IPOH: Every wild animal, including elephants, captured by the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) will be implanted with a tracking device or microchip before they are translocated, says Perak Perhilitan director Yusoff Shariff.
He said the initiative is to monitor animal movements before release into its natural habitat and to identify if an elephant has previously been caught and released.
"The microchip allows us to track the movement and location of wild elephants using satellite technology, especially when they move to new areas or leave their original habitat.
"The chip will be installed after the elephant is captured and measured morphologically, and then returned to its herd," he said on Tuesday (May 13).
Yusoff said Perhilitan continuously conducts patrols and regular monitoring to drive away wild elephants, particularly along the Gerik-Jeli stretch of the East-West Highway.
"We have a dedicated patrol unit that monitors and guards the highway at specific times, including the use of drones for surveillance. If elephants are spotted, we will drive them back into the forest.
"As for the case of the mother elephant recently, we believe it has since joined another herd. However, we will continue to monitor the area closely," he said.
He added that Perhilitan would also increase the number of warning signs along the road to remind motorists to be safe.
Meanwhile, a check at the site where a five-year-old male elephant calf was killed revealed visible signs of the collision.
Fresh elephant dung was also seen at the site, indicating that the area is one of the 35 hotspots identified for wild elephant presence.
On Sunday, a five-year-old male elephant calf was killed after being struck by a vehicle at KM80 of the Gerik-Jeli stretch of the East-West Highway. – Bernama
