Johor bahru: The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) has launched a large-scale Integrated Elephant Translocation Operation to relocate 25 elephants from conflict zones across Peninsular Malaysia, starting this month through July next year.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, PERHILITAN director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim stated that the initiative aims to systematically and effectively address human-elephant conflicts, with Johor being the first state involved. The operation targets high-risk areas by identifying and relocating elephant herds that disrupt farms, villages, and residential areas. This announcement came during the officiation of the Johor leg of the operation, which was attended by Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tiang Soon and Johor PERHILITAN director Aminuddin Jamin.
Abdul Kadir emphasized that the effort supports ecosystem restoration through population control outside natural habitats and will aid in gathering scientific data to enhance future elephant management policies. The Johor operation is being implemented in collaboration with the Elephant Transfer Team from the National Elephant Conservation Centre (NECC) in Kuala Gandah, Pahang, alongside teams from Perak, Kelantan, and Terengganu, with Johor PERHILITAN as the lead coordinator.
The initiative will employ drone surveillance, digital movement mapping, and early warning systems to minimize risks to local communities. Currently, approximately 1,300 wild elephants are estimated to inhabit Peninsular Malaysia. From 2020 to 2024, PERHILITAN recorded 4,919 human-elephant conflict incidents, resulting in losses estimated at RM39.4 million, primarily in Johor, Kelantan, Perak, and Pahang.
Abdul Kadir noted that the program aligns with key national strategies, including the National Elephant Conservation Action Plan (NECAP), the National Policy on Biological Diversity 2022-2030, and the National Forestry Policy. He also expressed gratitude to the Johor state government for allocating RM600,000 to support the operation, underscoring its commitment to wildlife conservation and conflict mitigation.