JOHOR BARU: Zubedah Ayong considers herself lucky to be alive after her harrowing experience of being attacked by a herd of elephants near her village in Taman Negara in Mersing.

The orang asli teenager said she could still hear the deafening trumpets of the angry elephants even when she closes her eyes.

Speaking from her hospital bed in Sultan Ismail Hospital here yesterday, Zubedah, 19, who suffered a broken shoulder and injured her buttocks, said she is having nightmares about the attack.

Lucky to be alive: Zubedah resting at Sultan Ismail Hospital after being attacked by a herd of elephants near her village at Taman Negara in Mersing on Thursday.

Zubedah was attacked by the elephants while gathering vegetables near her village with her sisters Roslina, 28, and Rashidah, 30, at about 6.30pm on Thursday.

“We have seen herds of elephants near our village before. Although I am afraid of them, they usually never attack.

“This time, however, was different because we stumbled on a herd of about 30 elephants.

“Our presence seemed to have angered them and soon, they started charging at us,” she added.

Her sisters managed to outrun the herd, but Zabedah tripped and fell.

“When I tried to get up, one of the elephants swung its trunk at me and it hit my back. I fell on my face and broke my shoulder,” she said.

Zabedah said she was saved by villagers who quickly came to her rescue and rushed her to the Mersing Hospital for treatment.

“I am lucky to be alive and I will be more careful in future,” she said.

Johor National Park Corporation director Suhairi Hashim said visitors to the park had been advised to leave as a precautionary measure.

“The elephants are usually tame but they have been acting up the last couple of days,” he said, adding that some of the elephants had also charged at department officials and their vehicles several days ago.

Suhairi said the change in behavioural patterns could be due to the presence of baby elephants in the herd or due to the mating season which has just begun.

“We have also informed the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to investigate the matter and warned orang asli in the area to be careful,” he said.

Mersing deputy OCPD Asst Supt Mohamad Toff Maaroff confirmed the incident.

• Battersea Power Station's Phase 1 records RM3.12b sales
• Instacom bags RM205m telco job in Sarawak
• BToto hopes to list business trust in Singapore end-August
• KLCI up nearly 8pt midday, banks, O&G lead gainers (Update)
• Despite curbs, China's vast hot money triangle flourishes
• RHB Research maintains Neutral on auto sector
• Malindo Air to take off from Subang on June 3
• Affin Research lowers Petra Energy to Reduce
• Pintaras surges to all-time high on higher earnings
• MIDF Research: Return of local retail investors
• SapuraKencana drives KLCI higher in early trade
• Sino Hua-An in the black, posts RM3.33m net profit
• Malaysia-Market factors to watch on May 20(Monday)
• Maybank KE Research maintains Buy on Alam Maritim, ups TP to RM1.30
• Winning ticket for record $590.5mil Powerball lottery sold in Florida

• Burial place of Argentina's Videla a mystery
• Britain's Cameron makes personal plea to tax havens
• Beatles guitar auctioned for $408,000 in US

• Golf: Johnson triumphs by one stroke at Mobile Bay LPGA
• Chong Wei urges team-mates to bounce back from shock defeat to Taiwan
• Kien Keat-Boon Heong may not play in Group C tie against Germany
• Koo-Tan’s stunning loss rocks Malaysian camp
• Kjaersfeldt ready to continue strong Danish tradition
• Sindhu shines for India after spectacular performance
• Danial shatters 100m mark as four records fall on opening day
• Pavithraa in sizzling form despite the heat
• Wee Wern relishes playing at unique venue ... a football stadium
• Coach Irving has no doubts Nicol will peak at the right time
• ‘Comeback king’ Timothy lands his second title
• KLHC to the fore again
• New Cheras velodrome may steal limelight from RM80mil Labu project
• Azlan and Zamri do Malaysia proud in ARRC race at Sentul
• Broken clutch lever costs Hafizh dearly in Le Mans

• Please wait.

• MPs can earn up to RM10,000 per month
• Ten important items for you to prepare for the inevitable
• Professionals warn there is too much of office space in the Klang Valley
• Abdul Wahid and Paul Low taking huge pay cuts
• Take action against Kian Ming, voter told
• Should Sime Darby also demerge; big values can be created by spinning off companies
• Crest Builder adopts sell some, keep some strategy
• Stern action awaits rally-goers
• Prosecution given until June 6 to decide on rape-marry case
• DAP unhappy over Selangor exco positions