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A MALE baby elephant was tragically killed after being struck by a container lorry along the East-West Highway (Jalan Raya Timur-Barat), Gerik-Jeli, in the early hours of Sunday morning, prompting an outpouring of sympathy online.
A harrowing 71-second video that went viral on social media shows the calf’s mother desperately nudging the heavy vehicle, refusing to leave the scene in what appeared to be an attempt to revive her young.
The emotionally charged footage has since sparked widespread grief, with thousands expressing condolences and outrage.
According to reports, the accident occurred around 2.00am and involved a lorry transporting poultry. The young elephant was found pinned beneath the front of the vehicle, presumed to have been hit while crossing the road.
Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) Director Yusoff Shariff confirmed the incident, saying his team was alerted around 3.30am.
“Initial monitoring found a male elephant calf, estimated to be around five years old, had died after being hit by a lorry while attempting to cross the road,” he said when contacted on Sunday.
He added that department personnel were deployed to the scene to monitor and relocate the mother elephant to a safer area.
The mother, estimated to be between 25 and 27 years old and weighing approximately 2.2 tonnes, remained at the location for some time. The carcass of the calf was eventually extracted from beneath the lorry and will be disposed of by burial in accordance with standard wildlife protocols.
Gerik District Police Chief, Superintendent Zulkifli Mahmood, confirmed that a formal statement on the incident will be issued shortly.
Meanwhile, Sinar Harian cited that the video posted on the Dunia Haiwan Malaysia Facebook page has drawn more than 3,600 shares, 9,800 reactions, and over 2,000 comments—many expressing heartbreak over the plight of the mother elephant and frustration at continued wildlife-road collisions. - May 11, 2025