Wild boars destroy crops

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Thousands of wild boars have destroyed hectares of crops in the Mt. Gunung Wuled area, in Rembang regency, over the past week.

The animals also injured three farmers, identified as Kasmudi, 40, Tumin, 39, and Sutaryo, 39, on Tuesday. The three, along with dozens of residents, were hunting the boars.

"But the boars outnumbered us. There were thousands of them and we had no choice but to escape," Sutaryo said.

He said the boars came out of the jungle because of a food shortage.

The local government has deployed sharpshooters to help the villagers kill the animals. (45/edt)