Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post 24 Sep 09;
Wild elephants in the Way Kambas National Park have encroached into neighboring residential areas, destroying crops and frightening local villagers.
Over the last few days, the animals have wreaked havoc with coffee and rice crops, and destroyed chicken coops.
Local villager Sulasno said the elephants were no longer frightened off by the torches or drums traditionally used to shoo them away.
“We’re scared because the elephants have trampled several people to death in the past few years,” he said Thursday.
“We don’t dare leave our homes at night for fear of an elephant attack.”
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) coordinator Dwi Nugroho Adhiasto said the elephants were simply returning to their old habitat, which had been converted into residential areas and farmland.
“Their instincts have driven them to their old territory,” he said.
WCS data shows elephant incursions into nearby villages have intensified over the last three months, affecting 100 hectares of farmland.
The park management and the WCS built a 29-kilometer canal around the park to prevent elephants from encroaching into villages a few years ago, but the moat is no longer effective.
