New Straits Times 10 Oct 09;
JERTIH: A rogue elephant that has been causing havoc in Pelagat for almost a week was finally captured by wildlife authorities on Wednesday.
The 12-year-old wild elephant walked into a trap set up three days ago by the state Wildlife Department with the help of the villagers.
For almost seven days before that, the elephant had caused havoc in three villages -- Pelagat, Paroh and Padang Tapung -- by destroying their crops.
The rampage took place especially at nights, causing widespread fear among villagers for their safety.
After successfully trapping it, the elephant was calmed down by two tamed elephants -- "Che Mek" and " Lokimala" -- from the Kuala Gandah sanctuary in Lanchang, Pahang. It was transported to the department's elephant sanctuary in Kampung Sungai Ketiar in Hulu Terengganu the next day.
The operation involved 21 members from Terengganu and Pahang Wildlife Departments, said Besut Perhilitan chief Edley A. Jailium.
The Pelagat area is notorious for rampages by wild elephants which come from the Terengganu-Kelantan border.
Villagers are constantly living in fear, and there have been reports of elephant herds roaming the plains where their crops are cultivated.
Wild jumbo caught and relocated
R. S. N. Murali, The Star 10 Oct 09;
BESUT: Game rangers of the State Wildlife and National Park Department caught a wild elephant, which was separated from its herd seven months ago, in an operation in Kampung Padang Tapong here.
Villagers called the department on Wednesday after they spotted the elephant.
Four officerss started looking for the elephant at 10am and managed to catch a glimpse of the animal two hours later.
The elephant, however, managed to evade the officers before it was sedated at about 5pm.
Department director Rozidan Md Yassin said the 1.7 tonne elephant, which was kept at an oil palm estate near the village earlier, was about ten to 12 years old.
Rozidan was at the site on Thursday to organise the relocation of the elephant.
The elephant was relocated yesterday to the Ketiar Elephant Sanctuary in Hulu Terengganu using two tame elephants named Chek Mek and Lokimala from the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary.
