A resident
showing Lim (fourth from left) a large hole in a compound while other residents
shared their experiences with him.
Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2013/5/30/central/13173104&sec=central
(By CHOONG MEK ZHIN, 30.5.2013)
RESIDENTS
of Taman Segambut Damai, Segambut want the authorities to clear a vacant plot
of land near their houses where snakes have been spotted.
The most
recent incident involved a man who was bitten by a snake that slithered into
his bed. Neighbours said the snake had probably got into the second-storey
bedroom by slithering up a tree.
A
neighbour, K. Kanapathy, 51, said this was merely one of the incidents in the
neighbourhood involving the reptiles. “Some of the residents have seen the
snakes, including pythons and cobras,” he said.
S. Perumal,
57, said a long black snake had entered her porch last month. “I was scared but
quickly closed my door and called the Fire and Rescue Department. “They came
within 15 minutes and caught it,” said Perumal, adding that prior to this, she
had seen smaller snakes in her house compound. Perumal also said the snakes
usually appeared after heavy rain.
Another
resident, Yap Pik Yuan, 58, said she once saw a snake that was green and yellow
in colour. She estimated it at over 10 feet long. “Every time we see one, we
call the Fire and Rescue Department. Sometimes they manage to catch the
snakes,” said Yap , adding that the snakes only
started appearing in recent years.
The
residents said they had complained about the problem to Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, who visited the site yesterday.
“This
is public land so I will ask Alam Flora and 
1 comment:
Hi LLE, The issue of snakes or other wildlife people dislike or fear should be looked at holistically. It's part of the ecosystem. You can't effectively eliminate one species or a few animals and think the problem is solved. If you remove it, it will come back. Maybe another individual animal will move in to take it's niche. Or maybe it's food-source will explode, as the 'genius' MP from Kota Belud reports he "appalled by the rampant rise in the numbers of rats" now. Or maybe it's prey will next starve to death, like the crested serpent eagle.
Further literally leveling a plot of land makes no difference to the animals, but destroying it's habitate i.e. vegetation would. So must we cut and clear any vacant land which might contain a single undesired animal? 'Til there all dead? Can Segambut be a district shared, and not 100% human habitate? And what about the oxidation ponds and Sg Keroh, where snake's food source (frogs, rats, birds) abound. Are you sure this isn't a human made problem, and the requestors want you to go kill some more Nature next? You mention rubbish - great for rats (snake food), Aedes, etc. Maybe fix the man-made root cause? Plus does the Wildlife Conservation Act protest said species?
I recommend you donate several copies of book The Kings, The Mice, and The Cheese to the residents of 3/60b and the problem should solve itself - in the next generation.
Cheers and thanks for your work for a better Malaysia.
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