IPOH: The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has detected a herd of wild elephants roaming in the vicinity of the East-West Highway near Gerik.
Perak Perhilitan director Mohd Taufik Abdul Rahman said they carried out monitoring and patrols at about 1am on Wednesday (March 18).
"The herd of elephants, including calves, was driven back into the forest to prevent any untoward incidents," he said briefly when contacted by Bernama on Thursday (March 19).
He was commenting on a 48-second video that went viral on social media showing road users stopping their vehicles as a herd of elephants stood by the roadside on the highway.
Mohd Taufik advised road users along the route to be careful and take necessary precautions when encountering wild animals.
"When encountering a herd of elephants, there are several things to keep in mind. Do not honk or use high beams as this may provoke them.
"Do not exit vehicles and wait for the elephants to cross before proceeding," he said.
Mohd Taufik said if elephants display aggressive behaviour such as flaring their ears or repeatedly raising and lowering their trunks, road users should slowly reverse their vehicles. – Bernama
