampung Ulu Beting area.

The operation was made possible after the department used three puppies in a span of more than a week led to the capturing of the big cat, whose presence also reportedly shocked several residents in the area, especially in front of their homes.

Despite the success of the black panther puppy bait operation, animal rights organization Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) raised concern about the department's use of live puppies as bait.

SAFM suggested it would be more "humane" and "ethical" if the wildlife authorities just used raw meat from livestock like chickens, cows, goats, or turkeys.

Furthermore, the organization also urged Malaysia's Veterinary Service Department to launch an investigation into the matter, according to local sources.

Following the dog bait incident, it is still unclear if such a method was the first time used in the country.