Lost baby elephant wanders into school

SUNGAI SIPUT: While children learn about the various wildlife in our jungles, students at Sekolah Rendah Kampung Lintang did not expect to see one up close and personal in their school compound.

Early this morning, residents at Kampung Lintang were shocked when a baby elephant, believed to have been separated from its herd was spotted roaming in a residential area and later ended up in the school compound.

Sungai Siput district police chief Supt Rozeni Ismail said they received the information at about 7.20am from a resident.

"Police went to the location and found that the baby elephant had left the area and made its way towards Lintang town.

Early this morning, residents at Kampung Lintang were shocked when a baby elephant, believed to have been separated from its herd was spotted roaming in a residential area and later ended up in the school compound. Pic by NSTP/courtesy of PERHILITAN

"The wild elephant then entered the Kampung Lintang community hall, passed in front of the Lintang police station and entered Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Lintang," he said when contacted today.

Residents chased the baby elephant away and it later ran towards Sungai Siput and entered a farm about one kilometre from Lintang town.

"Efforts to track down the elephant was done by the Peninsular Malaysia Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) and they found it at 10.20am at the farm," he said.

Meanwhile Perak Perhilitan deputy director Wan Shaharuddin Wan Nordin when contacted confirmed the incident and said the operation to capture the elephant involved eight officers.

He said the baby elephant was captured in good health and it did not sustain any injuries.

The department estimates the elephant to be about three years old based on the size of its paw and weight.

"The baby elephant is now placed temporarily at the Sungai Siput Perhilitan and we are waiting for a lorry from the National Wildlife Rescue Centre (NWRC) in Sungkai to send the elephant to the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary in Pahang," he said. © New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

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