KOTA TINGGI: A 6-year-old male elephant was found dead following a hit-and-run accident at Batu 13, Jalan Kota Tinggi-Mersing here, today.
The juvenile pachyderm is believed to have been struck by a vehicle at 8pm on Friday.
According to Johor director of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan Johor) Salman Saaban, the young elephant suffered severe injuries in the collision and died from its wounds approximately on Saturday night.
“(After being alerted to the discovery of the large mammal), a team from Perhilitan Johor rushed to the scene of the accident. They found the pachyderm’s body, which had begun to decompose, about 50 metres from the point of the collision,” he said in a statement here, today.
Salman said the young elephant had likely been part of a herd of 30 to 40 elephants dubbed “Kumpulan Gajah Panti”, which frequently crosses Jalan Kota Tinggi-Mersing, particularly at night.
“According to our records, there were five road traffic accidents involving elephants on this road in 2018, with one resulting in a fatality,” he said.
Salman added that Perhilitan Johor has placed “elephant crossing” signs at intervals along the highway to caution motorists.
He also called on drivers to be extra careful and alert when travelling along the road, particularly at night.