Bridging the Divide: Building Roads with Wildlife in Mind
By Amarjeet Singh A Cry from the Wild On the early morning of May 11, 2025, a heart-wrenching scene unfolded on Malaysia’s East-West Highway near Gerik, Perak. A young elephant calf, attempting to cross the road with its mother, was fatally struck by a lorry. The grieving mother stood by her calf, her sorrow felt deeply by all who witnessed the scene. This tragedy quickly spread across social media, sparking outrage and sorrow. Only weeks earlier, a lorry driver in Negeri Sembilan was attacked by a black panther while stopping at the roadside. The disoriented animal, possibly driven from its habitat by encroaching development, left the driver with over 30 stitches. These are not isolated events; they are grim signals of a mounting crisis in Malaysia where development continues at the expense of wildlife and natural ecosystems. The Cost of Progress Malaysia’s highways and townships have rapidly expanded across forests, hills, and river systems. Wildlife corridors h...
