RI is pondering exporting elephants

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)