Thailand: Bull Elephant in musth dies after falling off cliff

4th January 2018;

A captive-raised bull Elephant (Elephas maximus) released into wilderness in Lampang province was found dead at the stream near the foot of a hill in Harng Chat district of Lampang province on Thursday morning.

The 37-year-old elephant “Plai Somrak” was freed into the jungle under a programme called “Releasing Elephants Into Nature”.

Plai Somrak was hunted by Doi Phamuang wildlife sanctuary park officials three days ago after it was on musth and turned aggressive ransacking a Mae Pon elephant camp in Harng Chat and attacking the elephants there.

The male Elephant was chased away and officials launched a hunt for it for fear that it might return and harm local people and attack the camp again.

Officials later found it dead at Huey Mae Pon stream with serious bruise on the forehead.

Veterinarian at Thai Elephant Conservation Centre examined the bruise and believed it might skid and fell off the cliff down to the stream.

The fall broke it’s neck, the veterinarian said and added that it would be examined thoroughly again for actual death cause.

Source: Thai PBS

Malaysia: Electrocuted Elephant was still breastfeeding calf, Perak Perhilitan reveals

A wild Elephant met a sad end when it was fatally electrocuted after crashing into a contractors’ cabin in Gerik, Perak January 2, 2018.

Source: Gerik Fan Club Facebook

By Sylvia Looi, 3rd January 2018;

A female Elephant (Elephas maximus) which was electrocuted after crashing into a contractors’ cabin in Gerik yesterday, was a female leader of a pack that was still breastfeeding her calf, an official has revealed today.

Perak Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) principal assistant director Wan Shaharuddin Wan Nordin said the department came to the conclusion as milk was coming out from its breast.

“We have no idea how old is her calf but those who saw the herd said the Elephant which died was part of a group of six or seven Elephants,” he told Malay Mail when contacted here.

“With the death of its mother, the calf will now be cared for by other Elephants in the group,” he added.

Wan Shaharuddin said initial investigations showed the female Elephant, which was more than 20 years old, had approached the cabin as it smelled food.

“It tried to push down the cabin door to get to the food. The impact of the push instead caused the electricity supplied to the cabin to land on it thus electrocuting it,” he said.

Wan Shaharuddin added that the female pachyderm was most probably the leader of the herd.

“Upon seeing the leader dead, the herd ran amok and destroyed the other cabins in the area,” he explained.

It was reported that the female pachyderm, which weighed roughly two tonnes, received a 240 volt shock from the electricity supplied to the cabin.

The cabin, located around 100 metres away from the Seri Banding army camp, was being used by contractors who were carrying out repair works on the site of a recent landslide.

Malaysian Nature Society past president Prof Maketab Mohamed when contacted said the tragedy would become the norm due to the conflict between man and nature.

“Elephants are a regular feature along the Gerik to Jeli highway as the pachyderms are not scared of humans. They used to eat food wastes dumped in an illegal dump site along the highway,” he said.

The professor added that Elephants cross the highway regularly at many spots despite the presence of a wildlife viaduct, and explained that the incident would not have occurred if the Elephants had a place to go.

“Stopping all forest conversions would be good,” he quipped, adding that suitable habitats are rarer by the day as more forests being converted to other uses especially to oil palm plantations.

Source: Malay Mail

Malaysia: Female Elephant found electrocuted

Tragedy along highway: Perhilitan rangers checking the scene where the carcass of the female Elephant was found near Tasik Banding in Gerik.

3rd January 2018;

In another blow to Malaysian wildlife, a two-tonne Elephant (Elephas maximus) has been found dead – this time, electrocuted by a live wire from roadworks.

The female pachyderm was believed to be rummaging for food when it was electrocuted after destroying a cabin set up by contractors carrying out roadworks near Tasik Banding in Gerik.

The 40-year-old Elephant might have been pregnant or recently gi­­ven birth as it was producing milk.

Perak Wildlife and National Parks principal assistant director Wan Shaharuddin Wan Nordin said the Elephant was found dead at about 7.30am yesterday although it could have been electrocuted much earlier.

