Malaysia: Wild elephants a danger on highways

The Star 14 Mar 14;

HERDS of wild elephants seen walking along the East-West Highway between Perak and Kelantan are posing a danger to motorists, says Datuk Hasbullah Osman (BN-Gerik).

He said there are an increasing number of elephants in the area because some of them were caught elsewhere and relocated to the Royal Belum Forest Reserve bordering Gerik.

“Although attempts have been made to fence off the road to prevent elephants walking along the highway, the danger to motorists is still there.

“You can see them walking along the highway,” he said in his motion of thanks on the Royal Address.

He called on the Wildlife and National Parks Department to create an elephant sanctuary along the border of the Belum Royal Forest and his constituency.

Hasbullah said villagers, especially small rubber holders, have suffered financial losses after their crops were damaged by the elephants.

Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN-Lenggong) supported Hasbullah’s call for a new elephant sanctuary. He said farmers in his constituency also faced the same issue as their areas bordered the Belum forest reserve.

“The farmers lost hundreds of thousands of ringgit. There was a recent case in a village where an entire 200ha of crops belonging to a villager was destroyed by wild elephants, which resulted in RM500,000 in losses,” he added.