Skip to content
Sahabat Alam Malaysia
  • Home
  • About
  • Programmes
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • BMBM
  • Donate
  • Archive

Motorist insensitivity riled up elephant

  • Publication Date | August 26, 2020
  • Document Type | Letter to the Editor
  • Programmes | Forests & Biodiversity
  • Issues | Animal Welfare, Biodiversity, Transport, Wildlife
  • Tags | elephants, Royal Belum, Temenggor, Wildlife Department
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on facebook
Share on linkedin
PDF

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is concerned by a recent incident on the East-West Highway in which a wild elephant stomped on a car bonnet after it was riled by honking from a motorist.

Under such circumstances, when encountering an elephant, the Wildlife Department has in the past advised motorists against using high-beam lights and to refrain from honking. However, a motorist through his ignorance or impatience preferred to honk, resulting in the consequences of a damaged bonnet to a car.  Luckily the five passengers escaped unhurt.

Wildlife officials often reported that encounter with elephants along the East-West Highway, which runs between the district capital of Gerik in Perak and the district of Jeli in Kelantan, is common.  

These wild elephants from the Royal Belum State Park and Temenggor Forest Reserve often wander around the highway early in the morning and late at night in search of food when visibility is low. 

Users of the East-West Highway are advised against panicking when encountering wild elephants roaming or crossing the highway but to allow them to pass unhindered.

According to an animal expert, for most animal encounters it is best to stay quiet,  to  not make sudden movements and to back away slowly. When an animal finds itself in a position where it feels threatened or where one of its family members is threatened, whether those threats are real or imagined, it may trigger the animal’s flight response. 

The animal may want to get away but if it feels it cannot escape, it may choose to defend itself.  If there are babies present, this would make things even more problematic.  Walking out of a car is also risky and should be avoided by all cost.  Using a camera with a flash is a definite no.

An encounter with an elephant may be a sight to behold but many are unaware of the risks faced by these pachyderms. The Gerik-Jeli route has become a site of carnage for wildlife from neighbouring forests.  Signages had been erected in the past to warn motorists of wildlife crossings but this is not enough since there are highly irresponsible and reckless drivers.

Rapid development has squeezed out our local wildlife and elephants which have lost much of their habitats. They are now forced out to forage for food like grass, palm trees and bamboo. With roads crisscrossing across wildlife habitats, many other wildlife species have become road victims along with the elephants.  

Based on Perhilitan’s statistics of 2018, a total of 2,444 wild animals became roadkill from 2012 to 2017, with monitor lizards having the highest fatalities at 764, followed by civet cats (446), monkeys (439), wild boars (265), snakes (147) and wild cats (88).  Other threatened wildlife species that have been killed on roads are tapirs, sun bears (six), elephants (four), mountain goats (two), leopards (two) and tiger (one).

All wildlife have the right to roam freely and safely. In the name of development, wildlife is paying the price with their lives.  The situation is serious with the exodus of cars during school holidays and festive seasons.

Drivers ought to be more responsible when driving at night.  Their killing of wildlife may be unintentional or intentional.  Educational awareness on what to do when approaching wildlife designated areas should be incorporated into their driving lessons.    

The Transport Ministry, Highway authorities, road engineers, planners should take into account the impact roads will have on wildlife before the construction of highways and roads. The planning stages should include the Wildlife department, wildlife biologists, conservationists and NGOs to mitigate road-related impacts on wildlife.

Meenakshi Raman

President

Latest

Pollution & Extractives

Groups urge second largest shipping company in the world to stop shipping plastic waste

This is a press release by the Malaysia Break Free from Plastics to which SAM is a part of In conjunction with the 2022 UN

Read More »
June 28, 2022
Forests & Biodiversity

Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework underway

Between 21 and 26 June 2022, the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Open Ended Working Group 4 (OEWG4) is meeting in Nairobi,

Read More »
June 23, 2022
Pollution & Extractives

Environmental groups claim that new rules restricting plastic trade are being ignored

This is a press release by Break Free from Plastic which SAM is a part of Governments urged to fully enforce the Basel Convention Geneva,

Read More »
June 15, 2022
Forests & Biodiversity

Protect environmentally sensitive areas

It is World Environment Day (WED) on Sunday, June 5. The 2022 WED campaign #OnlyOneEarth calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate,

Read More »
June 5, 2022

Groups urge second largest shipping company in the world to stop shipping plastic waste

  • Publication Date | June 28, 2022
  • Document Type | Media Statement
  • Programmes | Pollution & Extractives
  • Issues | Pollution, Toxics, Waste
Read more

Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework underway

  • Publication Date | June 23, 2022
  • Document Type | Articles & Stories
  • Programmes | Forests & Biodiversity
  • Issues | Agroecology, Biodiversity, Conservation, Food Sovereignty, Land Rights, Wildlife
Read more

Environmental groups claim that new rules restricting plastic trade are being ignored

  • Publication Date | June 15, 2022
  • Document Type | Media Statement
  • Programmes | Pollution & Extractives
  • Issues | Pollution, Toxics, Waste
Read more

Protect environmentally sensitive areas

  • Publication Date | June 5, 2022
  • Document Type | Letter to the Editor
  • Programmes | Forests & Biodiversity
  • Issues | Conservation, Deforestation, Development, Forest Conversions, Mining & Extractives, Planning, Reclamation, Toxics
Read more
Pollution & Extractives

