14/05/2025

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Malaysian Paper

/thesundaily /

Call for immediate halt to wildlife threatening projects

Urgent action needed to prevent roadkills, says WWF Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR: The World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) has called for immediate and tangible measures to prevent further wildlife casualties, including the installation of speed bumps at key wildlife crossing points. The measure is seen as a critical intervention that could compel drivers to reduce speed and save countless lives, as well as enhance the safety of motorists. On Sunday, a male elephant calf, estimated to be five years old, was killed after being struck by a poultry lorry at KM80 of the East-West Highway in Gerik-Jeli in the early hours of the morning. WWF-Malaysia said while existing signboards may serve as a reminder to slow down, they have not proven sufficient. “This heartbreaking event is not isolated. It underscores the urgent need for improved wildlife protection measures along the Gerik-Jeli stretch of the East-West Highway, a known hotspot for wildlife crossings. “WWF-Malaysia has repeatedly highlighted the urgent need for wildlife crossings and increased driver awareness along the Gerik-Jeli East-West Highway. “This highway cuts through critical habitats such as the Royal Belum State Park and Temengor Forest Reserve, making it a dangerous intersection between human development and wild territory,” it said. Meanwhile, the Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department is continuing to monitor the female elephant whose calf was killed. Its state director Yusoff Shariff clarified that a video that showed an elephant at the accident site was not the mother elephant. “The mother elephant has returned to the forest and is believed to have rejoined her herd. Regarding the video, we believe it is not the same elephant, as female elephants rarely travel alone. They usually move in groups. We are continuing to monitor her,” he said. Yusoff also confirmed that the carcass of the elephant calf had been buried, but he did not disclose the location. The incident was shared widely on social media after a witness captured the moment when the mother elephant was desperately trying to push the lorry that had fatally struck her calf, which was trapped underneath the vehicle. Meanwhile, Yusofff said the department has built wildlife crossings specifically for elephants, and installed 17 warning signs along identified hotspots. “We have also installed lighting, in collaboration with the Public Works Department, to improve visibility to help road users drive more cautiously in areas known for wildlife crossings,” he said. WWF-Malaysia also commended the ongoing efforts of the Perak wildlife department, particularly in developing the Perak Elephant Sanctuary, which is expected to be completed by 2029. It said the sanctuary will provide a safer habitat for elephants and contribute to reducing human-wildlife conflict. However, such long-term solutions must be paired with immediate actions on the ground. WWF-Malaysia has also urged motorists travelling the Gerik-Jeli stretch to be vigilant while driving through wildlife crossings. – Bernama

PETALING JAYA: The federal government has been urged to immediately halt road projects that threaten Malaysia’s increasingly fragile wildlife populations and forest ecosystems. Environmental watchdog RimbaWatch has called for a stop to ongoing and proposed developments that cut through sensitive habitats, warning that they accelerate biodiversity loss. The call follows Sunday’s tragic roadkill involving an elephant calf fatally struck by a lorry on the East-West Highway. Heart-wrenching footage showed an adult elephant, believed to be the calf’s mother, standing guard over the body until she was sedated and relocated. RimbaWatch has tracked multiple road projects since 2020 that threaten ecologically sensitive areas. to deforestation, disrupts animal movement and puts endangered species at risk of roadkill: RimbaWatch Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com o Building highways through sensitive protected areas leads KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Highway Authority and Public Works Department will ensure all new roads and highways will be designed and built with wildlife tunnels to create safe passages for animals. The Works Ministry in a statement cited the construction of the tunnel by the West Coast Expressway (WCE) in the Taiping Selatan-Bruas stretch as an example after receiving advice and approval from the Wildlife and National Parks Department. “Congratulations and thank you to the WCE concession company for preserving a dedicated underpass tunnel route to allow wildlife to move from one forest area to another, crossing the highway safely,” the ministry’s statement said. “We hope vehicle drivers will slow down and exercise caution when passing through identified wildlife crossing locations marked by signs and streetlights,” the ministry said. – Bernama New highways, roads to have animal tunnels

