82 elephants in Lampung face death

82 elephants in Lampung face death

BANDARLAMLPUNG, Lampung: Dozens of elephants at the Elephant Training Center in the Way Kambas Nature Reserve, East Lampung, are in danger because their trainers are unable to provide them with sufficient food supplies.

One of the trainers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he had to shepherd a herd of elephants to graze some 14 kilometers outside the reserve.

"That is not even enough. They may die for lack of food. The 82 elephants usually consume up to two truckloads of stems of coconut leaves," he said.

Several years ago, a number of elephants at the center died because of insufficient food, and conservationists appealed to the training center to take necessary measures to save the animals.

Making the situation worse, some of the elephant trainers have not received their full salaries and are threatening to quit unless they are paid.

The head of the Way Kambas Nature Reserve, Bintoro, said they did not have the money to pay the trainers or buy food for the elephants. --JP