Wild elephants in Kedah giving villagers nightmares

Several villagers in Kampung Sri Ketengga, Mukim Siong here claim that they have seen 13 wild elephants since last week.

They claimed that the elephants had damaged their crops.

One of the villagers, Mohd Rosni Md Ali, 49, said the herd comprising 10 adults and three babies claimed to have suffered RM10,000 in losses rampaged on his four-hectare plot and damaged banana trees and rubber saplings.

Another villager, Awang Ahmad Abdullah, 55, also admitted to have seen the herd of elephants roaming about 100 metres from his house.

They want the Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) to take immediate action, including installing an electric fence.

Meanwhile, Kedah Perhilitan director Mohamad Hafid Rohani when contacted said, there were only two elephants believed to be at the location, not 13 as claimed, adding that several measures had been taken, including placing its personnel to patrol during night time.

"The problem is that the area is a forest reserve which has been cleared illegally, thus we cannot take arbitrary action," he added. -- Bernama