A viral video has captured the disheartening sight of a Malayan Tapir — a species endemic to the region and now endangered — wandering the streets of Dungun, Terengganu.
The footage, which has quickly spread across social media, highlights the animal’s plight as it navigates an urban landscape, a stark contrast to its natural habitat.
The black and white tapir, often mistaken for a panda due to its similar color pattern, was recorded by a motorcyclist at night, ambling bewildered across the roads.
Tapir dashes across the street
In the brief 26-second clip, the animal is seen getting startled by vehicles, causing it to dash frantically across the street.
Following the encounter, the motorcyclist turns around only to find the tapir galloping into the traffic once more.
@hafizfauzi_12 Terjumpa panda dekat dungun#dungun #dungunterengganu #fyp ♬ original sound – Hafiz.ent
The video, posted on TikTok by @hafizfauzi_12, has already hit over 651,000 views and received 46,500 likes, sparking a wave of concern among netizens.
This incident not only shines a light on the growing environmental issues in Malaysia, such as deforestation and rapid urbanization, which are pushing unique wildlife to the brink of extinction but also raises questions about our responsibility towards these creatures whose habitats we encroach upon.
