A VIDEO showing Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) personnel "scolding" a herd of elephants while telling the animals to go back to the forest, has gone viral. Did such an incident happen along a road in Gerik, Perak as claimed?
Verdict:
TRUE
Perak Perhilitan director Yusoff Shariff confirmed the incident, saying that their personnel were trained and have experience to prevent attacks.
"Their aim was to get the animals to return to the forest to lessen any risks of roadkills or causing traffic issues.
"We must, however, insist and strongly advise the public not to make noise and provoke the animals, as they do not have our personnel's experience," he said when contacted.
In the video, as the vehicle with the Perhilitan personnel was passing by a road in Gerik, the herd of five elephants was seen walking near the road.
A man could then be heard shouting at the animals, while making loud noises to drive the pachyderms back to the forest.
"One, two, three, four, five... there, there... back, back," the personnel were heard telling the animals while pointing to the forest.
Several of the elephants could also be seen trying to charge at the vehicle, but stopped in their tracks before turning away and slowly marching back to the forest.
The video is believed to have originated and uploaded by Mohd Hamdi Mohd Sayuti, who is a state Perhilitan wildlife assistant, on TikTok.
A Perhilitan personnel was then heard thanking the animals for their cooperation.
