Malaysia: Wild elephant dies after hit by lorry in Hulu Terengganu

Bernama New Straits Times 29 Jul 19;

HULU TERENGGANUL: A wild elephant was killed after it was hit by a lorry carrying iron ore in an incident at KM44 of Jalan Kuala Berang-Aring here, last night.

Hulu Terengganu district police chief DSP Mohd Adli Mat Daud said the incident occurred at about 10.30 pm when lorry driver Emyhaizi Ahmad, 32, was heading from Gua Musang to the Kemaman Port.

According to Mohd Adli, the driver reported that when he arrived at the scene, a group of wild elephants suddenly came out of the forest area, and he could not stop the vehicle in time.

“The weather at the time of the incident was good, but the distance was too close for the driver to avoid the group of wild elephants. The crash caused an elephant to come under the rear tyre of the trailer head, and the animal died at the scene due to severe head injury.

“However, the lorry driver from Kampung Langkap, Setiu, was not injured,” he said in a statement today.

Mohd Adli said the remains of the elephant were removed from the road with the help of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks.- BERNAMA

Perhilitan: Animal crossings at 170 locations in effort to reduce roadkill
JO TIMBUONG The Star 29 Jul 19;

PETALING JAYA: The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has put up 300 animal crossing road signs at about 170 locations across peninsular Malaysia in an effort to reduce roadkill.

As many as 40 road signs, including two signboards indicating animal crossing areas, were put up in Terengganu alone after an elephant was killed in a collision with a lorry at a stretch on the Gawi-Aring expressway in Hulu Terengganu Sunday (July 28).

"Motorists are advised to slow down when they see the signs and be more aware of wild animals crossing the road," it said in a statement.

Perhilitan will also be monitoring the expressway and urged the public to contact the department at 1-800-88-2121 if they notice elephant herds crossing the expressway.

On Sunday night, a female elephant died after it was hit by a lorry travelling from Aring to Gawi carrying iron ore at around 8.30pm.

Perhilitan personnel later rushed to the scene and found the elephant, believed to be about 12 months old, dead at the bottom of the lorry.

The expressway connects Hulu Terengganu in Terengganu with Gua Musang in Kelantan.

Perhilitan personnel later buried the elephant.