A close encounter with six wild elephants on the East-West Highway left a car wrecked
What started as an ordinary drive quickly turned into a nightmare when six wild elephants appeared on the East-West Highway between Jeli and Gerik last night. Around 8.15 pm on 20 May, a white Toyota Vios was left completely wrecked in an incident that shocked motorists and drew attention to Malaysia’s increasingly tense human-wildlife boundaries.
According to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), the group of elephants may have been startled — not by headlights or human presence, but by honking. In a video that quickly went viral on TikTok, the car was seen badly damaged from both the front and rear, with elephant silhouettes barely visible in the background.
Gerik District Police Chief Superintendent Zulkifli Mahmood confirmed that the car owner lodged a report at 11.36 pm that same night. Investigations revealed that the man had stopped his vehicle and turned off the headlights after spotting the elephants crossing the road.
Moments later, another car behind him honked — a sound that may have triggered the animals. The driver, sensing danger, exited the car and managed to run to safety just before three of the elephants approached his vehicle.
Thankfully, the driver escaped unharmed.
Superintendent Zulkifli urged all motorists to exercise greater caution in wildlife zones, especially in areas known to be frequented by wild elephants.
“Please don’t honk or flash high beams when encountering elephants. These actions can provoke them and lead to unpredictable, often aggressive responses,” he warned.
Authorities are now reminding drivers that the East-West Highway passes through natural elephant habitats, and respecting that space is crucial for both human and animal safety.
Source : Twitter
https://x.com/i/status/1924993860557799478
By Tarziman — 22 May 2025, 02:39 PM
