, May 13 -- A mother elephant's heartbreaking vigil beside her calf, killed in a road accident, has drawn widespread sorrow and outrage online.

The tragic incident took place on May 11 - Mother's Day - along the Gerik-Jeli East-West Highway in Malaysia's Perak state, when a baby elephant was fatally struck by a truck while crossing the road.

A viral video posted by Instagram user @jklamlam shows the gut-wrenching scene: the calf lies motionless beneath the truck while the mother stands guard, refusing to leave.

The footage, recorded on a poorly lit road at night, later shows traffic building up as vehicles wait for rescuers to respond. Even after dawn, the grieving elephant remained by her baby's side, unmoved by attempts to lead her a...