A tragic road accident in Malaysia left an elephant calf dead and a driver injured after a car struck the young animal before crashing into a ravine. The heartbreaking incident happened early on Wednesday along Jalan Felda Nitar near Kampung Pengkalan Bukit Asli in Johor.
An adult elephant, believed to be the calf’s mother, stayed beside its dead offspring for hours, causing temporary traffic disruption while rescue teams worked at the scene.
Crash Leaves Driver Injured
The accident involved a 31-year-old man who was driving towards Felda Nitar in Kahang, Kluang. According to the Mersing Fire and Rescue Department, his car hit the elephant calf before leaving the road and plunging into a five-meter-deep ravine. The driver became trapped inside the damaged vehicle after the crash.
Emergency services received a distress call at about 2.28am. Nine firefighters traveled around 27 kilometers to reach the location and arrived at 3.03am. Rescue personnel safely freed the injured driver from the wreckage before taking him to Mersing Hospital for treatment. Officials said he suffered injuries to his legs.
Mother Elephant Refuses To Leave
The elephant calf died from injuries caused by the collision. A firefighter at the scene confirmed that the animal could not survive the impact. Throughout the rescue operation, an adult elephant believed to be the calf’s mother remained close to the carcass, making it difficult for authorities to carry out their work and affecting traffic in the area.
Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon, the Johor Elephant Action Unit was sent to manage the situation. Their priority was to protect both the public and the elephant while allowing rescue operations to continue safely.
Rescue Operation Completed
After the situation was brought under control, authorities buried the elephant calf at a suitable location. The mother elephant was fitted with a monitoring collar before wildlife officers released her back into the nearby forest. The collar will help officers monitor her movements after the incident.
Ling confirmed that the operation had ended successfully and that the area was safe again. Authorities later reopened the road after completing all rescue and wildlife management work. The accident reflects the difficulty of balancing traffic safety and the safety of wildlife on roads traversing elephant habitat.
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