Malaysia: 5 hours to move male elephant

New Straits Times 17 Jan 14;

TO THE RESCUE: Officers use female elephants to tame wild animal caught in Kampung Keruak forest

HULU BESUT: THE Terengganu Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), aided by the National Elephant Conservation Centres (UKGK) in Kuala Gandah, Pahang, and Sungai Ketiar, Hulu Terengganu, took five hours to tame and transfer a wild male elephant caught in the Kampung Keruak forest here last Thursday.

Two female elephants from UKGK Kuala Gandah were used to help the team, comprising 10 Perhilitan officers and nine UKGK members.

The three-tonne elephant, caught last Thursday, was believed to have rampaged oil palms belonging to local residents. Four or five other elephants escaped into the jungle.

Terengganu Perhilitan director Yusoff Sharif said the operation took a long time because the wild elephant had to be tied up and pulled for about 1km before being transported out in a lorry.

"A passage had to be made in the jungle to facilitate the transfer of the elephant."
He said it was the second such operation this year. However, he said, it was the first involving an elephant in Hulu Terengganu.

Yusoff said the elephants that escaped had been spotted in Manik Urai forest, Kelantan. Bernama