TANAH MERAH, Dec 15 — The Kelantan Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) successfully relocated a 30-year-old wild male elephant from Kampung Air Kayam, Jedok to a new habitat today.
Its director, Ady Ermanty Hanif said the elephant, weighing 3.5 tonnes and with 18-inch size soles, was captured in a rubber estate on Dec 11 after receiving complaints from the villagers and transferred to the Sungai Deka Elephant Sanctuary in Terengganu.
“The elephant, which was captured using tranquillisers, is in healthy condition following continued monitoring,” he told reporters at the relocation site here today.
The six-hour relocation exercise was also assisted by Pahang’s Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Centre.
“Two decoy elephants namely Rambai and Abot were also used in the operation before the wild elephant was relocated to the sanctuary,” he said.
The wild elephant was the eighth caught by the department in Jeli district, and the first in Tanah Merah district for this year, he said.
Ady Ermanty also thanked the villagers for the cooperation extended during the relocation operation, and advised the villagers not to act on their own when dealing with wild animals to prevent risky situations. — Bernama
