Malaysia: 10-year-old elephant killed while crossing highway

AMANDA YEAP The Star 24 Aug 17;

IPOH: A 10-year-old elephant was killed when it was crossing the road at KM60 of the Gerik-Jeli Highway in Gerik, some 130km from here early Wednesday.

Perak Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) director Loo Kean Seong said state officers rushed to the scene at around 9am after they were informed of the 5.30am incident.

"The elephant was hit by a tour bus when it was crossing the road and it was already dead by the time we arrived at the scene.

"Fortunately, the bus driver stayed at the scene and we questioned him for details," he said, adding that none of the bus passengers or the driver were hurt.

Loo said that the stretch of highway was located near a forested area, which is the habitat of elephants.

"They would be roaming around the area at any time of the day, so motorists must be careful and drive cautiously when using the highway. Please avoid speeding," he added.

The elephant carcass will be sent for a post-mortem to determine the cause of death.


Tour bus rams into elephant on east-west highway
Bernama New Straits Times 24 Aug 17;

GERIK: A tour bus heading to Gerik rammed into a bull elephant on the East-West Highway near here early today, killing the 12-year-old animal.

The bus driver, Eng Koon Seng, 62, and the 32 passengers were unhurt in the accident that happened at 5.30 am at Km59 of the highway about five kilometres from the Titiwangsa Rest and Service Area.

Gerik Police deputy chief DSP Mohd Sohaimi Ishak said the bus, heading from Jeli to Gerik, hit the elephant while descending a gradient.

The animal had emerged from the right side of the road and ran across it, he added.

“The driver could not stop the vehicle in time to avoid hitting the elephant. The animal collapsed and then got up and walked to the grass on the road shoulder and died,” he said in a statement here.

He said the elephant was injured in the head and body while the bus had a shattered windscreen and a huge dent at the front.

Mohd Sohaimi said the Department of Wildlife and National Parks had been informed. -- Bernama


Elephant dies after being rammed by tour bus
ADRIAN DAVID New Straits Times 24 Aug 17;

KUALA TERENGGANU: It was a rude awakening for 32 senior citizens when the chartered bus they were traveling rammed into an elephant at dawn, killing the pachyderm.

A passenger onboard the bus, who wished to be identified only as Madam Chong, said they were fast asleep when the were jolted from the impact at Km59 of the East-West Highway along the Grik-Jeli route at 5.30am today.

“Fortunately, none of us were injured although some were initially shocked from the sudden crash along a dark down-slope of the road.

“We were taken aback when we alighted from the bus to see the elephant groaning briefly before it died at the scene,” she said, adding the bus was about 5km from the Titiwangsa Range rest and recreation area.

Madam Chong said the sight of the elephant lying dead moved many of the passengers to tears.

“ Many sobbed uncontrollably at the sight of the dead elephant,” she said.

The impact with the elephant calf severely dented the front of the bus and shattered its windscreen, with the driver fortunate to escape unhurt.

She said the group, who were on a three day, two nights tour of Betong in southern Thailand, had departed Kuala Terengganu at midnight.

“We were stranded for nearly five hours while waiting for the driver to lodge a police report and to catch a replacement bus despatched by the charter company.

“We finally continued our journey and arrived in Betong nearly 2pm,” she said.

Grik deputy police chief Deputy Superintendent Mohd Sohaimi Ishak said initial investigations revealed that the driver was unable to avoid slamming into the elephant down the slope as it suddenly appeared from the forest.

He said the elephant, estimated to be 12-years old, struggled to its feet momentarily after the impact but collapsed and died shortly afterwards.

Police summoned the National Parks and Wildlife Department to remove the carcass.