Dept denies abuse of elephant
Published on: Thursday, August 27, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Wildlife Department has denied it abused an elephant during a translocation exercise last year. Its Director William Baya on Wednesday said there was no way they would abuse elephants as insinuated by a Netizen on Facebook during the exercise at Kampung Bauto, Telupid in February 2014. He noted personnel were up against a rogue bull elephant that day and had to 'poke' the pachyderm as a diversion before transporting it.
ADVERTISEMENT
"In this particular case, my team was up against a rogue bull elephant that was exceptionally dangerous and was a huge threat to the lives of the rescue personnel as well as the villagers," he said in a statement here. A video and several photos of the translocating exercise in what is believed to be an oil palm plantation went viral on Facebook posted by one Melisa Lim on Aug 24, alleging the elephant need not be relocated "if there's no greedy businessmen." Her posting garnered over 100 comments, with some of her social media friends suggesting better ways of carrying out translocation of animals while she initially thought "some businessman hired some ciplak (imitation) workers to get rid of the elephant".Lim also highlighted the process in photos in which one indicated the beast was poked with a blunt metal object by a Wildlife Rescue personnel, while, indicating ironically, "I don't want to say anything to describe the photos, but do comment sincerely…Don't say the elephant is being abuse-Ah, totally nothing like it, this is relocation in action…"
ADVERTISEMENT
The department's Assistant Director, Dr Sen Nathan, said elephant translocation involves tracking, sedation, restraining, transportation and release. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
ADVERTISEMENT
The elephant has been transported to Deramakot Forest Reserve.
