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SHAH ALAM – If you have noticed the name "Sulong Chalil" taking over your social media feeds alongside clips of a lone elephant limping along a highway, you are looking at one of the most compelling human-wildlife stories in the country.
The pachyderm captured national attention after being spotted trekking along the East-West Highway between Gerik and Jeli with a visible front leg injury.
To understand how Sulong ended up wandering along one of the country’s busiest interstate arteries, one must look back at the origin story.
The origin story
The wild male elephant originally inhabited the vast forest reserves of Chalil in Gua Musang, Kelantan. His presence in the area, while natural, had increasingly intersected with human settlements and agricultural zones, leading to persistent crop damage and potential safety hazards for local communities.
To mitigate these ongoing friction points, wildlife authorities stepped in to relocate the elephant to a safer, more expansive natural sanctuary.
In response to the growing conflict in Kelantan, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) executed a planned translocation operation.
Sulong was captured and safely transported from Gua Musang across state borders into the deep, protected forest reserves of Gerik, Perak.
The intervention was aimed at giving the elephant a fresh start in a secure habitat far removed from human farmland, allowing him to roam freely without causing further disruption to rural livelihoods.
Initial sightings along the East-West Highway
Nature often works against human intervention. Elephants are renowned for their exceptional memory and deep-seated homing instincts, traits that often compel translocated individuals to seek out their familiar birth grounds regardless of distance.
Driven by this powerful biological programming, Sulong embarked on an arduous journey spanning hundreds of kilometres through dense jungle and rugged terrain in an effort to return to his original habitat in Gua Musang.
His natural navigation route brought him directly onto the shoulder of the East-West Highway, which cuts straight through the ancient rainforest corridors.
Sightings of Sulong began emerging around mid-August, specifically going viral on Aug 17, when motorists noticed him trekking along the road shoulder. Public concern escalated significantly when viral footage reported to the media revealed that Sulong was moving with a visible limp due to an injury on his front right leg.
The sight of the injured jumbo prompted immediate calls for action, leaving travellers worried for both the animal's welfare and road safety along the high-speed highway stretch.
Official media statement from Perhilitan and public safety guidelines
Following the national attention overnight, Perhilitan teams uploaded an official media statement where they initiated round-the-clock herding operations to guide Sulong back into the thick forest canopy.
Despite multiple persistent attempts by Perhilitan teams to turn him back into deep cover, the determined elephant continuously looped back towards the tarmac corridor, unwilling to abandon his directional path.
Perhilitan have since established a daily double-shift monitoring system operating day and night to ensure constant surveillance whenever the bull approaches active traffic lanes.
Providing an official assessment of his health, Perhilitan confirmed that veterinary teams monitoring Sulong on-site observed positive recovery signs. The wound on his front right leg is drying up nicely and showing steady signs of natural healing.
Crucially, experts noted that his general behaviour, mobility, and appetite remain entirely normal, suggesting he is in strong spirits despite the physical strain of his long journey.
While on-site veterinary personnel remain on standby to evaluate whether further medical treatment or a full secondary relocation is required, authorities have issued urgent safety directives for all highway commuters.
Drivers passing through the corridor, particularly within a five-kilometre radius of the Titiwangsa Rest and Recreation (R&R) area, are strictly urged to reduce their speed and strictly follow Perhilitan teams instructions at all times.
Commuters are strictly advised against stopping their vehicles, stepping out onto the road, or attempting to take photographs and videos of the elephant. Halting on the highway shoulder creates severe traffic bottlenecks and risks terrifying or provoking the massive animal into defensive behaviour.
Furthermore, travellers must never attempt to feed Sulong or discard food along the roadside, as this habituates wild animals to human presence and increases the likelihood of future highway accidents.
For now, Perhilitan teams remain stationed along the asphalt, carefully managing Sulong's movements and safeguarding both the travelling public and the resilient bull as he navigates the delicate boundary between the wild and human infrastructure.
