IPOH: A baby elephant was killed when it was hit by a sport utility vehicle (SUV) while crossing the road at KM50 of the East-West Highway (JRTB) near Gerik last night.
Gerik police chief Supt Zulkifli Mahmood said the incident, which occurred at about 8.30 pm involved a Nissan X Trail SUV driven by a 35-year-old man, who was travelling from Pasir Mas, Kelantan, heading towards Gerik.
The pachyderm suddenly appeared, and the SUV driver could not brake on time and hit the elephant, he said in a statement today.
He said a Perodua Axia car, with a 39-year-old man at the wheel trailing behind the Nissan X Trail, failed to brake on time and crashed into the SUV.
The drivers of both vehicles and their passengers only suffered minor injuries, he said, adding that the elephant had been handed over to the Wildlife and National Parks Department for further action.
Meanwhile, Zulkifli advised road users to be more careful of wildlife crossing when driving and passing through the JRTB.
– BERNAMA