Lampung asks for govt's nod to `export' elephants

Lampung asks for govt's nod to `export' elephants

JAKARTA (JP): The southern Sumatra province of Lampung has
asked the central government for permission to resettle some of
its elephants elsewhere in Indonesia because of increasing
attacks by the beasts on villages and towns, which often resulted
in loss of life.

Head of the provincial environmental office, Nawawi, said in
Bandar Lampung that the elephant population in Lampung continues
to rise each year while their natural habitat shrinks as land is
being appropriated for residential and industrial purposes, the
Antara news agency reported yesterday.

Nawawi said 14 people have been trampled to death since 1993
during elephant raids on various villages in the province.

The elephant stampedes, one herd could consist of up to 72
elephants, also caused extensive damage to houses, rice fields
and plantations in the province, he said.

The population of elephants, a protected species, in Lampung
is estimated at more than 1,000, and only 400 of them live in
national parks.

Nawawi said the number increases by up to 50 each year.

The province has taken various measures to protect the animal,
including herding the wild elephants into national parks and
conducting courses to domesticate the animal.

The PLG Way Kambas elephant school in Lampung however is now
on the verge of closing because of shortages of funds. The school
has already domesticated 80 elephants which have been sent to
zoos, safari parks and circus teams. (emb)