Perhilitan captures seven wild elephants in Jeli

JELI, Sept 13 -- The Kelantan Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has captured seven wild elephants in Kampung Lawar, here, after the mammals started encroaching on the villagers' farms last month.

Its director, Ady Ermanty Haniff Mohamed Hanif, said the animals were captured on Sept 7, 8 and 10 following reports from the villagers who came across a herd of wild elephants roaming in the farms.

He said the operation to capture and relocate the seven mammals, aged between three and 30, was carried out to prevent further losses to the villagers, which currently estimated at RM90,100, apart from ensuring the safety of the animals.

“On Sept 7 and 8, Kelantan Perhilitan Elephant Capture Unit and members of the Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Centre (PKGK) in Pahang, captured three male elephants and two female elephants in the farms,” he said in a media statement today.

He said two other male elephants were caught at the same location on Sept 10.

“This herd of wild elephants is believed to be from the same group that was captured near Kampung Bukit Ipoh, Jeli last month.

“They were believed to have come out of the Gunung Basor Permanent Forest Reserve (HSK) to find food sources, and the population of wild elephants inhabiting the forest reserve is estimated to be more than 30,” he said.

Ady Ermanty Haniff said following the capture, two decoy elephants from PKGK, namely Abot and Rambai, were used to assist the wild elephant relocation operation which was carried out for two days (Sept 11 & 12) to release them back to their natural habitat in Taman Negara Kelantan-Terengganu-Pahang.

-- BERNAMA