January 15, 2011
Probe on jumbo accident Dept to summon truck driver who knocked down elephant
By IVAN LOH
Star
THE Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department has launched an investigation into a road accident that killed a female elephant at KM32 of the East-West Highway near the Banding Lake in Gerik.
Department director Shabrina Mohd Shariff said they would be summoning the 32-year-old truck driver who had knocked down the elephant to record his statement.
“We want to determine whether the driver was driving too fast or if there was poor visibility during the incident,” Shabrina said when contacted yesterday.
“The animal was also dark in colour and the driver may not have noticed it during the night,” she said.
The elephant was killed when it was hit by the cement truck at the highway on Thursday at about 1am.
Although the driver was unhurt, the front part of his vehicle was seriously damaged.
Shabrina also said that the area where the elephant was hit was a common spot where herds of elephants would cross.
“It is also common for the wild animals to cross it at night,” she said.
She also pointed out that signboards, which advise road users about the presence of elephants, were placed at various parts of the highway.
Shabrina said the elephant, with a foot diameter of 36cm, had been buried.
She said that the one killed was from a herd of five elephants from the Temenggor Forest Reserve.
There are currently about 30 elephants at the Temenggor Forest Reserve and another 60 inside the Royal Belum Forest Reserve area, which are near the highway, she added.
Probe on jumbo accident Dept to summon truck driver who knocked down elephant
By IVAN LOH
Star
THE Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department has launched an investigation into a road accident that killed a female elephant at KM32 of the East-West Highway near the Banding Lake in Gerik.
Department director Shabrina Mohd Shariff said they would be summoning the 32-year-old truck driver who had knocked down the elephant to record his statement.
“We want to determine whether the driver was driving too fast or if there was poor visibility during the incident,” Shabrina said when contacted yesterday.
“The animal was also dark in colour and the driver may not have noticed it during the night,” she said.
The elephant was killed when it was hit by the cement truck at the highway on Thursday at about 1am.
Although the driver was unhurt, the front part of his vehicle was seriously damaged.
Shabrina also said that the area where the elephant was hit was a common spot where herds of elephants would cross.
“It is also common for the wild animals to cross it at night,” she said.
She also pointed out that signboards, which advise road users about the presence of elephants, were placed at various parts of the highway.
Shabrina said the elephant, with a foot diameter of 36cm, had been buried.
She said that the one killed was from a herd of five elephants from the Temenggor Forest Reserve.
There are currently about 30 elephants at the Temenggor Forest Reserve and another 60 inside the Royal Belum Forest Reserve area, which are near the highway, she added.
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