Perhilitan catches two wild elephants in Jeli

JELI: The Kelantan Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) managed to catch two out of the six wild elephants that were destroying crops in Kampung Lawar here on Aug 31.

Its director Mohamad Khairi Ahmad said the two female elephants, aged 15 and 30 years and weighing between one to two tonnes, were caught by using anaesthetisation shots.

"On Aug 31, we have received complaints from villagers claiming to have run into a herd of elephants while picking durians in the garden.

"Kelantan Perhilitan subsequently sent eight personnel to the village to monitor and catch the elephants on the day the incident was reported," he said when contacted here today.

He said the department would continue to monitor and track the remaining four elephants believed to be still roaming in the village area.

Mohamad Khairi said the two captured elephants were still placed in Kampung Lawar while awaiting permission to transfer the mammals to the Kuala Gandah National Elephants Conservation Centre in Pahang.

Meanwhile villager Abdul Mutalib Abdul Rahman, 69, said he reported the matter to Perhilitan out of fear for his safety after he came aross the herd of elephants in his garden.

"I heard a sound like an explosion about 300 metres from where I stood in the garden and was surprised to see a herd of elephants breaking bamboo groves," he said. — Bernama