KOTA BARU: The Kelantan department of the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has mounted an operation to regulate and drive off a herd of 20 wild elephants detected in Kampung Tok Uban and Kampung Catan in Lata Rek, Kuala Krai, close to right here.
Kelantan Perhilitan director Mohamad Hafid Rohani stated 4 workers from Kuala Krai Perhilitan and the Kelantan Elephant Capture Unit (UTG) carried out the operation after they detected the elephants following complaints from villagers final Friday (May 27).
He stated the elephant herd that was inflicting the disturbance is believed to be from the Sungai Rek Forest Reserve.
“The herd has break up into two essential teams, particularly 14 elephants in the Kampung Tok Uban space, whereas six elephants are in Kampung Catan.
“These elephants are more than likely to enter the village areas by going alongside the electrical fences that had been erected by the plantations,” he stated in a press release Monday (May 30).
“There are several factors why these elephants loiter around village areas. This includes the reduction of their natural habitat and the ease of locating food in village areas as residents have cultivated sugar cane, cucumbers and bananas.
“In addition, there are also orchards that are overgrown, so combined with the three factors, these pose a higher risk of attracting these wild elephants,” Hafid said.
“Perhilitan has advised residents to light bonfires (to ward off these elephants) surrounding their respective dwellings and along the elephant path to their villages and plantations.
“Besides this, villagers are also asked to always clean their surrounding areas, plantations and farms to avoid attracting wildlife,” he added. – Bernama
