RI is pondering exporting elephants

JAKARTA: The government, dismayed over the damage caused by the huge number of elephants destroying plantations and housing areas in Sumatra, is toying with the idea of exporting the giant beasts.

The Ministry of Forestry will consult the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and international organizations to explore the possibility of exporting Sumatran elephants, ministry office spokesman, Kardjono, was quoted by Antara news agency as saying yesterday.

The government recently culled several aging elephants in order to curb the population and reduce damage.

Kardjono said that he did not have precise figures on the population of elephants in Sumatra, but a survey in 1985 showed that there were between 2,800 and 3,800 elephants in 44 regencies of the island. Most of them were found in Lampung, Bengkulu, South Sumatra, Riau and Aceh.

A conference on how to cope with elephant-related problems will take place in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Sept.18. Experts on elephants from Indonesia, Thailand and international organizations, such as the World Wide Fund for Nature, will attend the meeting. (sim)