'She wouldn't leave her baby': Mother elephant stays by calf pinned under truck

New Straits Times

11-05-2025

GERIK: A gut-wrenching scene unfolded in the early hours of this morning along Jalan Gerik-Jeli, where a mother elephant was caught on video refusing to leave her injured calf trapped beneath a livestock truck.
The footage, captured by stranded motorists, has since gone viral, drawing an outpouring of emotion from viewers across the country.
The baby elephant, believed to have been struck by the truck while lingering on the poorly lit trunk road, became lodged beneath the heavy vehicle.
Moments later, its frantic mother emerged from the roadside, desperately trying to rescue her baby.
In one of the viral videos, a witness could be heard saying that the mother elephant, in a state of panic, tried to push the truck with her powerful frame, mistakenly causing further injury to her trapped calf.
The tragic miscalculation left the calf pinned while the mother stood helplessly beside it, her anguished cries echoing through the jungle-lined road every now and then.
The emotional standoff brought traffic to a complete halt for several hours, as more and more onlookers from nearby villages arrived at the scene, many moved to tears by the mother's unwavering love.
"She was clearly crying. "Tears were visible. She wouldn't budge. She just stood there, swaying and moaning, refusing to leave her baby," one of the passersby was heard saying as he passed the adult elephant, when the traffic started to clear at about 5.15am.
Authorities, including the police and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) had the delicate task of calming and relocating the distressed mother and managing the traffic.
Rescue efforts were tense, with officials working carefully to avoid other elephants in the nearby vicinity from attacking them.
The condition of the baby elephant is currently unknown.
However, based on some of the comments from those who were allegedly present at the scene, the calf succumbed to its injuries at the scene.
Perhilitan officers who arrived at the scene managed to subdue the mammal before it was escorted away into the woods safely.
As the video continues to spread across social media, many netizens are calling for immediate action in terms of improved road lighting, better wildlife warning systems, and the construction of animal crossings to prevent similar occurrings again.
"Her love was no different than any mother's," wrote one commenter relating it to Mother's Day celebration today.
One of the comments read: "These roads cut through elephant corridors. Elephants are prone to loiter on the road because of the heat emitted by the tarmac, especially at night."
"This isn't just a story about animals. It's a story about a mother's love and anguish to rescue the baby," one of them said.
Efforts are ongoing to seek clarity about the incident from Kelantan Perhilitan and police.