IPOH: The Perak state government will collaborate with the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) to tackle the increasing number of human-elephant conflicts, particularly incidents involving elephants crossing highways, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
The Mentri Besar said recent observations suggest changes in elephant behaviour.
“We have seen elephants crossing, especially the East-West highways, in large groups, and something must be prompting this.
“We need to study their behaviour more closely to understand what’s going on,” said the Mentri Besar after attending the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) “Majlis Ramah Mesra” event at a hotel here on Thursday (May 22).
Saarani said Perhilitan would investigate the cause and propose appropriate measures.
He cited a past incident during the development of the Agropolitan Gandah project, where elephants frequently disturbed newly planted rubber trees.
“Eventually, we allocated a specific area just for the elephants to feed and roam. Once they had that space, they no longer came into conflict with the plantation.
“That experience taught us the importance of understanding and adapting to wildlife behaviour,” he said.
Saarani stated that it was important to investigate whether elephants were crossing the Gerik-Jeli stretch more frequently after the recent accident involving a baby elephant, or if there are other reasons.
“I want to remind road users, especially in known wildlife corridors, to be extra cautious. These are traditional elephant routes.
“I have tasked state executive councillor Teh Kok Lim to initiate talks with Perhilitan to identify the cause and effective solutions.
“We are looking into the matter, especially now that the elephants are crossing roads in larger groups,” he added.
On May 11, a five-year-old elephant was killed after it was struck by a lorry along KM80 of the highway.
An adult elephant, believed to be the mother, then “attacked” the lorry, damaging the front of the vehicle, in its attempt to free the calf pinned by the vehicle.
On May 20, a herd of wild elephants damaged a car with a 39-year-old man inside at KM11 on the same highway.
