The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry is taking the recent death of four elephants in Johor seriously, said its minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
In a statement, he said an investigation is underway and that the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) is also monitoring the area.
"I would like to emphasise that the habitat and wild areas of elephants are important to meet the needs of the elephant population.
“The loss of habitat due to land use changes for agricultural activities, plantations, settlements, townships and infrastructure development can result in conflict between humans and elephants.
"This can lead to crop destruction, property damage, injury and loss of life,” Nik Nazmi said.
He also revealed that 45 percent of human-elephant conflicts reported in Johor from 2020 to May 2024 were from Kluang.
On June 1, an environmental group claimed that the four elephants died due to poisoning.
“It was likely an accident where the elephants consumed poison or a deliberate act of poisoning by landowners or operators,” Protection of Natural Heritage of Malaysia president Damien Thanam told Malaysiakini.
He added that humans were the ones encroaching into wildlife habitats, not the other way around.
He also expressed fears that failure to manage human-wildlife conflicts effectively could lead to more deaths and property losses.
‘Pay attention to ecosystems’
Meanwhile, Nik Nazmi said initial reports identified the four carcasses as belonging to one female and three male elephants from the Bandar Tenggara group in Lenggor Forest Reserve, Kluang and Kluang Tambahan Forest Reserve, Labir Forest Reserve, Sembrong Forest Reserve and Endau Rompin National Park.
"The main habitat is surrounded by agricultural areas, plantations and residential areas,” he said.
He urged farmers to pay more attention to the ecosystem surrounding their farms and to apply good agricultural practices.
Elephants are protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, he added.
To further protect the animals, Nik Nazmi’s ministry has launched several initiatives, including the National Elephant Conservation Action Plan 2023 to 2030, the establishment of the National Elephant Conservation Centre in Pahang, and the preparation of the Wildlife Rescue Plan.
Nik Nazmi urged those with information on the four elephants to contact the Perhilitan Hotline at 1-800-88-5151. - Mkini
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