Animals seeking cool places during hot weather

GEORGE TOWN: The unusually hot weather has affected not just human beings but also animals, with the Penang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) receiving many emergency calls to catch wild animals which have sought refuge in human dwellings or premises.

Penang JBPM director Saadon Moktar said the department had received calls to help catch wild animals like snakes, monkeys, monitor lizards, and foxes which have gone into human premises for shelter from the hot weather.

“As of March 18, the fire brigade has received 219 emergency calls to catch wild animals, and I expect this figure to increase if the hot dry weather persists,” he told Bernama when contacted here yesterday.

He said the hot dry weather phenomenon had caused animals living in the jungles to search for places to shelter.

Saadon said in the latest incident, the Jalan Bagan Jermal Fire and Rescue Station received a call today to rescue a fox which was trapped in a shopping mall in Persiaran Gurney.

"Firemen from Jalan Bagan Jermal received the call at noon today and rushed to the scene to rescue the fox which was trapped on the third floor ceiling of the shopping mall,” he said.

Saadon also said the number of bush fires due to open burning in the state had increased since early February due to the hot dry weather.

He said since early this year until Wednesday (March 20), a total of 964 bush fires were recorded in the state, involving jungle, lalang, farms and rubbish areas. – Bernama