GUA MUSANG: At about 4am on Aug 24, some 150 Kembara Rakyat Nenggiri participants camping in Pos Gob were startled by an unexpected visitor - a fully grown male wild elephant approaching their campsite.
The encounter has renewed concerns over human-elephant conflict in the remote Orang Asli settlement, which lies within the Balah Permanent Forest Reserve.
Kelantan Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Wan Mohd Adib Wan Yusoh said the elephant is believed to belong to the ID Nenggiri herd, comprising about 40 elephants that use the surrounding forest as their habitat and natural migration route.
"The elephants could appear at any time as they move through the forest in search of food.
"With parts of the settlement close to their natural routes, encounters with humans remain a risk, particularly if the animals are approached or provoked," he said.
As such, he said the department will deploy officers to monitor the area and assess what measures are needed.
Wan Mohd Adib also urged the public to keep their distance from elephants and avoid chasing them, sounding vehicle horns or shining lights at them.
But the problem goes beyond a single encounter.
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Kamarul Ariffin Kambali @ Hambali warned that land clearing, plantations and the Nenggiri dam project could further disrupt elephant habitats and drive the animals closer to settlements.
He proposed establishing food banks inside the forest, as well as electric fencing or sandbag barriers, to reduce encounters between elephants and local communities.
Nenggiri assemblyman Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani said wildlife conflicts in Pos Gob have persisted for two years, calling for a comprehensive solution to protect residents. – Bernama
