Danger in the area: An aerial view of the area next to a school where a wildlife-human conflict case resulted in the death of a worker and the injury of another in Felda Tenggaroh 5 in Mersing.
Safety of Mersing folk and animals a shared priority, says group
JOHOR BARU: An operation to capture wild elephants is underway following a recent wildlife-human conflict case that resulted in the death of one man and serious injury to another, says Johor health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon.
He said the operation, being carried out by the Mersing Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), was to ensure the safety of locals in the area.
“After the incident, Perhilitan used a drone to determine that the male elephant had left the scene,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Ling urged people to stay away from wildlife and always exercise caution and immediately report to the authorities any wildlife activity that was dangerous or threatened the public.
“The safety of communities and wildlife is a shared priority,” he said, adding that Perhilitan was already at the scene about an hour after the 11am incident on Thursday.
Mersing deputy OCPD Deputy Supt Sharif Shai Sharif Mondoi said one contract worker was killed and another injured by a wild elephant near a school in Felda Tenggaroh 5.
He said the incident occurred when the two workers were cleaning the school.
“They tried to chase the elephant away but it attacked them,” he said.
DSP Sharif Shai added that one of the workers, who was wounded on his neck and chest, died on the way to hospital.
The other suffered injury to his head, internal bleeding and multiple fractures and was sent to Hospital Sultan Ismail here.
The deceased’s body was sent to Hospital Mersing and police have classified the case as sudden death.
Videos and pictures of the injured workers have gone viral on social media.
