Perhilitan captures wild elephant that destroyed crops in Jerteh

JERTEH: The Terengganu Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) capture a male wild elephant that had destroyed crops in Kampung Padang Tapong here Saturday (Jan 29).

Terengganu Perhilitan director Loo Kean Seong said the elephant was caught after public complaints concerning the animal, which was seen wandering about the village.

"The male elephant was captured at 2.15pm Saturday, soon after efforts to detect the animal were made.

"The two-tonne elephant is about 15 years old, and is believed to be from the Pelagat Forest Reserve, which is located near the village,” he said when contacted by Bernama here Sunday (Jan 30).

Loo said the elephant was expected to be relocated with the help of tame elephants from the Sungai Deka Elephant Conservation Centre in Hulu Terengganu, about 120km from here on Wednesday (Feb 2).

Meanwhile, resident Mohd Zulkifli Ismail, 61, expressed his relief after Perhilitan succeeded in catching the elephant.

"Many banana, jackfruit and rubber trees, and pineapple crops in my orchard, which is located about 200m from the main road near the village, were damaged and eaten by the animal in the past three days.

"With the elephant in the vicinity, I was also worried about going to the orchard, fearing that it might be lurking in the nearby bushes,” he said.

Zulkifli said his neighbours also suffered losses when their orchards and oil palm smallholdings were destroyed by the elephant.

He added that the elephant had also wandered close to the housing area of Taman Saujana near the village. - Bernama