Elephants protect forests

Elephants protect forests

BENGKULU, Bengkulu: The provincial nature conservation agency has
formed a team of officials and elephants to safeguard protected
forests against illegal logging.

"The team consists of forest rangers and is assisted by 28
trained elephants," said agency head Agus Priambudi on Wednesday.

He said that using elephants helped the forest rangers patrol
and safeguard the 252,042 hectares of protected forests in
Bengkulu.

The agency began using the elephants last year on a trial
basis. The animals underwent training at the province's elephant
training center in North Bengkulu regency.

"The results from employing elephants are quite satisfactory,"
Agus said, noting a drop in illegal logging. "As a follow up we
established this special team," he added.

He said the elephants were trained to identify the sound of
chain saws and machines used by illegal loggers. Once they hear
the sound, the elephants approach the area from where the sound
came. Most of the time illegal loggers run away when they see an
elephant coming straight at them, Agus said. -- Antara