By SYLVIA LOOI

IPOH: The tiger that attacked an orang asli man at the Bukit Tapah Forest Reserve on Saturday has been found dead.

A team from the Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) found the male tiger with gunshot and blow pipe wounds within 100m from where it attacked the orang asli.

It had also lost its left forelimb.

State Perhilitan director Shabrina Shariff believes the animal could have escaped a trap set by poachers.

''The tiger might have attacked Yok Meneh because it was in pain,'' she said yesterday.

''That is why I was surprised to read that the tiger had attacked a human as tigers are normally reclusive animals which keep to themselves,'' Shabrina said.

The tiger tipped the scale at 120kg and measured between 1.5m and 1.8m in length.

The tiger's carcass is expected to be taken to the department's Sungkai office for further checks.

Yok Meneh, a 47-year-old gatherer from the Semai tribe, was attacked while he was on his way to gather petai and suffered a deep wound measuring 15.2cm on his back.

He also suffered injuries to his hands and legs from fighting against the tiger.

Shabrina urged Yok Meneh to lodge a police report on the matter as he was entitled to compensation for being attacked by a fierce animal.

She said the department would recommend to the relevant authorities that Yok Meneh be compensated.

sylvia@thestar.com.my

This article was first published in The Star/Asia News Network.