Groups urge second largest shipping company in the world to stop shipping plastic waste

Read More »
June 28, 2022
Forests & Biodiversity

Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework underway

Read More »
June 23, 2022
Pollution & Extractives

Environmental groups claim that new rules restricting plastic trade are being ignored

Read More »
June 15, 2022
Forests & Biodiversity

Protect environmentally sensitive areas

Read More »
June 5, 2022

Testimonials

Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah satu badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang telah sekian lama berjuang mempertahan kelestarian alam. Ia juga mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya kebersamaan dalam pemikiran dan tindakan agar alam ini dapat kita wariskan kepada generasi hadapan dalam keadaan yang elok dan terpelihara. Dalam pada itu juga SAM giat membantu golongan nelayan pantai dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka sehinggalah tertubuhnya Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING). Nelayan pantai sepenuh masa ini dididik oleh SAM sehingga mereka mampu memainkan peranan sebagai pemimpin nelayan yang meneruskan kesinambungan memperjuangkan hak-hak nelayan pantai lainnya. Sebagai contoh SAM telah berjaya menyedarkan masyarakat nelayan keperluan menjaga hutan paya bakau untuk kebaikan hasil tangkapan nelayan itu sendiri.
Jamaluddin Mohamad Bualik
Jamaluddin Mohamad BualikPersatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING)
During the 1980s, I used to read about the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) in the news. After retirement, some time in 2001, while lazing around, I read news about the construction of a carbon in leach plant using sodium cyanide to extract gold in Bukit Koman. My friends and I visited CAP and we were introduced to SAM and her legal team. We discussed the details of filing a case against the gold mining company and the department of environment with Ms Meenakshi Raman and her legal team. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between lawyers from SAM and many of us from Bukit Koman. We had many ups and downs in our struggle to shut down the gold mine that was causing a nuisance in our village. But, as a community we never gave up because SAM had our backs.
Hue Fui How
Hue Fui HowSecretary, Bukit Koman Ban Cyanide in Goldmining Action Committee (BCAC)
Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat luar bandar khasnya. SAM menerima aduan-aduan masyarakat dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi. SAM telah mewujudkan ramai aktivis-aktivis sosial dan alam sekitar. Pada era 1980 dan 90an SAM sangat dihormati oleh masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan. Apabila media sosial menguasai maklumat maka SAM pun terkesan dan masalah masyarakat terus disalurkan dengan pelbagai cara. SAM perlu mewujudkan aktivis-aktivis pelapis yang muda untuk terus membantu masyarakat. SAM juga perlu membuat perubahan supaya banyak turun kelapangan dan jangan mengharapkan laporan media sahaja. Tingkatkan prestasi sebagaimana pada zaman kegemilangan SAM di era 80-90an.
Che Ani Mt Zain
Che Ani Mt Zain
SAM taught me the importance of social activism and the role it plays in upholding the rights of people and the protection of the environment. In my experience, SAM has never hesitated to speak up in defence of people and their environment, and has gone the extra mile to champion their rights, by helping communities take their battles to the higher ups and even to the courts.
Jessica Binwani
Jessica BinwaniPublic/Private Interest Lawyer
Semenjak kami kenal SAM, banyak pengalaman dan pengetahuan yg kami dapat. Kami telah belajar cara membuat baja asli daripada SAM. Semenjak itu, bermulalah minat kami dalam aktiviti pertanian. Dengan memperolehi kemahiran dalam membuat baja asli dan penanaman lestari, kami juga telah dapat menambahkan pendapatan sampingan kami. Ini lebih baik daripada tanah kami terbiar dan tidak diusahakan. Terima kasih SAM kerana sudi memberi bantuan dan tunjuk ajar kepada Persatuan kami.
Chedo Anak Nyuwen
Chedo Anak NyuwenPersatuan Penduduk Sg Buri, Bakong, Marudi
My journey with SAM started when her community organisers took me to the meet the paddy farmers of Kedah, connecting my growing interest in environmental law with our people who struggle to work the land in the face of pollution, replacement of traditional seeds with commercial hybrids and their accompanying chemical package of fertilisers and weedicides. I then had the honour to work with SAM in the struggle for the rights of the native communities of Sarawak, in defence of their forests from massive logging and destructive mega-projects. In every issue that SAM takes up, she combines rigorous research with the realities and voices of the communities to advocate for policies and laws that care for people and nature. From the courts to the elected legislators to policy makers and implementers and to the United Nations, SAM walks side by side with the communities in Malaysia. How can I not be inspired by the vision and passion of the generations of women and men who coalesce to form SAM?
Chee Yoke Ling
Chee Yoke Lingstudent of SAM, Executive Director of Third World Network, SAM’s sister organisation

Support our mission

Do your part for the environment with your donations. Each contribution enables our organisation to create more impact towards environmental justice.

Donate here

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki,
11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi,
Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

Sitemap

  • Home
  • About
  • Programmes
  • Resources
  • Archive
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Usage of the Website Content

Get the latest news

Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki, 11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi, Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

Sitemap

  • Home
  • About
  • Programmes
  • Resources
  • Archive
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Usage of the Website Content

Get the latest news

Follow us here

Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram
Copyright © 2022 Sahabat Alam Malaysia