DUNGUN, Tues. --- Rela members and villagers used fruit, honey and coconut oil to catch a bear cub, whose mother was shot four days ago for coming too close to people in Kerteh and Ketengah Jaya.

The month-old Malayan Sun Bear was caught yesterday after it strayed into a housing estate in Ketengah Jaya foraging for food on its own.

Its mother was shot by a hunting party of the Wildlife Department and Rela members four days ago after residents reported that a family of bears had been roaming freely around Felda settlements.

This time, residents and Rela members did not want to harm it and formed a round-up party.

The cub was obviously hungry as it took them less than 10 minutes to coax it out of hiding with fruit, honey, milk and cooking oil.

The cub was netted and later handed over to the Wildlife Department officers, who then sent it to the Malacca Zoo for care and protection.

Department director Rozidan Md Yassin said it was a good thing the cub was found quickly as it had less chances of survival without its mother.

"The cub will be safe now that it is under the expert care of the Malacca Zoo".

The department is still looking for a male bear thought to be roaming in the area and another cub villagers had reported seeing.

"We are still looking for the male bear but we are not sure about another cub as the latest information indicates that there is only one cub in the family", he said.

Rozidan said he was confident department officers would capture the male bear using traps or tranquillizer guns sooner or later before transferring it to the safety of the National Park.