KUALA BERANG (Bernama): The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) on Thursday (Aug 26) took almost five hours to relocate a male elephant that had been roaming around Kampung Basung here.

       Terengganu Perhilitan director Dr Abdul Malek Mohd Yusof said the elephant, weighing 2.5 tonnes, was captured at 3pm on Monday (Aug 23) after being subdued with tranquillizer darts.

       Two elephants from the Elephant Conservation Centre in Sungai Deka, Hulu Terengganu were brought in to persuade the 15-year-old elephant to leave the area, he said, adding that the captured animal will be released in a safe location in the jungle.

       He said the department had acted after receiving complaints from villagers that a herd of wild elephants had been roaming nearby and had also damaged their crops.

       "We will keep monitoring the herd’s movements and act when necessary,” he told reporters when met after the relocation exercise on Thursday.- Bernama