In Echo Of Gerik Tragedy, Mother Elephant Refuses To Leave Dead Calf

JOHOR BAHRU, July 1 (Bernama) -- The tragedy in Gerik, Perak, that gripped the nation on Mother's Day last year appeared to repeat itself today when a baby elephant was struck and killed by a vehicle, while its mother refused to leave the carcass for seven hours along Jalan Felda Nitar in Mersing early this morning.

According to a video that went viral on social media, the female elephant was seen refusing to leave her dead calf after it was struck by a Perodua Bezza in the 2.28 am incident.

A spokesman for the Johor Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), who confirmed the incident, said the department received a report at about 8.30 am before dispatching four personnel to the scene to conduct preliminary investigations.

He said that upon arriving at the scene, officers found that a female elephant calf, estimated to be five years old, had died after being hit by a vehicle, while an adult elephant believed to be her mother was still at the scene.

"Investigations also found that the elephant herd was identified as belonging to the Jamaluang-Mersing ID group.

"The elephant calf was identified as a female measuring about 150 centimetres in body length, with no tusks, a front footprint width of 11 inches and a rear footprint width of 14 centimetres," he said.

The Fire and Rescue Department said a 31-year-old man was trapped and suffered leg injuries after the car he was driving crashed into the elephant calf and plunged into a five-metre-deep ravine.

The Perhilitan spokesman said the Elephant Capture Unit from the Johor Elephant Sanctuary also assisted in driving the mother elephant back into the forest, while the calf's carcass was later buried nearby.

He said the department would conduct patrols tonight and tomorrow to ensure the safety of the mother elephant and prevent her from returning to the accident site.

Warning signs indicating an elephant crossing had previously been installed in the area, he added.

He advised the public to exercise caution when travelling through the area as it is quite dark and serves as an elephant crossing.

In the Gerik incident on May 11 last year, a baby elephant became trapped beneath a container lorry after being hit, while an adult elephant believed to be its mother was seen trying to push the lorry in an apparent attempt to save her calf. The incident went viral on social media and drew widespread public attention to the issue of human-elephant conflict.

-- BERNAMA