Elephants run amok

PEKANBARU, Riau: Dozens of wild elephants have ran amok several times over the past few weeks and destroyed thousands of rubber trees in the Sumatran village of Bangkinang in Riau, a rubber planter said here Friday.

A herd of about 40 elephants scared farmers away from tapping the rubber trees, the farmer said.

Said Abdurrachman, the head of the population and environment bureau of Riau administration, blamed the rampages on the fact that the elephants had been forced out of their habitat.

The Koto Panjang area, previously known as the habitat of elephants, has been developed into a hydropower plant. Some elephants had been sent to elephant training schools, Said said.

"The rampaging elephants were probably those left behind," he said. (swe)