Baby elephant was killed by truck, mother elephant panicked and tried to save her but refused to leave

Baby elephant was killed by a truck, mother elephant panicked and tried to save it but refused to leave - Photo 1.

The image of a mother elephant trying to save her baby under a truck moved viewers to tears - Photo: Screenshot

In the early morning of Mother’s Day, May 11, a tragic accident occurred on the East-West Highway in Perak, Malaysia when a baby elephant was hit and killed by a livestock truck. The incident moved public opinion after a video of the mother elephant grieving over her baby’s body went viral on social media.

According to The Star newspaper , the incident happened at 2:50 a.m. on May 11 (local time). The baby elephant was hit by a truck while crossing a poorly lit road.

After the collision, the baby elephant was trapped under the truck and died on the spot. Just a few minutes later, the mother elephant rushed out of the forest in a panic, trying to push the truck as if trying to save her baby.

Mother elephant next to car and baby elephant's body makes viewers feel heartbroken

Gerik district police chief Zulkifli Mahmood said the 28-year-old truck driver saw a large elephant on the right side of the road and thought it was safe to proceed.

However, the baby elephant suddenly rushed out from the left, causing the driver to not be able to brake in time, leading to an accident. The driver was not injured, but the front of the car was damaged by the mother elephant's agitation.

Videos recorded by locals and drivers show the mother elephant resolutely refusing to leave the scene, standing next to her baby's body in a state of obvious grief, even using her body to push the truck to save her baby.

The emotional scene caused traffic to come to a standstill for hours as locals and drivers gathered, unable to hold back their tears at the mother elephant’s pain. Many expressed their grief at seeing a wild animal show such obvious maternal love and pain, especially as the incident happened on Mother’s Day.

Elephant - Photo 2.

Mother elephant in pain, determined not to leave her baby elephant's body after the accident - Photo: THE STAR

“It's heartbreaking how the mother elephant waits for her baby to wake up, not knowing that it will never wake up,” one person commented on social media.

Another shared: “It’s as if the mother elephant is still hoping her baby is still alive… and this happened on Mother’s Day.”

The East-West Highway passes through forests in northern Peninsular Malaysia, an area where wildlife accidents are common. Conservationists have long warned that shrinking habitats are bringing Asian elephants into closer contact with humans.

Local authorities advise people to only travel this route between 11am and 4pm when elephants are less active. An elephant sanctuary is also being built near the road to reduce human-elephant conflict, scheduled for completion in 2029.