Malaysia: Elephant caught in Gua Musang

New Straits Times 21 Mar 13

KOTA BARU: Rangers from the state wildlife department captured an elephant which had been destroying crops in Aring 6 and Aring 10 in Gua Musang over the past month.

Department director Rahmat Topani said the 20-year-old male elephant was captured at Felda Aring 6 at 1.30pm on Monday.

"A team led by state assistant director Shaary Awang went in search of the elephant after receiving reports it had entered a smallholding and destroyed plants belonging to villagers in Aring 6 since February.

"They went there on Sunday and managed to capture the elephant the next day."

He said the jumbo, which had been named Awang Putih, weighed about 1.5 tonnes and was the first elephant captured by the department this year.

Rahmat said the elephant was expected to be sent to the National Park using two trained elephants, Mek Pek and Kala, yesterday evening.