Pidie, Aceh Province (ANTARA News) - A herd of wild elephants recently entered a village in Geumpang subdistrict, Aceh province, and ruined three houses as well as food crops.

"During the past week, a herd of about 17 elephants have been rampaging through our village. They ruined three houses and ate rice plants on our fields," a local community chief, M Sabi, said here on Wednesday.

The three damaged houses belonged to Abdullah Saman, Yusri Yusuf and Ibnu Abbas. All three residents along with their families had evacuated to a safer place.

Sabi said, actually two villages in Geumpang subdistrict - Gampong Pulo and Bangkeh - had been terrorized by wild elephants for the past two months. They had destroyed the villagers` crops. The elephants also chased anyone who came into their sight.

So far, there had been no action by the authorities such as the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) to help the villagers overcome the problem.

"Local residents are are now forced to try to drive the elephants away by their own means and methods such as bamboo cannon. Every night we strike the cannon to create sounds which scare the elephants away," said Sabi.

Material loss due to the elephants rampages had yet to be counted. However, Muhammad Gapi, a local resident, said people in his area had to buy carbide as basic material to fire up the bamboo cannons with their own money.

"We have to spend Rp 100,000 each night only to buy carbide for the cannons," Gapi said.

Last September, an elephant attack also happened in Pauh Ranap village, Riau province, killing Rinto Lumban Gaol (27), a local resident, and causing injuries to his wife whom he married just four months ago.

Edi Susanto, a witness, said the incident happened while Rinto and his wife were taking a rest in their house at n an oil-palm plantation where they were working.
His wife said a herd of elephants totaling around 15 suddenly besieged the area and destroyed the house, Edi said.

Edi explained the two managed to come out of the house and Rinto called on his wife to run and ask for help from neighbors. Rinto was unlucky. He was trapped in the middle of the herd of angry animals. He died after being trampled by a female elephant.

"His body was crushed and almost unrecognizable," Susanto said. (*)

Editor: Heru
COPYRIGHT © 2012

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