BBKSDA INVESTIGATES CONFLICT BETWEEN ELEPHANTS AND HUMAN IN RIAU

Pekanbaru, Indonesia, March 4 (ANTARA) - The Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) of Riau Province is to send a team to investigate a conflict between elephants and humans in Bengkalis District, Riau Province, which claimed one live.
"We will send a team to investigate the incident," Head of Riau BBKSDA Syahimin said here on Wednesday.
A herd of Sumatran elephants killed Jalinus (83), a resident of Balai Makam, Mandau Sub district, Bengkalis District, Riau Province, early Wednesday.
Syahimin said that elephants and human conflicts often occurred at Balai Makam area.
Balai Makam is still within a home range of wild elephants, but the animal's habitat is dwindling due to human's encroachment. Parts of their habitat was converted into oil palm plantations and human settlement areas.
"Conflict indeed often occur because the area is a home range of elephants," he said.
A comprehensive measure by the regional administration, BBKSDA and police was needed to deal with the elephant-human conflicts, he said.
He also urged local people to be patient and wait for BBKSDA's team and not to kill the elephants in revenge.
The Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatrensis) is the smallest of the Asian elephants.***