Antara 13 Dec 11;
Bandarlampung (ANTARA News) - Way Kambas National Park recorded three conflicts between local villagers and elephants during 2011.
"The human-elephant conflicts did not claim any life but the villagers suffered huge material losses as the animals had damaged wide areas of their plantations," chairman of the Way Kambas National Park Awen Pranata said here on Tuesday.
The national park was planning to increase the number of volunteer security personnel from 60 to 2000 to anticipate similar conflicts next year.
"They are expected to help drive away elephants approaching human settlement areas," he said.
Recently, 16 wild elephants left the South Bukit Barisan National Park (TNBBS) forest and scared residents of Pemerihan village, Bengkunan Belimbing sub district, West Lampung District.
A member of the Elephant Patrol Team, Ali, said four tamed elephants were deployed to herd the wild elephants back to the forest.
Lampung Province has around 250-300 elephants currently.
Ali estimated the number of elephants in the province had increased because he saw quite number of elephants walking with their babies.
(Uu.F001/HAJM)
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