Malaysian officers seize endangered animals kept as pets in flat

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian wildlife officers have seized a honey bear cub, a leopard cat and a slow loris which were found caged up as pets at an apartment in the capital Kuala Lumpur, news reports said Monday. The three animals, which are endangered species, were kept in separate cages and are believed to have been reared as pets for the past three months, said Selangor Wildlife Department deputy director Mohammad Khairi Ahmad.

Following a tip-off, wildlife officers from the central state of Selangor raided the apartment and discovered the animals. Officers arrested a 25-year-old woman believed to be living in the flat.

"This case is only the tip of the iceberg and we believe there are many out there who are having wild animals as pets in their home," Mohammad Khairi was quoted as saying by the Star daily.

He said the bear cub could be sold for about 5,000 ringgit (1,430 dollars) while the cat and the slow loris were worth about 500 ringgit (142 dollars).

The animals would be either sent to a local zoo, or released into the wild, the report said.