Wabup Fadhlullah TM Daud: Elephant And Human Conflict In Pidie Is The Highest In Aceh Province

The process of evacuating wild elephants in Belang Rakal Village, Pintu Rime Gayo District (Photo Via Antara)

ACEH - Deputy Regent of Pidie Fadhlullah TM Daud stated that the highest conflict between protected elephants and humans occurred in his district throughout 2021.

"There were 61 negative interactions between humans and elephants in Pidie Regency. This is the highest in Aceh Province," said Fadhlullah in Sigli, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, March 8.

Negative interactions currently occur in several sub-districts in Pidie Regency, namely Padang Tiji, Mila, Sakti, Keumala, Tangse, Mane, Geumpang, Tiro, Glumpang Tiga and Muara Tiga sub-districts.

According to him, most of the economic expectations of the Pidie community are from plantation products. However, since 2015, elephants have started to cause conflict in the community by entering and destroying community crops.

The Deputy Regent of Pidie hopes that there will be short-term and long-term solutions to resolve the elephant-human conflict that often occurs in the district.

Head of the Aceh BKSDA Agus Arianto said that he would make several efforts to resolve the elephant-human conflict, including the installation of shock fences, with installation points at Turu Cut-Mane around 7,000 meters, Blang Dalam-Lutueng-Mane around 5,000, Keumala Dalam around 2,500 meters and Tiro area 6,000 meters

Then the GPS Collar installation will also be carried out and will be installed in the Tiro area, the GPS Collar installation will later be able to monitor the position and movement of elephants every day so that it can be used to mitigate elephant-human conflicts.

Furthermore, other efforts that will be carried out are, commodity adjustment strategies and alternative livelihood options as well as the determination of Essential Ecosystem Areas (KEE), the determination of KEE other than as a connecting corridor for elephant home ranges can also be used for the development of natural tourism which is expected to provide a positive contribution both to income local government and the community.