SETIU: Villagers in several areas in Setiu district here were finally breathing easy after a wild bull elephant weighing 2.5 tonnes was successfully captured and relocated yesterday.
Terengganu Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Loo Kean Seong said the bull tusker was captured in the Paloh Licong oil palm plantation area, Kampung Pak Ba, Setiu, and was relocated.
He said the operation to relocate the wild pachyderm was assisted by two female elephants - Deka and Suria - from the Sungai Deka Elephant Conservation Centre, Hulu Terengganu.
"The wild elephant that has been destroying crops of the residents since last month was captured on Thursday.
"The operation to track the tusker was activated after receiving complaints from residents on disturbance from wild elephants in several villages, namely Kampung Pak Ba, Kampung Pengkalan Merbau and Kampung Banggol Setar," he said when contacted today.
Loo said the wild bull elephant was successfully relocated yesterday in an operation that took about 6 hours from 8am to 2pm.
The operation saw the involvement of 23 personnel from the Terengganu Wildlife and the National Elephant Conservation Centre, Kuala Gandah.
"The wild elephant was relocated to Taman Negara," he said.