“When we reached the site, we found the animal was already dead.

“We immediately alerted Tenaga Nasional Bhd to disconnect the supply,” he said, adding that no criminal element was found in the case.

The deaths of a Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) and a Tapir (Tapirus indicus) due to road accidents on Christmas Eve have alarmed conservationists. The carcass of the tapir was later skinned by a group of men.

Last year, a calf and a 10-year-old Elephant were killed by vehicles along the Gerik-Jeli Highway.

The Management & Ecology of Malaysian Elephants, which has been tracking the herd the female Elephant belonged to, said the animal might either be pregnant or had just given birth.

“We are not sure about this at the moment but there was milk coming out from its breasts,” said its field manager Alicia Solana.

“It is very common for them to roam around this area beside the highway as there is plenty of grass and suitable food.”

Solana said it was believed that the Elephant was electrocuted after pushing against the zinc wall of the cabin.

“It is a big loss emotionally for this herd as we see them very often,” she said.

Ecotourism and Conservation Society Malaysia co-founder and CEO Andrew Sebastian said contractors should have been more alert and careful when setting up cabins in areas with wildlife.

“There are plenty of signboards along the Royal Belum-Temenggor and East-West Highway warning motorists and the public about the presence of Elephants,” Sebastian said.

The Star

Malaysia: Forty-year-old female Elephant dead after being electrocuted in Perak

Source: Info Roadblock JPJ/POLIS Facebook

2nd January 2018;

Perak residents discovered a two-ton female Elephant (Elephas maximus), dead from an apparent electrocution near Tasek Banding, three hours outside of KL, early yesterday morning.

Local Wildlife and National Parks Department acting director Wan Shaharuddin Wan Nordin told reporters that a team of officers rushed to the scene after it was reported at 7:30am.

The perimeter was blocked off, while electricity purveyor Tenaga Nasional Berhad turned off the electrical supply in the area.

Officials believe that the Elephant was electrocuted after pushing against a zinc wall on a contractor’s cabin, and damaging an electrical line in the process. She is believed to be around 40 years old.

Pictures of the animal have since gone viral on Facebook.

Malaysia’s tropical jungle is home to a dizzying array of wildlife, from Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) to Pangolins (Manis javanica) to Elephants, but their numbers have been dwindling.

They are targeted by poachers, their natural habitat has been shrinking due to expansion of plantations, while hundreds have been killed on busy roads as the highway network has rapidly expanded.

Two Elephants were killed in the space of three months earlier this year after being hit by vehicles along a stretch of highway in the same area that the Elephant was electrocuted.

Source: Coconuts KL

Thailand: Elephant hit by car in Khao Yai, only dignity hurt

2nd January 2018;

An Elephant (Elephas maximus) was struck by a tourist’s car in Khao Yai National Park on New Year’s Eve, damaging the vehicle but leaving both human and pachyderm unhurt.

The collision occurred on Highway 3077 in Prachin Buri, the Protected Area Regional Office 1 reported on its Facebook page just after midnight on Tuesday.

Park officials had been patrolling the road and monitoring the movements of Elephants so they could advise tourists on how to observe the wildlife safely.

Park chief Khanchit Srinoppawan said a herd of five Elephants was observed at 7.50pm at the Kilometre 35 marker on Highway 3077.

A car driven by Reungwuth Buranasuk, 56, struck a bull Elephant, shattering a headlight and denting the front end, but veterinarian Pattarapol Manee-on said the animal was unhurt and returned to the forest.

Reungwuth said the Elephants appeared on the road so suddenly that he didn’t have time to brake.

Park officials had noted another herd, this one seven strong, on Highway 2090 less than an hour earlier.

Khao Yai National Park, a World Heritage site, spans Prachin Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Nayok and Saraburi.

Wild Elephants are occasionally seen on the two highways cutting through the park and encounters with passing motorists become more common in high tourist season.

Park officials erect warning signs and advise visitors to remain at least 30 metres from any Elephants, to not take flash photos or honk the horn, and to flee if the Elephants show signs of stress or anger, such as extending their ears and tails.

Visitors are also warned not to speed, make loud noises or feed the animals.

