12 elephants found dead

12 elephants found dead

JAKARTA (JP): Twelve wild elephants were found dead in a coconut palm plantation in the province of Riau, an conservation officer said yesterday.

The head of the local natural conservation office, Soesilo Legowo, told Antara that the elephants were found dead earlier this month on a plantation near Komang village in the Indragiri Hulu regency.

He did not say how the animals' died, stating that his office was still investigating the case.

Local people, however, said that the elephants died from ingesting defoliant.

Wild elephants often rampage through the province's plantations, sometimes attacking villages. Pushed by encroachment into their domain, stampeding elephants have become a headache for farmers and the local administration. (sim)