Terengganu Perhilitan Captures Wild Elephant In Kemaman

CHUKAI, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- The Terengganu Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan)  captured a wild elephant at Ladang Rakyat Bukit Bandi Cerul near here today.

Its director Loo Kean Seong said the mammal was captured at 2 pm after being tranquillised while at the oil palm plantation at about 12.30 pm.

He said the bull elephant, estimated to be seven years old and weighing 2.5 tonnes, was in good health when captured about two kilometres from the location where it was darted.

“A group of Perhilitan personnel rushed to the location after detecting a viral video lasting more than three minutes showing a wild elephant roaming along Jalan Cerul–Bukit Sagu, which was uploaded on Facebook at 10 am today,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

He added that the elephant would be relocated to its natural habitat soon to ensure its survival.

Loo said that based on information from residents, the wild elephant had been detected roaming around the Cerul area for several years, but it did not disturb the public, including road users.

Meanwhile, Kemaman district police chief Supt Mohd Razi Rosli said the elephant was believed to have wandered onto the road after several areas of the oil palm plantation were inundated by floods since yesterday.

“Road users need not worry about using the route as the wild elephant has been captured,” he said.

 -- BERNAMA