Wild bulls a menace in Jember

Wild bulls a menace in Jember

JAKARTA (JP): Residents of Mumbulsari subdistrict and workers at
the state-owned PTP XIII cocoa plantation have complained about
rampaging wild bulls in their villages.

The beasts come down from Mt. Mayang for water. Residents have
been driving the bulls back to their habitat but they continually
return for water, the Antara news agency reported yesterday.

Subdistrict head, Chavid Setyadi, said the villagers have
never killed the bulls, which have been declared an endangered
species, because they may face a penalty. However, if nothing is
done they may destroy crops, he said.

Chavid said he has discussed with local officials in charge of
conservation how to repulse the animals to their habitat without
endangering them.

Sarkan Teniriadi from the local conservation office said there
are 20 wild bulls (Bes javanicus) living on Mt. Mayang, and that
they are strictly protected, even if they are found outside their
natural habitat.

He said his office would try to find a solution to the
problem. "We have to be very careful when handling endangered
species because they are prone to stress and may even die from
it," he said.

He said once six wild bulls were caught when they encroached
on residential areas and two of them died shortly afterward,
probably of stress. (pwn)