Riau BKSDA Giring Kawanan Gajah Liar Stay Away From Residents' Settlements

PeKANBARU - Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) officers herded a herd of wild elephants, a number of which dozens of them moved away from plantations and residential areas in Maharani Village and Rantau Panjang Village, Pekanbaru City.

"The dozen elephants had panicked the residents of two villages in Pekanbaru City, the protected animals were managed to be herded away from plantations and settlements and currently the elephant herd is in Tahura, Minas," said Head of Region II of the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Mustafa Nazura in Pekanbaru as reported by ANTARA, Monday, July 17.

Mustafa said that Riau BKSDA officers carried out the escort process by lighting firecrackers so that the elephant herd would stay away from gardens and residential areas. The elephant was kicked out to the Tahura.

This action was taken in relation to information that residents were starting to worry about the presence of a group of wild elephants destroying plants in their gardens. The large group of animals reportedly also damaged two residents' houses.

Edi Martop, one of the residents who suffered losses due to sweet potatoes, bananas and papaya was damaged by a herd of elephants covering an area of 30 hectares of plants.

"Dozens of hectares of plants damaged by elephants are located in two urban villages. Even the herd of elephants also damaged the residents' plants around the Tengku Mahmud Public Cemetery (TPU)," he said.

A herd of 11 elephants, four of whom are adults, have appeared since Friday (7/7) but there has been no action from related parties even though they have reported to the RT, village head to forestry police.

Since the appearance of elephants, local residents have not been able to sleep well and try to get rid of a herd of elephants by lighting a fire.

"If our plants are damaged, what we sell to meet the needs of our family's lives," said Edi.

The Head of Forest Protection for the Riau BKSDA, Ujang H, said that since July 7, 2023, the team had been trying to decline the mitigation team and until Monday (17/7) the team was still trying to eliminate it at the location.