Gentle giants at risk from poachers’ traps
- NATION
Sunday, 08 Nov 2020
By ALLISON LAI
Recovering: Elly, at the Kuala Gandah NECC in Pahang, is getting used to her prosthetic leg which needs to be changed every six months.
PETALING JAYA: Snares set up by poachers in the country’s jungles are killing or injuring wildlife every year – including the biggest of them all, elephants and calves like Elly and Chereh.
Elly, rescued by the wildlife authorities three years ago from a snare after it was abandoned by its herd, had its foot amputated three years ago. The calf has a new prosthetic leg now.
Currently being cared for at the Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Centre (NECC) in Lanchang, Pahang, Elly, who is four now, is learning to adapt to the wild through daily outings in the jungle with her mahout.
Chereh, rescued in Sungai Lembing, Pahang, in September, is in quarantine.
“He was also trapped and injured by a poacher’s trap. We are still monitoring his condition to see if he needs an amputation, ” said Kuala Gandah NECC chief Muhammad Khairul Adha Mat Amin.
Last month, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) rescued a female elephant trapped in a snare in Jeli, Kelantan, and a female tapir in Jerantut, Pahang.
Khairul said that over the years, many rescued elephants had succumbed to injuries and infections caused by snare traps.
Elly’s front right foot was severely injured and covered in mud when she was first found near a village in Jeli, Kelantan.
“She was barely conscious and maggots were infesting her wound, ” he said.
“Our team from the Terengganu Elephant Conservation Centre (ECC) brought her out and gave her the initial medical treatment before she was transferred to Kuala Gandah for her recovery, ” he added.
After her condition stabilised, Elly was soon adopted and provided with a prosthetic leg by the Export-Import Bank of Malaysia (Exim Bank) under its corporate social responsibility initiative.
Since the now 400kg calf is still growing, her prosthetic leg needs to be changed every six months.
“The specifications of the prosthetic leg have to change according to Elly’s needs because her strength and movements change as she grows.
“Although the Exim Bank adoption provides allocation for that until next year, we welcome any corporates, non-governmental organisations or individuals to come forward because there are 32 other rescued elephants at our centre, ” added Khairul.
Elly, who switched to solid food a year ago, enjoys eating papaya and watermelon besides her usual daily Napier grass.
Apart from Kuala Gandah, Khairul said Perhilitan also manages the ECC in Sungai Deka, Terengganu, and the upcoming elephant sanctuary in Kota Tinggi, Johor.
