New Straits Times 16 Jun 12;
KUALA KANGSAR: The State Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has captured a five-tonne elephant in Kampung Sauk, near here, yesterday.
State department director Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the bull, estimated to be between 50 and 60 years old, would be relocated to a more suitable habitat soon.
"We were notified of the elephant's presence near the village two weeks ago by some villagers.
"A team of eight men monitored the area for two days before conducting an operation which ended at 5am yesterday," he said.
Kadir said the elephant was healthy.
"We will decide its relocation site after discussing it with a team from the Elephant Unit under the National Elephant Conservation Centre," he said.
Farmer Rosli Abd Rahman, 49, said this was the first time an elephant had been caught straying into his village.
"All of us are quite curious to see it now that it has been caught.
"Initially, we were afraid due to its size but it did not cause much damage except for eating some durians from some orchards and also bringing down two coconut trees," he said.
Rosli said the pachyderm was not seen in the day and could only be heard moving and roaming about the area.
