Elephants in Indonesia

Forest-damaging activity reducing elephants` habitat in West Lampung
Antara 21 Sep 10;

Liwa, Lampung (ANTARA News) - Forest-damaging activity in West Lampung District is causing the shrinking of the natural habitat of the Sumatran Elephant (Elephant maximus sumatranus) and as a consequence the animals often stray into human settlements.

"The elephants often become a threat to people living near forests when they roam near or around villages," a resident of Bandar Dalam Village, Ismanto, said.

The threat had become so serious that residents of Bandar Dalam Village, Bengkunat Belimbing Sub-district, were now conducting patrols around their village every night, he said.

The increasing number of elephants that often came near the village was troubling its residents because the animals always damaged crops and, when agitated, could even destroy houses and attack people.

"This is happening because the animals natural habitat is shrinking as a result of human activity that damage forests," he said.

Several days ago, a number of elephants invaded the village but the locals, equipped only with simple tools, were able drive away them away.

Meanwhile, West Lampung District Chief Mukhlis Basri said the conflict between humans and elephants was caused by forest damage.

"We can say with certainty that the major cause of the conflict between humans and elephants is forest damage by various sorts of human activity," he said.

The local administration was quite aware of the problem but was not able to do much to solve it, Mukhlis said.

"We don`t have enough personnel and funds to solve the problem. However, we frequently tell the local people to protect and preserve the forests," he said.

He hoped the central government would help the Lampung administration to solve the problem of damaged forests and prevent more conflicts between humans and elephants.

Rohul authorities considering wild elephants relocation
Antara 23 Sep 10;

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - The local government of Rokan Hulu (Rohul) district in Riau province is considering the possibility of relocating four wild elephants to solve the problem of conflicts between residents and the animals.

"The relocation of the elephants should be carried out very carefully and the cause of the conflict in the area should be studied," Director for Forest and Nature Conservation of the Forestry Ministry, Daruri said.

He made the statement when he opened a workshop on the conservation of Sumatran elephants here on Wednesday.

Daruri said the plan to relocate the elephants needed to be studied comprehensively. His side would not relocate the elephants from the conservation area.

He said that if the conflict between residents and elephants was caused by human behaviors his office would rehabilitate the conservation area and maintain the elephants there.

The regional government of Rohul through the plantation and forestry services has sent in 2009 a letter of request to Riau Natural Resources Conservation Office (BBKSDA) for the relocation of wild elephants from the Pemenuhan elephant enclave.

The same letter has also be sent to the forestry Minister last July.

Daruri said that if the elephant enclave was located in the conservation area, then there would be no relocation for the elephants.

He said that relocation of elephants could be done only if it was through a save procedure and the new location for wield elephants had been prepared well.

"This is not to repeat the mistake made in 2007 when the BBKSD Riau relocated 10 elephants from the Balai Raja Preserve Animal Area.

He said that the relocation was a mistake where the new habitat even served as if it was a "torture" place for the elephants.