Disturbed elephants run amok

Disturbed elephants run amok

BENGKULU, Bengkulu: Disturbed by the activities of illegal
logging and squatters in their zone, elephants reared by the
Seblat elephant training center in Bengkulu province ran amok in
Pondok Suguh district and damaged a 20 hectare plantation, Antara
reported on Tuesday.

Chief of the local natural resources conservation body Suyatno
said the damage was caused by people living near the training
center as they cultivated land and cut trees in the elephants'
habitat.

They grew oil palm trees, banana trees and crops like nuts and
corn in the damaged plantations.

The training center oversaw a total of 260 wild elephants in
the habitat.

Suyatno said the center would try to herd the elephants back
to the habitat after enough funds had been collected.

"But how could we herd the elephants back? We were already
facing difficulties in feeding them regularly," he said.