Source: The Nation

Malaysia: Female Elephant electrocuted in Gerik

The Elephant was electrocuted after pushing against the zinc wall of a temporary house in Gerik.
Source: Malaysian Response Team Facebook

2nd January 2018;

A female Elephant (Elephas maximus) died in Gerik, Perak after it was believed to have been electrocuted by a live wire.

The Management & Ecology of Malaysian Elephants (MEME) said that the Elephant was estimated to be about 40 years old.

Its field manager Alicia Solana said that there is a possibility that the Elephant was either pregnant or had just given birth.

“We are not sure about this at the moment, but there was milk coming out from its breasts,” she told the Star Online on Tuesday.

The incident occurred close to the Seri Banding army camp in Gerik on Monday night.

She added that the Elephant was most likely part of a group of other females and babies looking for food.

“It is very common for them to roam around this area beside the highway as there is plenty of grass and suitable food for them,” she said.

Solana said it was believed that the Elephant was electrocuted after pushing against the zinc wall of a temporary house built in the area, which is located next to the highway.

There was no one around at the time of the incident, added Solana.

“It is a big loss emotionally as we knew this group and could identify them. We saw them very often,” she said.

Source: The Star

Malaysia: Elephant fatally electrocuted after smashing into cabin

A wild Elephant met a sad end when it was fatally electrocuted after crashing into a contractors’ cabin in Gerik, Perak January 2, 2018.
Source: Gerik Fan Club Facebook

By Loghun Kumaran, 2nd January 2018;

A wild Elephant (Elephas maximus) was fatally electrocuted after crashing into a contractors’ cabin in Gerik, northern Perak earlier today.

The female pachyderm, which weighed roughly two tonnes, was believed to have smashed through the cabin sometime early this morning before it received a 240 volt shock from the electricity supplied to the cabin.

The cabin, located around 100 metres away from the Seri Banding army camp, was being used by contractors who were carrying out repair works on the site of a recent landslide.

Perak Department Of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) principal assistant director Wan Shaharuddin Wan Nordin said the Gerik Perhilitan office was alerted to the incident at around 7.30am.

“When we reached the site of the incident, we found the carcass of a female Elephant, and we moved to control the area. Tenaga Nasional Berhad also shut off the power to the cabin.” he said when contacted today.

“After conducting an investigation, we found no criminal elements from the post-mortem, which was completed around 4pm.”

So far, Wan Shaharuddin said he was not aware if the Elephant had interacted with any people during the incident.

He said the department would now dispose of the pachyderm’s carcass in accordance with their standard operating procedure.

Gerik police chief Supt Ismail Che Isa confirmed the incident happened at around 4am, and that no civilians or army personnel were injured.

Source: Malay Mail

Malaysia: Elephant electrocuted

The Elephant which was electrocuted.

By P. Chandra Sagaran, 2nd January 2018;

A female Elephant (Elephas maximus) weighing about two tonnes was found dead after being electrocuted near Tasek Banding here today.

Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department acting director Wan Shaharuddin Wan Nordin said a team of officers rushed to the scene after being alerted to the incident at 7.30am.

“We cordoned off the area while Tenaga Nasional Berhad disconnected the electricity supply,” he added.

The animal is believed to be about 40 years old and believed to have been electrocuted after pushing against the zinc wall of a contractor’s cabin in the area.

Several pictures of the dead animal had since gone viral in the social media.

The Sun Daily

1. Police responding to the scene where a motorcycle failed to swerve in time and crashed into a Sun Bear on the East Coast Expressway 2.
2. A group of men skinning and disfiguring a Tapir that was killed in a car accident the night before in Gua Musang (Dec 24).

Photos: Malaysian Response Team and Ediey King, via The Star

Malaysia: Spate of rare animal deaths in Malaysia sparks alarm
28th December 2017;

The deaths of two Sun Bears (Helarctos malayanus) and a Tapir (Tapirus indicus) in Malaysia sparked fresh alarm among activists Thursday at the growing number of exotic animals perishing in the biodiverse country.

