ID :
71837
Thu, 07/23/2009 - 20:22
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Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/71837
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ELEPHANTS SCARE VILLAGERS IN W LAMPUNG
Liwa, Indonesia, July 23 (ANTARA) - A herd of elephants has scared residents of Pemerihan and Bandar Dalam Wayharu villages, Bengkunant Belimbing subdistricts, as the animals often encroach on their residential areas and damage their crops.
"Since three months ago, Pemerihan and Bandar Dalam villages have been targeted by the elephants. We can do nothing to stop them from damaging wider areas," M Nizom, Bengkunat Belimbing sub district head, West Lampung District, said here on Thursday.
Ten to 15 elephants have attacked the villages three times since early July, he said.
Officials of the local forestry office have informed local villagers that the two villages, which are located near the forest area, are within the home range of the elephants and told the villagers not to kill the protected animals.
Farmers are on alert to protect their crops in the fields from the animals. The local administration said they would compensate crops damaged by elephants only if the fields are located outside the forest area.
"We hope related authorities could step up forest protection in order to prevent illegal logging activities which could disturb the protected animals in their habitat," he said.
"The animals have made the local residents worried as they often damage their crops," he said.
The Sumatran elephant, the smallest of the Asian elephants, is facing serious pressures arising from illegal logging and associated habitat loss and fragmentation in Indonesia.
The island's elephant population has come under increasing threat from rapid forest conversion to plantations.
As forests shrink, elephants are increasingly closer to fields and cultivated land, generating conflict with humans that often result in the death of the elephants by poisoning or capture, as well as economic losses to humans. The population of the Sumatran elephants is about 2,440 to 3,350 individuals. ***
"Since three months ago, Pemerihan and Bandar Dalam villages have been targeted by the elephants. We can do nothing to stop them from damaging wider areas," M Nizom, Bengkunat Belimbing sub district head, West Lampung District, said here on Thursday.
Ten to 15 elephants have attacked the villages three times since early July, he said.
Officials of the local forestry office have informed local villagers that the two villages, which are located near the forest area, are within the home range of the elephants and told the villagers not to kill the protected animals.
Farmers are on alert to protect their crops in the fields from the animals. The local administration said they would compensate crops damaged by elephants only if the fields are located outside the forest area.
"We hope related authorities could step up forest protection in order to prevent illegal logging activities which could disturb the protected animals in their habitat," he said.
"The animals have made the local residents worried as they often damage their crops," he said.
The Sumatran elephant, the smallest of the Asian elephants, is facing serious pressures arising from illegal logging and associated habitat loss and fragmentation in Indonesia.
The island's elephant population has come under increasing threat from rapid forest conversion to plantations.
As forests shrink, elephants are increasingly closer to fields and cultivated land, generating conflict with humans that often result in the death of the elephants by poisoning or capture, as well as economic losses to humans. The population of the Sumatran elephants is about 2,440 to 3,350 individuals. ***