connectivity outside major cities, including reviving historical rail lines and utilising existing infrastructure corridors for new networks. “We also question the effectiveness of constructing new highways through mountain ranges as a means to address connectivity issues. For example, the Kampung Gagu-Ulu Beranang road is parallel to an already existing road. “Instead, in the past, smaller towns such as Kuala Sepetang, Port Dickson and Kuala Pilah were connected via rail, and this can provide an effective template to promote greater connectivity through establishing a safe, fast and affordable rail network outside cities.” Meanwhile, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad advocates creating ecological corridors to connect wildlife habitats, especially for elephants, including in plantations and forest areas. He also proposed building an elephant sanctuary covering at least 10,000ha and installing street lights at key elephant crossing points, highlighting the ongoing struggle between development and nature. A 2016 study showed that elephant habitats have shrunk by 68% due to land use for agriculture, plantations and infrastructure. From 2020 to 2024, the Wildlife and National Parks Department received 4,919 complaints of human-elephant conflict, with estimated property losses of RM39.4 million. In the last five years, eight elephants were killed in road crashes in Peninsular Malaysia, three of them this year.

“In 2022, two environmental impact assessments were approved for a 52km road from Pasir Raja, Terengganu to the Pahang border. “The road will cut through the Al-Sultan Abdullah Royal Tiger Reserve, a key habitat for endangered species such as the Malayan tiger, clouded leopard, marbled cat, Asian elephant and Malayan tapir. “A similar concern was raised over a 2023 project to build a 15km road from Kampung Gagu to Ulu Beranang in Negeri Sembilan, which will cut through the Titiwangsa Range and the Gapau and Lenggeng Permanent Forest Reserves,” it said in a statement, warning that such projects threaten wildlife corridors, increase roadkill risks and cause long-term habitat damage. The group also highlighted that human animal conflicts have already materialised from the expansion of roads into these two areas. In 2022, a tiger was spotted on a newly built road near Kg Mat Daling 3. In April 2025, a black panther mauled a lorry driver who had briefly stopped his vehicle by the roadside in Bukit Tangga, on an existing road which also dissects the Gapau and Lenggeng Forest Reserves. RimbaWatch said building highways through sensitive protected areas will inevitably lead to deforestation, disrupt wildlife movement and put endangered species at risk of roadkill, human-wildlife conflict and poaching. It also urged authorities to prioritise sustainable transport by improving public transit

FELINE ATTRACTION ... A visitor interacting with a kitten put up for adoption at the Petnival 2.0 at The Mines Shopping Mall in Seri Kembangan, Balakong. – SYED AZAHAR SYED OSMAN/THESUN

Malaysia free of bacteria infections linked to pigs PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia remains free of streptococcus suis bacterial infections linked to pig livestock.

adopting abnormal body positions (such as sitting like a dog),” the statement added. Individuals involved in the pig industry including farmers, slaughterhouse workers, meat transporters and pork vendors are advised to take appropriate personal protective measures, such as wearing gloves and protective clothing when handling pigs or pork products. “All pig farmers and livestock handlers are encouraged to be alert to any changes in their health and to seek medical attention immediately if they exhibit symptoms,” the statement added. - Bernama

any pig-related disease outbreak caused by the streptococcus suis bacterium,”the statement said. This disease is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted to humans through open wounds exposed to blood or fluids from infected pigs, or through the consumption of undercooked pork. The department said early clinical signs of the disease in pigs include fever, inconsistent appetite, shifting lameness between legs, lethargy and depression. “Infected pigs may also show more distinct signs of meningitis, such as pulling back their ears, squinting, loss of coordination and

In a statement, the Veterinary Services Department said it had received various reactions following a report in the Thai media regarding recent human deaths caused by streptococcus suis infections originating from pigs in Thailand. “This disease or streptococcosis, also known as deafness fever in humans, has triggered a public health warning in Thailand. “However, as of now, Malaysia remains free of