The department was represented by deputy public prosecutor Mazuin Hashim, who filed the application before Seremban High Court judge Azizul Azmi Adnan.

The plaintiffs in the suit are Nurul Azreen Sultan, a resident at Taman Raja Zainal where the culling occurred, and wildlife rights NGO Hak Asasi Hidupan Liar Malaysia (HIDUP).

Lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan, who represents the plaintiffs, said the suit was filed to challenge Perhilitan’s act in culling the dusky leaf monkeys.

The judge fixed May 23 for another case management.

Last year, Perhilitan came under fire from the public for culling the primates at the Seri Sentosa education quarters area in Batu 2½ Jalan Pantai, Port Dickson, on May 19.

The department explained in a statement on May 25 that it had to resort to such action since it had received eight reports regarding attacks on humans by the primates in the area, the most serious being a woman who had sustained serious head injuries.

However, at the time, the plaintiffs were reported to have said that checks with local hospitals found no patient who sustained such injuries.

Perhilitan also said it had conducted operations to capture the animals using traps, but it was unsuccessful.

It added that culling was the best approach to address wildlife conflicts in the area after considering all angles, including its proximity to a residential area.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), of which Perhilitan is a member, classifies dusky leaf monkeys as an endangered species. Malaysia’s Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 categorises them as a protected species.