Another Roadkill

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.

RoadKills - It really KILLS ok

How often do you travel on the road in Malaysia?

In Malaysia, the rate of roadkills is alarming. Twenty years ago, roadkills were not many. But today, on a trip from Penang to Kelantan, one cannot help to see the pitiful roadkills. They range from rare animals to common one.

So much anger and publicity were generated when about 20 youths died in the National Service.

A week journey from Penang to Kelantan and back already claimed 10 animals - but nobody care a hood about them.

Our animals are migrating! Migrating because ....

Forests and jungles are being logged.

Roads being built in the middle of their homes.

Food are diminshing because human are destroying their habitats.

Proachers are separating their mates.

Global warming caused by human hasten the migration.

Are we not aware? Are we not care?

We have the power to do something but we choose to ignore.

We can build passages under the highway.

We can put more signs on the road.

Our roads can bypass pristine jungles but we are greedy because there are timbers.

Just because animals are animals and they are not their children, the lawmakers couldn't careless. They are creation of God and shouldn't we care for them too?

A 8-foot Python

Mongoose


Slow Loris

Monitor Lizard

Civet Cat

An unidentified snake



Wild boar


Masked Palm Civet



Another Masked Palm Civet


Bat

“Always be kind to dumb animals. Cruelty is one of the most hateful vices, and matured nations are trying to put an end to it. When people are cruel to animals they will be cruel to one another. As human nature ripens, there will be more kindness, sympathy and pity. Some horses and dogs are worthy of our respect as well as of our kindness. Some dogs are more sensitive and intelligent than some men. They have character, but they are handicapped by dumbness. If your dog could talk, you would be surprised at what he knows”.- Herbert N. Casson