PETALING JAYA: Stricter legislation, eco-friendly road signage and heightened driver awareness are among urgent measures to curb the alarming rise in wildlife roadkill across Malaysia.
Concerned over the toll on both wildlife and motorists, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) — through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks and WWF-Malaysia — convened a high-level roundtable on July 17 to chart immediate and long-term strategies.
In a statement today, NRES said the East–West Highway (Jalan Raya Timur-Barat, JRTB) linking Gerik, Perak, to Jeli, Kelantan, was identified as one of the worst-affected stretches.
More than 2,300 incidents involving wild animals were recorded between 2020 and 2024.
Short-term actions include strengthening wildlife protection laws, installing more visible and eco-friendly road signs, running awareness campaigns for motorists, and promoting responsible driving in known wildlife crossing zones.
Medium and long-term measures will focus on restoring habitats, improving forest connectivity to reduce the need for animals to cross roads, and maintaining or upgrading existing wildlife crossings.
“These measures must be implemented proactively to improve safety for both humans and wildlife,” the ministry stated.
The roundtable brought together 60 stakeholders from ministries, agencies, the private sector, and the Selangor and Federal Territory Engineering & Motor Parts Traders Association (EMPTA).
The announcement comes ahead of World Elephant Day (WED), today (August 12), which raises awareness on elephant conservation and threats to the species.
The ministry said the initiatives align with the National Elephant Conservation Action Plan (NECAP 2.0).
In conjunction with WED 2025, WWF-Malaysia and EMPTA signed a memorandum of agreement to collaborate on road safety initiatives aimed at reducing wildlife roadkill.
The partnership will involve transport companies, logistics service providers and other industry players in promoting safe driving through ecological zones.
WWF-Malaysia said the collaboration will also address the role of heavy vehicles in roadkill incidents by ensuring drivers are better informed and alert in high-risk areas.
The ministry urged all sectors of society — from government agencies to private companies and road users — to work together in reducing roadkill incidents.
“Protecting wildlife is a shared responsibility,” it said.
“By working together, we can safeguard our natural heritage for the well-being of current and future generations.”
These measures follow a spate of roadkill accidents over the past year.
One notable case occurred last May, when an elephant calf was struck and killed by a truck on the East–West Highway, prompting renewed calls for dedicated measures and wildlife crossings in Malaysia’s animal-rich landscapes.