Elephant that wandered to highway rest area successfully relocated

Perhilitan used elephants named Abot and Rambai to help lead Yeop during relocation.

PETALING JAYA: The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has successfully relocated a wild elephant that had wandered to a Titiwangsa highway rest stop.

Videos of the elephant, which was named Yeop Viral, went viral on social media after it was caught on camera destroying fences near the rest stop.

Perhilitan said that the operation to relocate the 3.5-tonne elephant to the Sungai Deka Elephant Sanctuary Hulu Terengganu a success.

"Hopefully Yeop Viral is safe and comfortable in its new location! Bon Voyage Yeop," said Perhilitan in a Facebook posting.

Videos of Yeop the elephant went viral on April 27 and Perak Perhilitan captured the elephant on May 7.

However, the slope where the elephant was captured forced the team to temporarily hold it in the area so that the team can sort out the logistics in moving the elephant.

Perhilitan said that a veterinary officer was stationed with the elephant to monitor its health and diet, in accordance to its standard operating procedure.

The elephant was also regularly checked to ensure that it was not injured by its chains.

Perhilitan utilised elephants named Abot and Rambai to help lead Yeop out of the area and onto the transport vehicle, where he was restrained.

In general, the rise of human conflicts with wild elephants is large due to humans encroaching into elephant's traditional habitats.  

Experts say that elephants would follow their instincts and go through their usual routes, even if they have been developed by humans. 

Studies have found human-elephant conflicts arising from animals raiding crops, injuries/deaths to humans caused by elephants, and humans killing elephants as they are seen as a nuisance.