Jakarta - A herd of wild elephants went on a rampage in Indonesia's north-westernmost province of Aceh, killing one person and destroying property, state-run media reported Wednesday. A herd estimated at 13 pachyderms entered Cot Pengee village in Aceh Jaya district during the past several days, forcing residents to flee their homes for safety.
Antara news agency quoted local community leader Iskandar Musa saying residents tried to drive the wild animals away with traditional methods, such as making loud sounds, but to no avail.
Instead, the elephants become more bold with one of them chasing people on sight, Iskandar said, adding that the beasts killed one man whose body was found Saturday.
"The man's body, identified as Muhammad Wahi, 30, was found about 30 metres from his home," Iskandar said. He said in the past several days the wild elephants destroyed hectares of plantations.
Aceh Jaya's deputy district chief Zamzami A Rani called on the Natural Resources Conservation Agency to deal with the wild elephants because many residents were forced to evacuate to safer places.
Rani said some farmers had threatened to poison the elephants unless the authorities to solve the problem.
Local government and conservationists have said there could be no guarantee the pachyderms would not return, because the resettlement area is located along the traditional wild elephant trail.
Widespread destruction of elephant habitat through illegal logging and uncontrolled conversion of forests into oil palm and pulp plantations has created intense conflict between humans and elephants, which are forced to feed on the crops that replaced their natural foods.
Habitat destruction and illegal poaching have slashed the population Sumatra's wild elephants.
According to environmentalists, about 4,000 wild elephants roam Sumatra, the only island in Indonesia where they can still be found. They are listed as an endangered species and protected by law.