A Sun Bear and Tapir were killed in road accidents in the northeast of the country on Christmas Eve, with the Tapir skinned by villagers after its carcass was discovered, environmental group WWF said.

A second Sun Bear was killed and cut up, with its parts spotted on the same day sold openly at a market in Sarawak state on Borneo island, local media reported.

“Despite all efforts from various organisations and government bodies, yet again, we as a nation, have failed to stand up for our Malaysian wildlife,” said Dionysius Sharma, WWF-Malaysia executive director.

“If we do not take drastic measures to protect our wildlife now, we may lose them to extinction in the near future.”

Tropical, jungle-clad Malaysia is home to a dizzying array of wildlife, from Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) to Pangolins (Manis javanica), but their numbers have been dwindling.

They are targeted by poachers, their natural habitat has been shrinking due to expansion of plantations, while hundreds have been killed on busy roads as the highway network has rapidly expanded.

Two Elephants (Elephas maximus) were killed in the space of three months earlier this year after being hit by vehicles on the same stretch of highway in northern Malaysia.

Sun Bears are the smallest of the bear species, and are classified as vulnerable by protection group the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Tapirs are known for their long, drooping noses which they use to forage for leaves, with the variety in Malaysia listed as endangered.

Source: AFP, via Yahoo! News

• The most deaths involved the Malayan Tapir, a species designated as ‘endangered’, or very likely to be extinct.
• Last year, a Malayan Tiger was hit by an MPV as it crossed the East Coast Expressway 2 at around 1 am, prompting renewed calls for motorists to slow when using highways at vulnerable areas at night.

Photos: Bernama

Malaysia: From Leopard to Sun Bears: Malaysian motorists are killing our precious fauna
By May Robertson, 28th May 2017;

Nature and animal lovers were left heartbroken on Christmas eve as two threatened animals — a Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) and a Tapir (Tapirus indicus) — were both killed following collisions with motorists.

The deaths were hardly new, nor were they isolated.

Statistics given by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the Wildlife Department to Malay Mail recorded at least 39 roadkill deaths involving threatened species in Malaysia between January and September this year.

The most deaths involved the Malayan Tapir, a species designated as “endangered”, or very likely to be extinct.

The report also indicated that there were 221 cases of roadkill in the same period, with the most cases happening in Pahang at 24 incidents, which was eight times more than runners-up Terengganu and Johor.

Just last year, a Malayan Tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) — classified “critically endangered” — was hit by an MPV as it crossed the East Coast Expressway 2 at around 1 am, prompting renewed calls for motorists to slow when using highways at vulnerable areas at night.

Things have not changed much. Malay Mail lists down several of this year’s reported cases of motorists mowing down threatened animals:

June 19: Elephant calf in Ipoh, Perak

An Elephant (Elephas maximus) calf was killed after a teacher came across a herd of Elephants at the middle of the East-West Highway around 2.30 am. Following the incident, a hoax went viral online claiming that several Elephants went on a rampage.

June 22: Black Leopard in Kuala Lipis, Pahang

A 60-kg black Leopard (Panthera pardus delacouri) was killed after it was hit by a heavy vehicle along Jalan Sungai Yu-Merapoh, Kuala Lipis. The animal was found just eight km away from the Sungai Yu Eco Viaduct wildlife route.

August 22: Tapirs in Kuantan, Pahang

Two Tapirs were critically injured after they were simultaneously hit while crossing the Kuantan-Gebeng bypass at around 10pm. The two Tapirs succumbed to their head and stomach injuries.

August 23: Elephant in Gerik, Perak

A 12-year-old bull Elephant was killed after a tour bus on the East-West Highway rammed into it at around 5.30am. The animal collapsed and got up to its feet, only later to die at the shoulder of the road some time later.

October 29: Tapir in Jeli, Kelantan

A Tapir was found dead after it was hit by a vehicle on the Jalan Jeli-Dabong near Kampung Renyuk, Jeli. The animal was killed by an injury to its neck.

December 22: Tapir in Kuala Pilah, Negri Sembilan

A car hit a Tapir dead at around 4.30 am along Jalan Seremban-Kuala Pilah.

Source: Malay Mail