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Joseph Sipalan

The lonely journey of a bull elephant trying to return to its jungle home has captured the hearts of Malaysians over the past week, putting a spotlight on the plight of wildlife struggling against deforestation and rapidly expanding human activity.
The elephant – dubbed “Sulong” by Malaysians keenly following social media updates on his weeks-long journey – was first spotted by motorists on August 17, walking slowly along the busy East-West Highway in an apparent attempt to reach the northeastern state of Kelantan.
Wildlife authorities had previously relocated Sulong to a forest reserve in Gerik, Perak, more than 230km (140 miles) southwest from the forest surrounding Chalil, a remote village in Kelantan’s Gua Musang district, where locals had raised concerns of repeated incursions on farms and village land.
Videos of Sulong’s trek soon went viral. Images of the gentle giant limping slowly with an injury to its front right leg proved too much to bear for some.
“Imagine an injured elephant walking hundreds of kilometres on unknown terrain, purely following its instinct to return home,” read one emotional social media post. “He is not a problem. He is not a disturbance. He is just a wild animal, a living creature in search of its home.”

Heartbreak and hope as injured elephant ‘Sulong’ treks 100km back to Gua Musang. pic.twitter.com/7RxUGeuOf1
— ZoologiMY (@ZoologiMY) August 26, 2026

After weeks of trudging along asphalt roads, Sulong finally made his way back into the forested area of Jeli in Kelantan on Wednesday, according to wildlife authorities – roughly halfway home.
Department of Wildlife and National Parks director general Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said rangers had maintained twice-daily surveillance throughout Sulong’s journey to monitor his health and guide him towards the jungle.
Authorities continue to track his movements using drones and ground teams.
But Sulong’s ordeal has also triggered public anger over habitat destruction, which some argue forces wild animals into human settlements to search for food.
“The root cause of elephants encroaching into villages is because forests are levelled and widespread logging that destroys the natural habitat of wildlife … if you don’t want elephants or tigers to encroach into villages, DON’T CLEAR FORESTS!” read one post.

Agriculture and forestry are major drivers of Kelantan’s economy, accounting for a fifth of the state’s annual revenue – primarily through oil palm, fruit plantations and timber. The state earned just over 900 million ringgit (US$223.4 million) from logging activities in 2024, and officials expect to maintain earnings from the sector while keeping to national logging quotas.
But even minimal forest loss can have an adverse effect on wildlife, the WWF has warned, saying Sulong’s journey is a clear sign that wild animals need “large, connected forest landscapes to survive”.
“Wildlife corridors are essential, ensuring elephants can move safely between habitats in search of food, water and shelter,” the wildlife conservation body said in a statement on Wednesday.
“This also highlights the importance of maintaining healthy forests and ecological corridors while addressing underlying issues of habitat fragmentation and land loss.”


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The Asian elephant’s long journey back home has stirred outrage over logging and habitat loss in Malaysia


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In Malaysia, injured elephant Sulong’s 100km trek home drives logging debate

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Asian elephant’s long journey back home has stirred outrage over logging and habitat loss in Malaysia

The Asian elephant’s long journey back home has stirred outrage over logging and habitat loss in Malaysia