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 have been severed, and natural migration paths blocked.

- **Wildlife fatalities** have increased with countless animals hit by vehicles.

- **Human fatalities and injuries** also occur when vehicles collide with large animals such as elephants or wild cattle.

- **Habitat fragmentation** isolates species, leads to inbreeding, reduces biodiversity, and creates dangerous encounters between humans and wildlife.

We have forgotten that the original natives of these lands are the animals themselves.

The Global Benchmark

Countries that faced similar issues have acted boldly:

- **India**: The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway includes dedicated underpasses and overpasses to protect tiger and elephant corridors.

- **The Netherlands**: With over 600 wildlife crossings, including the iconic Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo, they’ve connected fragmented habitats and reduced collisions dramatically.

- **Australia**: Their road planning integrates wildlife exclusion fencing, koala and kangaroo underpasses, and even rope bridges for arboreal animals.

These examples show that sustainable development *and* wildlife protection can go hand-in-hand—if the will exists.

Time for Malaysia to Lead

Malaysia must wake up to this crisis. The recent tragedies are a painful reminder that change is long overdue. Advocacy alone is not enough. Firm action and leadership are essential.

The Malaysian government must: 1. **Take full charge** of integrating wildlife protection into infrastructure and township planning. 2. **Empower the Wildlife Department** to be actively involved at the *planning* and *approval* stages of all major road and urban projects. 3. **Mandate Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)** to include comprehensive wildlife movement and habitat data before project approvals. 4. **Adapt proven global policies** from Australia, India, and Holland into Malaysia’s national road and infrastructure guidelines. 5. **Launch a national wildlife crossing initiative** to map out hotspots and design crossings that blend into the natural environment. 6. **Reform township planning** with green belts, buffer zones, and designated animal movement corridors as a legal requirement.

New Concepts for Safer Roads The future of roads must change: - **Wildlife overpasses and underpasses** at known animal migration routes. - **Sensor-driven wildlife detection systems** to warn drivers in real-time. - **Soft edges and safe culverts** for smaller animals to avoid crossing busy roads. - **Eco-bridges integrated with vegetation** to encourage natural animal crossings. - **Fencing with intelligent escape routes** that guide animals toward safe crossings instead of onto highways.

These are not costly add-ons; they are life-saving innovations.

A Moral and Ecological Duty

Every creature, from stray dogs to the mighty elephant, is a creation of God and part of Earth’s intricate web of life. We cannot call ourselves advanced if our roads become death traps for innocent beings.

We must build *with nature*, not against it. We must rethink what modern road-building means—not just about speed and connectivity, but about sustainability, co-existence, and compassion. Let the haunting image of a mother elephant beside her lifeless calf and the scars of a panther-attack survivor not be in vain. Let them be the turning point Malaysia so urgently needs. Malaysia can still become a leader in eco-conscious infrastructure if the government, developers, wildlife authorities, and citizens unite with one voice:

“Don’t just build. Build with care. Build with love for every living being that shares this Earth with us.”