Wild Elephant Herd Disturbs Residents, BPBD Nagan Raya Aceh Reports To BKSDA

NAGAN RAYA - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Nagan Raya Regency, Aceh, reported the problem of elephant disturbance to the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) as an effort to help communities affected by wildlife disturbance.

"The issue of elephant disturbance in Nagan Raya is a serious concern for the local government, because the disturbance has occurred very often," said Secretary of BPBD Nagan Raya, Aceh, Said Nazaruddin, as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, September 27.

There is also a location that has often been the target of elephant disturbances, namely in Blang Lango Village, East Seunagan District, Nagan Raya Regency, Aceh Province.

According to him, the location in the interior area has often been the target of wild elephants, who seek food in residential areas and often cause damage to buildings and plantation land owned by the community.

Even though Nagan Raya BPBD and BKSDA officers have often visited for handling, disturbances of wildlife protected by the state are still common every year, Said Nazaruddin said.

As is known, in the first week of September, a herd of wild elephants was reported to have damaged a number of houses and plantations belonging to the people of Blang Lango Village, East Seunagan District, Nagan Raya Regency, Aceh.

The village head (Keuchik) of Blang Lango, East Seunagan District, Nagan Raya Regency, Jauhari said that apart from destroying houses, the elephant herd also damaged the fence of the village office and a number of other facilities.

Jauhari explained that wild elephants often come to community settlements to look for food. In order to anticipate the elephant's rampage, the village government together with the community made efforts to expel the wild elephants by burning firecrackers.

"Alhamdulillah, after the people burned the firecrackers, the wild elephants fled to the forest," he said.