Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Forensics
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
Torrential downpours pose dangerous flash flood risk in southeast US. Get details Chevron right
Tropical Storm Dexter forms in Atlantic, may lead to a flurry of August activity Chevron right

Columbus, OH

84°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

84°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast® Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Forensics

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

Elephant herd tramples car after baby struck along Malaysian highway

A herd of wild elephants in Malaysia trampled on a car traveling along a major highway after it struck a baby in their group, local authorities said Monday.

By Heather Chen, CNN

Published Nov 29, 2023 11:14 AM EDT | Updated Nov 29, 2023 11:14 AM EDT

Copied

A herd of six endangered wild elephants trampled a car at KM 55 of Malaysia's East-West Highway on Sunday November 26. (Royal Malaysia Police)

(CNN) — A herd of wild elephants in Malaysia trampled on a car traveling along a major highway after it struck a baby in their group, local authorities said Monday.

The car, a white Perodua Axia, was being driven by a 48-year-old man, along with his wife and son, 23, according to a statement issued by police in Gerik, in the Malay Peninsula.

The family of three were driving on a major highway from the island of Penang to the northeastern coastal state of Terengganu at around 7.35 p.m. local time on Sunday, when it crashed into the elephant calf.

It had been drizzling and foggy at that time, Gerik Police added, and the car was “negotiating a left bend on the highway” when it hit the baby elephant.

“The car slammed into the young elephant that was walking on the road with the herd,” said Zulkifli Mahmood, Chief Superintendent at Gerik District Police. The calf fell to the ground upon impact, he added.

“Seeing this, the other (five) elephants rushed towards the car and started trampling it.”

The herd then left the area after the calf “got back up,” Mahmood said.

Gerik Police did not specify if the three family members had been inside the car during the incident but no deaths or serious injuries were reported in the police statement.

Photos provided showed extensive damage to the front and sides of the white vehicle, with its side doors caved in. All windows were also smashed.

Authorities did not provide further updates about the condition of the elephant baby.

An elephant in Borneo. (Sylvain CORDIER/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images/File)

Elephant-human encounters

As a result of Malaysia’s rapid development of highways, wild elephants across the peninsula have lost large amounts of forest cover, forcing many to venture out to roads to find food, conservationists say.

In the latest accident, Gerik police warned drivers to exercise more caution on highways as herds of elephants regularly roam the area.

Signs warning drivers of elephant crossings are also put up along many highways, particularly in the country’s north but accidents have still occured.

In 2017, a baby elephant was discovered dead on the side of a highway, apparently killed by a car believed to have been speeding, elephant conservation group Management and Ecology of Malaysian Elephants (MEME) said at the time.

Other elephant encounters are also reported on several highways.

In May 2022, a lone adult elephant was spotted walking along a highway also in the Gerik area. Videos shared on social media showed the elephant ambling past bewildered drivers.

In 2020, a distressed adult elephant trampled on a car that had been traveling on the same highway as the latest incident. The elephant was believed to have panicked after several vehicles started honking at it, local authorities said at the time.

Related:

Seagulls close Venice airport
The Greek island of calm where cars are banned and time stands still
How animals like hippos, elephants and whales protect themselves from the sun

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

Smoke prompts air quality alerts, blocks blue sky in Northeast, Midwes...

Aug. 4, 2025
Weather Forecasts

Dry, smoky stretch in Northeast after weeks of stormy weather

Aug. 4, 2025
video

Volcano in Russia erupts for the first time in centuries

Aug. 4, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Severe Weather

Multiday severe risk to set up across the Plains

33 minutes ago

Recreation

Thermal camera reveals how dangerously hot playgrounds get

1 hour ago

Severe Weather

Torrential downpours to pose dangerous flash flood risk in Southeast

11 minutes ago

Weather News

Texas flood survivors face trauma, slow aid, and uncertainty

5 hours ago

Weather Forecasts

Building western US heat dome may set records, cause fires to surge

29 minutes ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Astronomy

NASA astronaut shares surreal photo of Earth, 3 galaxies

1 hour ago

Weather News

Weather sparks firefly mania, but will it last?

3 days ago

Weather News

Third girl dies after sailboat and barge collision in Miami

4 hours ago

Weather News

Rescuers find body of last trapped miner, bringing death toll to 6

5 hours ago

Weather News

Small earthquake hits near New York City

5 hours ago

AccuWeather Weather News Elephant herd tramples car after baby struck along Malaysian highway
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy™ About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy™ About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...