A Mother’s Grief Knows No Bounds: Heartbroken Elephant Returns to Accident Site, Mourns Lost Calf on Mother’s Day

A Mother’s Grief on the Highway

On the morning of Sunday, May 11, 2025, a devastating accident along the East-West Highway (Jalan Raya Timur-Barat, JRTB) between Gerik and Jeli left the nation in shock.

A male elephant calf, estimated to be five years old, was fatally struck by a lorry carrying a load of chickens at around 2:50 AM.

According to Sinar Harian, the calf had slipped under the front section of the lorry and died at the scene.

The mother, a female elephant estimated to be between 25 to 27 years old and weighing over two tonnes, was visibly distressed.

She stood beside the lorry for hours, occasionally headbutting the vehicle in a desperate attempt to rescue her calf.

Viral Video Sparks Outpouring of Sympathy

The incident quickly spread across social media, with videos showing the mother elephant staying close to her injured calf.

In an earlier dashcam footage of the scene, the mother elephant appeared distressed and helpless, seemingly asking for help as she tried to free her calf trapped under the lorry.

Intervention by Wildlife Authorities

Following this, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) was alerted to the situation at around 3:30 AM. A team was then dispatched to manage the incident.

According to Perhilitan’s Perak Director, Yusoff Shariff, officers administered a safe dose of tranquiliser to the mother elephant to relocate her, hoping she would eventually rejoin another herd, as she refused to leave her calf’s side.

Mother Elephant Relocated, Concerns Grow Over Her Return to the Crash Site

The mother elephant was relocated about one kilometre away from the crash site.

The decision was made to avoid further endangering motorists and to ensure the safe removal of the calf’s remains.

The carcass was successfully extracted from under the lorry and, following established procedures, was buried at a secure location.

Reports also indicate that the mother elephant may return to the scene again.

It is reported that it took 10 rescuers from Perhilitan Perak and Kelantan to help ‘calm’ the distressed mother elephant.

She Returned to Mourn Again

Despite being moved, the mother elephant, as feared, made her way back to the scene later that same night (May 11).

Footage shared on TikTok showed the mother elephant revisiting the location.

Police Findings: No Human Negligence

Gerik District Police Chief, Superintendent Zulkifli Mahmood, stated that preliminary investigations found no negligence on the part of the 28-year-old lorry driver, FMT reports.

The road was foggy at the time, lacked street lighting, and the calf had reportedly crossed the road suddenly, making it impossible for the driver to avoid the collision.

Calls for Safer Crossings and Action from Authorities

The incident has renewed calls for proper wildlife crossings. Wildlife advocate Lee Lam Thye stated that animals such as tapirs and elephants continue to lose their lives while crossing roads in search of food.

Lee Lam Thye. For illustration purposes only. Courtesy of FMT

These incidents not only cost animal lives but also pose dangers to motorists.

Teik Hua Law, director of the Road Safety Research Centre at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), recommended enhancing road safety features like clear signage to help reduce risks to wildlife.

What’s Next: Infrastructure and Wildlife Safety Commitments

The Ministry of Works has announced an RM4 million (approx. S$1,207,892) initiative in collaboration with PERHILITAN to install street lighting at 39 known wildlife crossing hotspots across Malaysia, including sites in Perak, Kelantan, Kedah, Johor, and Pahang.

In addition, the Malaysian Highway Authority and Public Works Department have committed to incorporating wildlife tunnels in the design of all future roads and highways.

Photo courtesy of Works Ministry via NST

According to Astro Awani, the West Coast Expressway (WCE) already has a tunnel between Taiping Selatan and Bruas.

“An Elephant Remembers, So Must We”

Meanwhile, WWF-Malaysia called for stricter speed limit enforcement and the installation of speed bumps at known wildlife hotspots to help slow down traffic and reduce road accidents involving animals.