Latest news with #MohamadHafidzRohani
New Straits Times
08-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Kelantan Wildlife Dept captures wild elephant in Kuala Krai
KUALA KRAI: The State Wildlife Department has captured a wild elephant that had been causing repeated disturbances and damaging crops in Kampung Slow Mengkuang here. Kelantan Wildlife director Mohamad Hafidz Rohani said the male elephant was captured at the village yesterday. He said the department had received a complaint about the elephant disturbance on July 2. "Following the report, our team from Kuala Krai, together with the Kelantan Elephant Capture Unit, were deployed to the scene. The elephant was successfully captured on July 7," he said. He added the capture of the elephant brought some relief to residents in the area who had suffered recurring losses due to damaged crops and property caused by the elephant. He said the elephant would be relocated and released into a more suitable and safer habitat soon, with assistance from the Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Centre in Lanchang, Pahang. Hafidz said the department has also been providing advisory services to local farmers to help reduce human-elephant conflict. These include encouraging preventive measures such as installing blue LED lights along elephant entry routes into farmland and clearing undergrowth to avoid attracting the animals. "Other measures that villagers need to take include constructing the Elephant Electric Fencing System (SPEG) around their smallholdings," he added. However, he noted that capturing and relocating wild elephants was not a long-term solution, as the affected farmlands are located near the Serasa and Ulu Temiang Permanent Forest Reserves, where over 20 wild elephants are believed to roam. "As such, we urge farmers to adopt more effective measures such as building elephant trenches or SPEG fences to prevent future incursions," he said. He added that the SPEG system has proven to be one of the most effective methods to deter wild elephants, but must be constructed according to proper specifications to function effectively. The public is also advised to remain vigilant and avoid taking any unnecessary risks when encountering wild animals.
New Straits Times
14-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Elephant crossing zones identified in several Kelantan districts
KOTA BARU: Several areas in Kelantan have been identified as elephant crossing zones, including main roads and exit routes from the state. State Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Mohamad Hafidz Rohani said these locations are commonly used by herds of elephants emerging from nearby forests to cross public roads. "Aside from the East-West Highway connecting Jeli and Gerik in Perak, the districts involved include Jeli, Gua Musang, and Kuala Krai. "As part of our safety measures, we have installed warning signboards along these routes to alert the public," he said. He added that the signboards serve as a reminder for motorists to reduce their speed and remain vigilant, especially during dawn and dusk when elephant movement is more frequent. Hafidz said the department would continue to monitor the situation closely and urged drivers to exercise caution to prevent any untoward incidents involving both humans and wildlife. He also advised the public to remain calm and avoid taking matters into their own hands when encountering wild animals, as doing so could pose safety risks. Complaints or sightings can be reported to Perhilitan through its hotline at 1-800-88-5151. On Sunday, a male elephant calf, estimated to be five years old, was killed after being hit by a truck on the Gerik-Jeli stretch of the East-West Highway. Videos and photos of the incident went viral on Mother's Day, showing the mother elephant trying to free her dead calf trapped under the truck, evoking emotional responses from the public. Following the incident, Perak Wildlife personnel had to sedate the mother elephant after she refused to leave her calf for over five hours.
