Expert moots public education after fatal human-elephant conflicts

A wildlife conservationist is urging the authorities to educate those living on fringes of the animal's habitat on what to do if they chance upon a wild elephant.

This is after an Orang Asli teenager was killed on Jan 9 in an elephant attack in Kampung Tual, Pos Sinderut, near Sungai Koyan in Pahang, where locals say the large mammals were never sighted before.

It is the second fatal attack by an elephant involving Orang Asli folk in the area, in two months.

Conservationist Ahmad Zafir Abdul Wahab said land use changes in traditional ranging areas of wild elephants has caused them to venture into human areas in search of food. Hence, human-elephant conflict has become a more frequent occurrence.

"What's needed now is to offer education. There are ways...