Wild Elephant Herds Enter Villages In East Aceh, Palm, Banana, Rubber And Residential Homes Are Targets

Documentation - A herd of wild Sumatran elephants is in a resident's garden in the village of Negeri Antara/ANTARA

ACEH - A herd of wild elephants was reported to have damaged the houses and plantations of residents in Seumanah Jaya Village, Ranto Peureulak District, East Aceh Regency.

"There are several houses and community huts in the garden that were damaged by the disturbance of the elephant herd. Likewise, the residents' gardens contain palm trees, bananas, rubber and other plants," said Alamsyah, a resident of Seumanah Jaya Village, Ranto Peureulak District, East Aceh Regency in Aceh. East, Between, Friday, July 1st.

Alamsyah explained that the disturbance of the elephant herd was divided into three groups. Each group consists of 15 to 20 individuals. The protected wildlife began to be seen since last Wednesday.

According to Alamsyah, residents who live in plantations are now starting to evacuate and move away from their fields for fear of being attacked by these animal areas. Moreover, the elephant area still survives in the village.

Currently, residents and the Leuser Conservation Forum (FKL) team are driving the Sumatran elephant herd out of residential areas and residents' plantations.

"The evictions are carried out with the sound of firecrackers and lighting torches at night so that the elephant herd stays away from the village. However, the herd of wildlife still survives," said Alamsyah.

Head of the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Agus Arianto said his party had not received any information about the disturbance of the elephant herd.

"If there is a report, we will send a team. The disturbance of a herd of wild elephants in East Aceh Regency also occurred some time ago, but it has been handled," said Agus Arianto.

Chairman of the East Aceh Regency House of Representatives (DPRK) Fattah Fikri said he received information from residents regarding dozens of wild elephants entering residential areas.

"We hope that related parties such as the BKSDA will deploy personnel to herd wild elephants using tame elephants at the Serbajadi CRU," said Fattah Fikri.

Fattah Fikri also regrets that the tame elephants that have been stationed at CRU Serbajadi, East Aceh, have not been able to resolve the Sumatran elephant conflict in that area.

"The initial goal of placing this tame elephant to East Aceh is to resolve the conflict between wild elephants and residents, but the reality is that until now the elephant conflict has not subsided," said Fattah Fikri.