A man died in a wild elephant assault while working at a forestry site in Malaysia.
Saidi Jahari, 43, was discovered dead by coworkers on the morning of October 29 in the Gua Musang district of northern Malaysia, according to local news sites Malay Mail, Free Malaysia Today, and The Vibes.
According to the outlets, Sik Choon Foo, Superintendent of the District Police, stated that the incident took place in two parts.
Saidi, the site supervisor, and five coworkers were resting in tents when they heard and smelt elephants approaching on the evening of October 28, according to a statement from Sik. The loggers fled into the woods for safety, but Saidi was unable to escape in time.
Several hours later, the other workers returned to find Saidi injured, with two shattered legs.
“They moved the victim into the community house for temporary protection. However, not long after, a bull elephant, thought to be the herd’s leader, reappeared and attacked them again,” Sik told The Vibes.
The workers left again and were forced to abandon Saidi.
“When the situation cooled down, the group returned and discovered the victim was no longer present. Searches nearby revealed Saidi’s body on the exit path, with serious injuries consistent with being trampled by an elephant,” Sik added.
According to the site, authorities informed the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, which is currently seeking to locate and contain the herd.
On Sunday, November 2, people contacted the Royal Malaysia Police and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, but received no quick response.
Saidi’s younger brother, Sulaiman Jahari, 32, told The Vibes that he last saw Saidi at a holiday celebration.
“I didn’t anticipate that to be our last meeting. He was usually quiet and didn’t talk much about work, but he was enthusiastic and vibrant during dinner,” he explained.
Sulaiman also stated that his brother had worked in the forestry sector for roughly 30 years, but he had only been at the site of the disaster for two weeks.
“This region was recently opened for logging. He has never discussed experiences with wild creatures in his entire career,” he added.
