A ranger, who has been with the department for over 15 years, said there are 1,200 to 1,500 of them in Peninsular Malaysia who work in forests and jungles for up to two weeks at a time.
“Our work includes collecting data. We count the number of remaining tigers, observe the behaviour of bears and monkeys and install CCTVs to study the species.
“We provide assistance when villagers are attacked by wild animals, and sometimes, we are called to catch snakes,” he said.
Speaking to FMT on condition of anonymity, he said they had been attacked by bears, tigers and elephants and bitten by snakes or monkeys.
“We don’t know if the monkeys that bite us are infected. This is among the dangers we face,” he said.
The ranger claimed they were not given proper medicine to treat wounds or antidotes against venomous snake bites and stings despite being in the jungle for up to 14 days.
He said while they were supplied with satellite phones, sometimes there was no coverage in the middle of the jungle.
“We are left to fend for ourselves when injured or need to depend on our partners to take us to hospital,” he said.
The ranger urged the department to look into their welfare by raising funds for those who are injured and to assist spouses who are not working.
He said the government gives them a critical allowance of RM150 monthly but “there is no help from Perhilitan itself”.
“The department can arrange to bring our spouses from another state to the hospital we are in, or help us with insurance claims,” he said.
He claimed the top management had shown little concern even when a ranger was injured. “This is disheartening as we put our lives on the line all the time.”
Another ranger, who has also been with the department for over a decade, said it was normal for them to get injured by wildlife.
He claimed some rangers had died from their injuries, including those who were attacked by wild elephants.
In August 2018, a Perhilitan officer died after being accidentally hit by a bullet during an operation to chase away monkeys in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan.
He said the department was now distributing personal protective equipment, including helmets, bulletproof vests and clothing to protect them against wildlife attacks.
“This aid is coming after many, many years.
“We are serving the government to collect data and to keep villages safe. We deserve protection,” he added.
FMT has contacted Perhilitan and is awaiting a response.