Here in Singapore, we don’t get to see wildlife like elephants often. But not far away in Malaysia, these magnificent creatures roam freely in forested areas.
However, whenever humans co-exist with wildlife, problems are bound to surface.
On Tuesday (1 Sep), a baby elephant reportedly died after being hit by a car while crossing a road.
Warning: This story and the accompanying photos are graphic and may distress some people.
The tragic turn of events left the calf’s mother heartbroken. She refused to leave his side, repeatedly nudging him, hoping he’ll wake up.
As this wasn’t the first-such incident, many netizens are calling for more measures to keep these animals safe while crossing the road.
According to The Star, the male elephant calf was hit on the Jalan Kota Tinggi-Mersing road on Tuesday (1 Sep) morning.
Damages to the car were extensive, including a crushed bonnet and cracked windshield.
However, the damage the elephant calf sustained was worse.
The impact was so strong that he died on the spot.
In this photo, you can even see the animal bleeding slightly.
While the image of the dead calf will break anyone’s heart, his mother was especially upset.
A video on Facebook shows the elephant calf’s mother standing beside him, refusing to leave his side.
She repeatedly nudges and prods him, hoping he will wake.
With each push, her actions grow more desperate.
But his lifeless body merely gets shoved around due to his mother’s fruitless attempts.
Loud gunshots are then heard in the background, presumably they were used to chase the elephant away.
Only then did the mother elephant reluctantly tear herself away from the calf, disappearing into the forested area.
Watch the full video here:
The pain and anguish of the mother elephant was palpable throughout the video.
It angered many, who noted that accidents like this kept happening.
Some questioned how any driver could miss an elephant as it’s such a big animal.
Most netizens were focused on demanding for action to be taken to prevent further accidents.
Many suggested putting up signs to warn motorists that this is a frequent elephant crossing zone, so they should slow down.
Another netizen felt more should be done to rectify the situation — for example, wildlife bridges should be built.
He even suggested that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can help urge the authorities.
Many agreed with him, with his comment garnering more than 35 likes.
The heart-wrenching video, which captures a mother elephant’s anguish for her dead calf, shows humans that much like us, animals also have feelings.
They love one another and hurt when something bad happens to their loved ones. Thus, they also deserve to be protected, just like humans.
We hope the outrage and call for action will be heard by the authorities, and steps will be taken to better protect these gentle creatures of the wild.
Featured image adapted from Facebook and Facebook.
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