14/01/2023
KLUANG, Johor: Two elephants entered a housing area in the Kluang district in Malaysia's Johor state on Wednesday (Jan 11) night, leaving about 2,000 people in the neighbourhood concerned over the mammals' possible return.
An 83-year-old resident, M Pavayee Ammah, said she only realised the presence of an adult elephant and her calf after hearing a noise that sounded like a stampede in front of her house.
She went to check what was happening and was shocked to see two elephants crashing into the fence of the house, with other residents trying to chase the animals into a nearby forest.
"I was shivering with fear when I saw the elephants in the compound and also heard the residents shouting for me to not leave the house.
"Apparently, the elephants had encroached the nearby farming area earlier before being chased away by the residents and (proceeding) to the residential area here," she told reporters on Thursday.
The elephants' attempts to enter her house were captured in a 26-second video recording that went viral on social media on Wednesday night.
"I hope the authorities can do something for fear of untoward incidents happening," he said.
Johor Wildlife Protection and National Parks director Aminuddin confirmed the incident of two elephants encroaching into the Taman Perdana housing area at 9.30pm on Wednesday.
He said the mammals were believed to have been separated from their herd and his team had already taken preliminary action by chasing them to a nearby forest located about 500m from the residential area.
"Monitoring will continue to be carried out with the use of drones to ensure that they return to their original habitat and do not stray by entering the settlement area," he said when contacted by Bernama on Thursday.
（居銮12日讯） 疑与象群走散的一头大象带著小象，昨晚闯入居銮佰乐园（Taman Perdana）一间民宅，跨过屋前铁门，再取道通往民宅后方的油棕园，吓坏当时在屋内的独居老翁。
大象闯入民宅的视频被附近居民拍下，再上传至“居銮之子”面子书专页，引起网民议论，并称该花园住宅区是“大象甘榜”。
从视频画面可见，一头体积庞大的成年大象，带著一头小象，跨过一间单层排屋的铁门，经过屋外往后方直行，间中造成铁门损坏脱落。
83岁的屋主帕瓦依接受《大都会日报》访问时透露，上述事件是在昨晚9时30分左右发生，当时仅有他一个人在屋内。
“我当时听到屋前传来摩哆的轰鸣声及居民的尖叫声。我因听到嘈杂而从睡梦中醒来，我本想走出屋外，但是邻居要我躲在屋内。”
不久后，他看到一头大象经过其住家旁，并踩过屋后的篱笆，再往油棕园的方向继续走。
居銮佰乐园的2000多户居民近几年来，频密面对大象干扰的问题，令当地居民对安全忧心忡忡。
当地居民亚兰科瓦（67岁）说，当地居民对大象的出没感到担忧，因大象有可能伤及居民。
“我希望相关单位能够采取行动，因为我们非常担心，也不想有任何不幸事件发生。”
柔佛国家公园及野生动物保护局局长阿米努丁指出，这两头大象与其他象群走散了，因它们本该是5头大象在一起。
“我们已在昨晚采取行动，大象已回到自然保护区，即靠近该住宅区附近的森林。”
他表示，当局已使用无人机来监测大象的动向，同时监督这两头大象是否已与其他朋友相聚，还是仍在迷路中。
