JERTIH: The Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) has managed to capture a wild elephant in Kampung Pak Sik, Hulu Besut near here this morning after tracking it for almost a month.
Terengganu Perhilitan director Loo Kean Seong said the department failed to capture the male elephant twice after receiving a report on May 28, but were successful in their third attempt at 9 am.
“While the first two operations, from June 9 to 11, and June 19 to 21, failed, we were successful in catching the elephant, estimated to be about two tons, aged 10 to 12, in our third operatoin that started yesterday,” he said when contacted today, adding that seven Besut Perhilitan personnel were involved in the operation.
The elephant seemed to be in healthy condition, but his left tusk was broken and there were tusk thrust marks on his left hip, believed to have been a result of a previous fight with another male elephant.
“The animal was shot with a tranquliser dart in an area near an orchard and it is being tethered there currently before being transferred to a suitable natural habitat this week,” he said, adding that this was the second elephant captured by Terenggan Perhilitan in the village after the first on May 8.
Bernama had previously reported that residents of Kampung Pak Sik were living in fear of coming across the wild elephant in the area whenever they went to their orchards or to tap rubber trees.
